Carbonnieux rouge - Pessac-Léognan 2020

Vinous

90-90

byNeal Martinthe2/28/2025

The 2020 Carbonnieux is very composed on the nose, with blackberry, raspberry and light cedar scents and neatly integrated oak. The palate is medium-bodied with a lively entry. It has fine structure and a good backbone, with a fresh, black-olive-tinged finish. This is worth seeking out. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

Alexandre Ma

93

byAlexandre Mathe4/18/2023

Wine Advocate

92

byWilliam Kelleythe4/6/2023

The 2020 Carbonnieux has turned out nicely, like its white counterpart, exhibiting aromas of plums, cassis and cherries mingled with hints of pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, rich and gourmand, with powdery tannins and a succulent core of fruit, it's an elegant effort from this large Pessac estate.

Wine Spectator

93

byJames Molesworththe3/31/2023

Solidly built, this seems to soak up the vintage's heat, turning it around in the form of a broad swath of steeped black currant and blackberry paste flavors supported by warm tar and smoldering tobacco. Shows a nice singed cedar frame, with a lingering note of warm paving stone on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2035. 12,000 cases made, 3,000 cases imported.

Jeb DUNNUCK

94

byJeb Dunnuckthe3/30/2023

From a region that excelled in 2020, the 2020 Château Carbonnieux sports a deep purple hue to go with a killer bouquet of ripe blackcurrants, leafy tobacco, scorched earth, and graphite. It's rich, concentrated, and medium to full-bodied on the palate, with a beautiful mid-palate as well as building, ripe tannins. This stunning effort warrants 3-4 years of bottle age and will evolve for 10-15 years in cold cellars.

The Wine Cellar Insider

93

byJeff Levethe3/22/2023

The nose, with its smoke, flowers, cocoa, and wet earth scents is a treat. But it is on the palate, with all its layers of lush, elegant, ripe, silky, blackberries, plums, and cocoa where the wine shines. Soft, supple, long and complex, with a solid depth of flavor in the finish that is packed with ripe fruits, chocolate and coffee bean, this is in contention as the finest vintage of Carbonnieux I have ever tasted. Drink from 2025-2045.

Alexandre Ma

93

byAlexandre Mathe3/15/2023

Wines Critic

90

byRaffaele Vecchionethe3/10/2023

Very fresh and balsamic in the primary profile showing notes of raspberries, peppermint, green tea leaves and citronella. Full bodied, very smooth tannins and a static finish of precise craftsmanship but lacking a little polish. To re-taste in order to re-assess possible defects in the bottle. Better from 2024.

Vinous

94

byAntonio Gallonithe2/24/2023

The 2020 Carbonnieux is a dark, brooding beauty. Black cherry, gravel, incense, tobacco, smoke, mocha and cured meats build as this deep, layered Pessac-Léognan shows off its considerable personality. I would give the tannins a few years to soften. The mix of fruit richness and energy is compelling.

Vinous

89

byNeal Martinthe2/15/2023

The 2020 Carbonnieux is a bit reticent on the nose, just as I observed out of barrel. With coaxing it offers black cherries, incense, chalk and light iris flower aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins, quite rigid at first, fresh and tensile, loosening up towards the finish with a dash of cracked black pepper. It just comes across a bit too "serious" at the moment and it seems to vanish on the aftertaste. Perplexing.

Jamessuckling.com

95

byJames Sucklingthe1/16/2023

Blackcurrants, raspberries, crushed stone, bark, and dark mushroom. Licorice, too. Full-bodied with chewy tannins that are minerally and intense. Tangy undertone with plenty going on. Very structured. Solid wine from this estate. Best after 2027.

TASTED

94

byAndreas Larssonthe7/6/2021

Pure and stony nose with fresh yet ripe fruit notes like white peach, ripe citrus and lemongrass with some floral notes. The palate has an excellent grip with fine extract and bright acidity lifting the yellow fruit, supported by just a tiny hint of oak, very long and crisp finish. Stylish.

