Château Les Carmes Haut Brion - Pessac-Léognan 2017 6b11bd6ba9341f0271941e7df664d056

Jeb DUNNUCK

92-94 / 100

byJeb Dunnuckthe6/12/2018

Complex damp herbs, underbrush, exotic flowers and ample black fruits emerge from the 2017 Château Les Carmes Haut Brion, which is made by Guillaume Pouthier, who previously worked for Michel Chapoutier in the Northern Rhône Valley. A blend of 41% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, still aging in 65% new French oak, this medium to full-bodied, rounded, impressively concentrated red will 92-94+need 3-4 years of bottle age yet keep for two decades. Tasted twice.

WeinWisser

19,5 / 20

byRené Gabrielthe5/31/2018

29% Ca­bernet Sauvignon, 41 % Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot, 1.3,3% vol, Produktion 40.000 Fla-schen. 43 hl/ha. Dichtes Purpurgranat mit schwarzer Mitte und violettem Rand. Ein betôrender Duft nach Schattenmorellen, tiefgründiger Würze und Heidelbeeren zeigt bereits die Grôsse an. lm zweiten Ansatz runden Cassislikbr, Brombeerstauden und Nougatpralinen sowie verführerische Veil-chen das komplexe Bouquet ab. Am Gaumen mit seidiger Textur und perfekt stützenden, bereits abgerundeten Tanninen, hier ist alles am richtigen Platz. Die unglaubliche Frische gibt ihm Hall und Finesse. lm langen Finale katapultiert sich der Wein mit Wildkirsche und Wacholder sowie frischer Bleistiftmine nach ganz oben. Ein ganz grosser, klassi-scher Les Carmes, der gemâss Guillaume Pouthier die gleiche Konzentration wie letz-tes Jahr besitzt und für mich sogar noch über dem hochgelobten Vorjahr liegt. Da-mit setzt sich dieser «Must Buy» knapp vor den Nachbarn Haut-Brion und La Mission auf Platz 1 in der Appellation. Ein sensatio-nettes Ergebnis.           
19.5/20 2027 — 2057

Vinifera

96-98 / 100

byJacques Perrinthe5/28/2018

Nez racé, sur les épices, avec un côté floral. Très jolie construction en bouche, fine et ascendante avec un tanin surfin et une belle impression soutenue sur la finale.

Vinous

93-96 / 100

byAntonio Gallonithe5/15/2018

The 2017 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is subtle and understated, but it’s all there. Lifted aromatics, bright, red-toned fruit and silky tannins add to the wine's brilliant, chiseled personality. I find the 2017 more precise and nuanced than in the recent past, with less overt power. It's hard to know exactly if the style of the 2017 is a result of the growing conditions of the year, or the result of an evolution in winemaking that includes the introduction of terra cotta, among other things. I certainly get the sense Guillaume Pouthier reined the wine back a bit in 2017. No matter. The end result is all that counts, and in 2017 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is positively stellar. As always, the high percentage of Cabernet Franc and a healthy dollop of whole clusters give Les Carmes an explosive bouquet and plenty of saline-infused energy. A closing flourish of sweet red berry fruit, mint, rose petal and mocha leaves a lasting impression. The 2017 is not an obvious wine, but it sure is gorgeous. Don't miss it! Tasted two times.

The Wine Cellar Insider

94-96 / 100

byJeff Levethe5/11/2018

The wine is as dark in fruit as it is in color. This is a nap on Pratesi sheets – a silky, sensuous and richly textured rendezvous. Vibrancy on the palate, creamy tannins and layers of fruit-enhanced strata propel a surfeit of multi-colored fruit. Not quite at the level of the stunning 2016 but very close. The wine was made using 50% whole bunches during fermentation. From a blend of 41% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot and 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine reached 13.25% with a pH of 3.59.

Vinous

92-94 / 100

byNeal Martinthe5/1/2018

The 2017 Les Carmes Haut-Brion includes 10% more Cabernet Sauvignon than last year with 45% whole bunch fruit. There is 13.2° alcohol. It is aged in 60% new oak (less than previous years), 30% one-year old oak and 10% amphora that have been baked at 1,200° Celsius instead of 500° Celsius that means there is less oxygen ingress. It has a very pure and strangely, almost Burgundy-like bouquet, perhaps somewhere towards the mid-Côte de Nuits. Dark cherries, wild strawberry, a hint of orange sorbet and later a touch of glycerol. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin and plenty of sappy, black fruit sprinkled with white pepper and bay leaf. As Guillaume Pouthier mentioned in conversation, there is a linearity to this Les Carmes Haut-Brion and one has to admire the precision and focus on the finish. Afford this five or six years in bottle before approaching and you will have a very delicious and distinctive Pessac-Léognan on your hands.

Wine Advocate

91-93 / 100

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe4/27/2018

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a little reticent to begin, opening up to fragrant notes of potpourri and oolong tea over a core of crushed red and black currants plus hints of violets, dark chocolate and cinnamon stick. Medium-bodied, it has an ambitious palate with firm, grainy tannins slightly masking the elegant fruit, finishing with good length though just a tad chewy.

Decanter.com

94 / 100

byJane Ansonthe4/25/2018

Jean-Marc QUARIN

18,5 / 20

byJean-Marc Quarinthe4/17/2018

Jamessuckling.com

94-95 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe4/6/2018

A tight and linear red with a firm and intense, pretty center palate of blackberry and wet-earth character. Full-bodied, reserved and focused. Really compacted.

Wine Spectator

89-92 / 100

byJames Molesworththe4/4/2018

Fresh cherry compote flavors and a light cassis thread work together, picking up light savory and iron notes. Shows charming energy, with twinges of spice and tobacco through the finish. Pure, but a bit shy on stuffing in the end.—J.M.