Château La Tour Carnet - Haut-Médoc 2009

Wine Advocate

91 / 100

byNeal Martinthe1/1/2013

The La Tour Carnet 2009 is much more reserved on the nose with light, clean red berries and wild hedgerow, a little rustic but opens in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannins. This is edgy, tense but harmonious with fine composure and very well integrated oak on the finish. Tasted January 2013.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

91 / 100

byStephen Tanzerthe7/31/2012

(a blend of 62% merlot, 33% cabernet sauvignon, 3% petit verdot and 2% cabernet franc): Saturated, bright red-ruby. Lively aromas of cassis, blackberry, licorice and mint. Moderately sweet and vinous, with ripe, well-integrated acidity and graphite minerality giving lift to the very rich flavors of dark berries, chocolate and sexy oak. This dense, concentrated wine really calls for five years of cellaring and is built for a graceful evolution in bottle. Looks to be the top vintage yet for this Bernard Magrez wine.

Wine Advocate

92 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe2/29/2012

This dense purple wine displays notes of charcoal, subtle toast and white chocolate as well as blueberry and blackberry liqueur intermixed with hints of graphite and licorice. Dense, full-bodied, unctuously textured, and quite long and thick, this concentrated, impressively endowed wine is silky-textured and already accessible. However, I suspect its best days are at least 5-7 years ahead of it. It should keep for a minimum of two decades.

Wine Spectator

88 / 100

byJames Molesworththe1/1/2012

Plump and ripe, with a warm edge to the steeped plum, cherry and currant fruit, which mingles gently with light toasty vanilla and tobacco on the finish. A supple, approachable style. Drink now through 2017. 23,330 cases made.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

84-87 / 100

byIan D'Agatathe6/30/2010

Le Figaro

92-94 / 100

byBernard Burtschythe6/30/2010

Repris dans un triste état par Bernard Magrez, le château gravit les marches de la qualité à toute allure. Il a commencé par gagner en concentration et en richesse de texture. Le millésime 2009 marque une étape importante avec un vin qui a gagné en finesse et en élégance pour ressembler à un excellent cru classé de Saint-Julien dont il est tout proche. Robe très sombre. Nez de fourrure et de mûre. En bouche, l’attaque est souple et dense, elle est suivie de beaux tannins élégants, le tout est harmonieux, charmant, avec une belle finale de fruits rouges. 53 % merlot, 40 % cabernet-sauvignon, 5 % cabernet-franc, 2 % petit-verdot.

La Revue du Vin de France

16,5-17,5 / 20

the5/31/2010

Il s'agit du cru classé à la plus forte proportion de merlot (52% de l'assemblage total). Le vin donne une impression de puissance énorme, avec une masse tannique très imposante et une énorme concentration. Il n'a pas le raffinement des meilleurs, mais impressionne par son côté massif, avec néanmoins une finale de bonne fraîcheur. Il devra digérer ses tanins.

Le Point

15-15,5 / 20

byJacques Dupontthe5/6/2010

Cassis, bouche puissante, tendue, serrée, de la mâche, un peu séchante en finale, prise de bois assez sensible, velouté en première partie, astringent ensuite. Toujours ce petit trop dans l'extraction qui interdit l'élégance. O= 2015 G= 15 ans

Wein Wisser

18 / 20

byRené Gabrielthe4/30/2010

Sattes Purpur-Granat. Klassisches, fein-würziges Médoc-Bouquet, leicht rauchiger Cabernet, schöne Tiefe. Am Gaumen überaus fein, fast cremige Textur, geschliffene reife Tannine, erst im Nachklang muskulös, so dass auch der 09er über den typisch-eigentümlichen La-Tour-Carnet-Charakter verfügt. 2018–2038

TAST

17,5 / 20

by Bettane & Desseauvethe4/30/2010

Echantillon un peu plus sophistiqué que celui de Belgrave, avec un grand nez de myrtille et de prune intégré à un départ de boisé fort élégant (cela n’a pas toujours été le cas), finesse, classe, amplitude, longueur, rien ne semble lui manquer.

Wine Advocate

91-93 / 100

byNeal Martinthe4/30/2010

Cropped at 43hl/ha, a blend of 53% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, harvested between 29th September and 22nd October, this has a ripe, plum, blueberry and cassis scented nose with good definition, if just a little obvious at the moment. Very ripe and sensuous, more like a Right Bank bouquet. The palate is medium-bodied with good acidity, very fine tannins, a slight metallic edge on the entry, good density and focus here with great delineation towards the linear finish. Tightly wound, nicely controlled for the vintage. Tasted March 2010.

Decanter Magazine

16,5 / 20

bySteven Spurrierthe4/30/2010

Black red, colour sticks to the glass, concentrated blackcurrant fruit with lifted florality, quite thick texture, tannins to back it up, needs time to open up and has good potential. Drink 2015-25.

Wine Enthusiast

90-92 / 100

byRoger Vossthe4/30/2010

Firmly dry wine, solid with many firm, wood-derived tannins. It gives bitter coffee and cranberry juice flavors, but also manages to retain freshness.

Wine Advocate

91-93 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/28/2010

The finest wine made here since the 2005, the 2009 (a blend of 53% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot) was harvested between September 29 and October 22. Its dense purple color is followed by abundant aromas of camphor, charcoal, barrique, blackberries, and creme de cassis. Dense, structured, and full-bodied with high, but sweet, well-integrated tannins, and tremendous precision as well as freshness, this 2009 should evolve for 20-25 years. (Tasted three times.) Drink 2010-2035. (91-93*) points

Periodic Review of Wine

88-90 / 100

byAlan Duranthe4/28/2010

One of the most popular Haut-Médocs! The deeply-rimmed, opaque purple hued Carnet is outstanding and generous to drink. Sweet blueberries, crème de cassis, vanilla, and cherry liqueur scents precede a rounded, plush, full-bodied, dense, unctuously styled wine with irresistible gobs of cherry and blueberry cream. This alluring, crowd-pleasing, succulent offering from Bernard Magrez should age well over the next decade. Maturity period 2013-2022. (88-90+)

Jancis Robinson

16,5 / 20

byJancis Robinsonthe4/7/2010

Very dark. Very subtle and complex on the nose. Round and easy and pretty relaxed. Seems rather effortless. Lots of pleasure and nice ripeness rather than simple sweetness. Good! (16.5+) Drink 2017-2028

Wine Spectator

90-93 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe4/5/2010

Full-bodied, with supersilky tannins and a long finish. Solid and balanced, with pretty tannins. A polished young wine.