Les Carmes Haut Brion 2010

robert_parker90

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Carmes Haut-Brion 2010 has a straight down the line, well defined Graves bouquet that is very elegant: blackberry, raspberry and briary fruit. The oak is perfectly disguised. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, good depth and fine acidity. It just comes across as a little forceful towards the finish, whilst there is a touch of bitterness on the aftertaste that this wine has to address. Tasted January 2014.

robert_parker90

Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.

This attractive, finesse-styled wine exhibits a dark ruby/purple color as well as smoky blue fruits intermixed with a hint of menthol, medium body and an elegant, restrained style. The tannins are noticeable, but they are not terribly intense for a 2010. Give this one 2-3 years in the cellar and drink it over the following 10-15 years.

robert_parker

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Tasted on three occasions, a couple of samples suggested a little over-ripeness, although the sample at the UGC was much more controlled on the nose with lifted blackberry, dark cherries, black olive compote and a touch of violet. The palate has good weight on the entry, dense, broody black fruits, less opulent than recent vintages, quite introspective towards the finish but sure to blossom by the time of bottling. Tasted April 2011.

robert_parker92

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Tasted at the UGC and at the chateau, the 2010 is a blend of 46% Cabernet Franc, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and the remainder Merlot, raised in around 40% new oak. This was a difficult wine to ascertain out of barrels despite numerous encounters. Fortunately it is turning out to be a very fine Pessac-Leognan. It has a well-defined nose that is more bashful than the 2009, with scents of blackcurrant, briary, a touch of marmalade and cedar. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, gently grippy tannins on the entry and a structured, fresh, masculine finish that will need several years to unfurl. Delicious. Tasted November 2012.

robert_parker90

Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.

The wine is less complex than a Chevalier, but displays plenty of raspberries, red currants and sweet cherries as well as hints of vanilla, smoke and Christmas fruitcake. The blend is 45% Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, tipping the scales at 14.5% natural alcohol. Always elegant, stylish and medium-bodied, it should drink best between 2015 and 2030. Wines from this small, jewel-like estate, not far from Haut-Brion, are always made in a somewhat finesse style, similar to those of the great estate to the south of this Pessac property, Domaine de Chevalier. Les Carmes Haut-Brion may have the highest percentage of Cabernet Franc of any well-known wine from the Pessac-Leognan region.

robert_parker93

Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown

Made of 45% Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the deep garnet colored 2010 Les Carmes Haut-Brion gives up notes of baked blackberries, blackcurrants, black raspberries and cedar chest with hints of baking spices, black olives, pencil lead and Marmite toast. Full-bodied, the generously fruited palate has a solid backbone of grainy tannins and bold freshness supporting all that tightly-packed brawn, finishing with great length and purity. Still incredibly youthful, I suspect this wine has a lot more to give in the years to come!

vinous91

Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata

Opaque purple-ruby. Pure, penetrating aromas of blackcurrant, mint and balsamic reduction are complicated by notes of minerals, cocoa and smoke. Rich, dense and suave on entry, then refined and pure in the middle, delivering intense mineral and blackberry flavors. Finishes very long, with complicating nuances of coca and violet. One of the best-ever young Les Carmes I can recall.

vinous92

Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata

(a blend of 55% merlot, 30% cabernet franc and 15% cabernet sauvignon) Ruby-purple. Perfumed, refined aromas of floral red cherry, violet, tobacco leaf, dill and white pepper; no oaky torrefaction here! Juicy and rather suave in the mouth, with red cherry flavors complicated by nuances of fresh herbs, minerals and smoke. An impeccably balanced, smooth midweight whose restrained sweetness and excellent flavor intensity make it hard not to gulp down. The broad finish displays very fine tannins and excellent length.

vinous92

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

The 2010 Les Carmes Haut-Brion has a crisp, focused bouquet with graphite infused black fruit, freshly tilled earth and pencil box. Wonderful. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins and a lovely bead of acidity. A pure, detailed graphite and tobacco inspired finish fans out with grace. This is actually better than two or three examples that I tasted soon after bottling. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.

vinous90

Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer

Bright red-ruby. Aromas of cherry, spiced plum, smoke and earth, plus a whiff of sweet butter. Juicy and a bit tight, showing moderate flesh and depth but good complexity to its flavors of red fruits, spices and minerals. There's a good dollop of cabernet franc in this wine, and it shows in the youthfully imploded texture. Finishes with fine-grained tannins and lingering minerality.