Wine Advisor
Les Carmes Haut Brion 2009
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Beautiful, Burgundian-like aromas of burning embers, roasted Provencal herbs, black currants and sweet cherries and raspberries emerge from this medium-bodied, elegant 2009 Pessac-Leognan. Medium to full-bodied and seductive with sweet tannins as well as a surprisingly evolved, precocious personality (even for a 2009), it will offer delicious drinking over the next 15+ years. This is another wine in which I noticed subtle bottle variation.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the Graves UGC. This has a very upfront nose with black, slightly gamey fruit that nods towards the Rhone, but there is also very fine definition and purity, a sense of exuberance to this Les Carmes. The palate is full-bodied with slightly grainy tannins, that gamey quality coming through on the entry, lovely structure, smoky black fruits, cooked meat, a touch of sage towards the finish. Real character to this 2009 Les Carmes. Superb. Tasted April 2010.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
This ethereal, lighter-styled 2009 (no doubt because of the high Cabernet Franc content) is somewhat difficult to fully evaluate at this stage, but it exhibits beautifully sweet, pure, blue and red fruits (raspberries) in a medium-bodied format. The wine is sublime in its softness, finesse, and delicacy. It should put on weight and perform even better in a year or two, and should drink nicely for 15+ years. (Tasted three times.)
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the chateau in Bordeaux. The 2009 is very intense on the nose with blackberry, raspberry, soy and crushed stone that is very well defined but tightly coiled. The palate is very well balanced with crisp acidity, very well defined black fruit laced with tobacco and cedar, the Cabernet Sauvignon dominating the graphite finish rather than the Cabernet Franc (which is some feat given that it is only a bit-player in the blend.) Superb. Tasted November 2012.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the Union de Grand Cru in London. The nose is open and generous, with red cherries, raspberry, a touch of vanilla and a little alcohol. The palate is medium-bodied with a touch of burnt toast on the entry. This is quite spicy with firm backbone and a pleasant sense of reserve on the finish. Excellent. Tasted October 2011.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. The Les Carmes Haut-Brion ‘09 has a very showy ostentatious bouquet with ripe black fruit, creme de cassis and blueberry that explodes from the glass. The palate is full-bodied with rounded succulent black fruit, low acidity, plush and generous with a long sweet, rather oaky finish. It bears similarities to Smith Haut Lafitte in style although compared to the bottle last November there is just a touch more weight on the finish. Tasted January 2013.
Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata
Deep ruby-red. Knockout nose combines black fruits, licorice, minerals and tobacco. Rich, ripe and soft, with creamy blueberry and blackcurrant fruit flavors given lift and clarity by sound acidity and solid minerality. Finishes with sweet tannins and subtle persistence. This wine could use a touch more finesse but should make a very enjoyable drink in a sweet, upfront, very modern style, at the same time managing to convey the minerally terroir of Pessac-Leognan.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2009 Les Carmes Haut-Brion offer ample red cherry and crushed strawberry on the nose, touches of brown spice and undergrowth. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, a little dry in the middle but with more flesh on the finish. It is still not a convincing showing compared to previous bottles and I will seek to revisit this in the future. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Medium ruby-red. Perfumed aromas of black raspberry, licorice, wild herbs and minerals. Sweet, lush and densely packed, with concentrated black cherry and black raspberry flavors offering considerable early appeal. Finishes with rising fruit and big, ripe tannins. This is superb already but should evolve positively for 10 to 12 years.
About the Producer
Chateau Les Carmes Haut-Brion is located in the Pessac-Leognan (Pessac-Leognan) production area on the left bank of Bordeaux. It was once part of Chateau Haut-Brion, one of the five famous wineries in Bordeaux. In 1584, Jean De Pontac, the 101-year-old old manor owner and founder of Chateau Haut Brion, donated the water mill in the manor and its surrounding small pastures and vineyards to the Carmes de Notre-Dame Abbey, officially opening Chateau Les Carmes History of Haut-Brion. At the beginning of the acquisition, the winery only owned 4.7 hectares of vineyards, but now the vineyard has expanded to 10 hectares. Made up of gravel, clay and sand. Planted are Cabernet Franc (39%), Cabernet Sauvignon (20%) and Merlot (41%).A small Peugue stream in the winery is the cool stream flowing under the new wine cellar. It creates a microclimate exclusive to Ritz-Carlton and gives Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion the most refined and elegant charm.
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