2023 Les Carmes Haut Brion
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Tasting notes
The 2023 Les Carmes Haut-Brion has almost identical analysis to the 2022, although it’s a totally different wine – something winemaker Guillaume Pouthier attributes to the longer growing season. With some sun damaged fruit and extensive sorting (they removed around 10% of the crop via density and optical sorting), he had to reduce the proportion of whole-bunch fermentation – needing perfect fruit, so it represents 60% of the blend this year. The resulting wine is intense and floral, with a sweetness to the cassis fruit. It’s full of dark, ripe, pure and vibrant fruit that vibrates at the core, wrapped in a creamy layer and polished, supple tannins, with a twist of freshness and a silken texture. Enchanting. Aged in 70% new oak, 10% amphora and the remaining 20% in larger old oak, with 13.5% alcohol and 3.62pH. Blend: 50% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Yohan Castaing, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Slightly higher in Cabernet Franc than usual, the 2023 Les Carmes Haut-Brion opens with a nuanced bouquet of cassis, cassis leaf, licorice, dark berries, wisteria and blueberry. Medium- to full-bodied, fleshy yet strikingly linear, it’s defined by a tensile structure and a crystalline precision that gives the wine remarkable clarity. The tannins are exquisitely refined—silky yet laser-focused—imparting a sense of purity and balanced. Despite 90% new oak, the élevage is seamlessly absorbed, shaping the wine’s structure without encroaching on its intrinsic balance and precision. Kudos!
The 2023 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is every bit as impressive as it was en primeur, if not more so. Silky and intensely aromatic, the 2023 boasts magnificent purity from start to finish. Dark red-toned fruit, mocha, lavender, rose petal and exotic spice notes abound. Vinification with 60% stems exalts aromatic intensity and brilliance. The 2023 is a magical wine in the making.
Beautiful notes of exotic red and black fruits, spring flowers, violets, leafy herbs, and tobacco emerge from the 2023 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion, with subtle hints of iron and graphite. Aged 22 months in barrel, the first year in 70% new oak with the rest in used barrels and concrete, and the second year all in used foudre, it's medium to full-bodied on the palate, has a pure, layered, graceful mouthfeel, impressive balance, and a great finish. I love the purity and polish of its tannins, and while it already has charm, this deserves 4-6 years of bottle age and will evolve beautifully for 30+ years. Drink 2030-2055.
About the producer
One of the most exciting properties in Bordeaux, Les Carmes Haut-Brion technically sits within the city’s limits today. Guillaume Pouthier arrived in 2012 and, under his tenure, the property has been elevated to the highest ranks.