Vinous

92-94

byAntonio Gallonithe6/1/2021

The 2020 Carbonnieux is dark and juicy to the core. Inky red cherry, cedar, leather, tobacco, smoke and mocha are all kicked up in this deep, flavorful Pessac-Léognan. Bright acids and a firm spine of tannin lend energy while giving the wine its sense of proportion. This is such a gorgeous wine.

Jeb DUNNUCK

91-93

byJeb Dunnuckthe5/28/2021

Another beautiful Graves, the 2020 Château Carbonnieux is medium to full-bodied, with plenty of classic Graves earthiness as well as beautiful red and blue fruits, lots of floral and exotic notes, ripe, polished tannins, and remarkable overall purity. This is certainly going to be an outstanding wine.

Tastingbook.com

93

byMarkus Del Monegothe5/28/2021

Dark purple colour with violet hue and almost black core. Elegant nose with ripe dark berries, black cherries and ripe plums, gingerbread spices and fine toasting aroma. On the palate wells structuired and balanced with firm yet ripe tannins, very good aromatic length and quite promising character. 

Vinous

90-92

byNeal Martinthe5/27/2021

This Pessac-Léognan has been a little inconsistent of late. The 2020 Carbonnieux, matured in 35–40% new oak, has a slightly subdued nose despite giving it ample aeration, blackberry, mint and light floral aromas gradually unfurling. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, fine acidity, crisp blackberry and wild strawberry fruit and a slightly chalky finish. It is traditional in style, but that is not necessarily a bad thing, and I find there is more persistence on the finish compared to the recently tasted 2018 in bottle. This is a return to form.

Decanter.com

93

byJane Ansonthe5/25/2021

Juice and freshness running through this, with a velvety texture and sense of momentum. Violet reflections, touches of chocolate and rosemary spice, still the savoury fruit that is typical of the vintage, clearly concentrated, but well balanced overall. 2% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. A yield of 42 hl/ha. 40% new oak. HVE3 certificated with one organic control plot.

The Wine Cellar Insider

91-93

byJeff Levethe5/21/2021

Deeply colored, this is already showing off its vanilla bean, flowers, tobacco, cherry and currant character on the nose. Supple, soft and silky, with refined fruits that feel stellar on your palate, give this 4-5 years in the cellar and it is going to be even better. This should age for at least 2 decades. 91-93

Wine Advocate

91-93

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe5/20/2021

Sporting a deep purple-black color, the 2020 Carbonnieux opens with notes of tar, dark chocolate and licorice, giving way to a core of stewed black plums, cassis and blackberry compote, plus a waft of smoked meats. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers mouth-coating, juicy black fruits, supported by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing savory.

Anthocyanes

91-93

byYohan Castaingthe5/11/2021

Avec une pointe terrienne, graphite, un peu bourgeon de cassis, le nez laisse apparaitre quelques notes variétales. En bouche, juteux et l'ensemble serre un peu mais reste frais. Pourrait s'épanouir après les élevages.

Bernard Burtschy

94-95

byBernard Burtschythe5/10/2021

Falstaff

91-93

byPeter Moserthe5/10/2021

Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Rauchig unterlegte Edelholzwürze, reife schwarze Waldbeeren, zart nach Pflaumen und Feigen, ein Hauch von Nougat. Saftig, reife Kirschen, elegant, gut integrierte Tannine, miner- alisch im Abgang, bleibt haften, ein vielseitiger Speisenbegleiter.

My Bettane + Desseauve

93

by Bettane & Desseauvethe5/7/2021

Jamessuckling.com

93-94

byJames Sucklingthe4/23/2021

A velvety-textured red with lots of blackberry, black-olive, mushroom and walnut character. Full and dense, but fresh and vivid on the finish. Pretty layers of fruit and tannins.