2005 | Chateau Les Carmes Haut-Brion | Pessac-Leognan

Medium red. Ripe aromas of smoky plum, redcurrant, mocha, tobacco and nutty oak. Rich, pliant and fruity, with ripe acids framing the raspberry and subtle game flavors and contributing to the impression of inner-mouth perfume. Offers good volume and a restrained sweetness. Finishes with dusty, serious tannins and very good length.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: A gorgeous effort from this tiny gem, the 2005 Les Carmes is their best wine since 1998 and 2000. Situated in a beautiful park behind Haut-Brion, this estate fashioned a deep ruby-colored 2005 boasting a brilliantly projected set of aromatics (kirsch, smoke, scorched earth, chocolate, leafy tobacco, and creosote). Its full body is somewhat unexpected given the aromatics’ delicacy and nuance. Zesty acidity, sweet tannin, and a light but substantial, classic, traditional style are found in this offering, which represents a synthesis in style between a grand cru Cote de Beaune Burgundy (such as a Corton) and a great Graves. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2028.

• Wine Enthusiast: A complete wine, rich and opulent. It has all the right balances of acidity, sweet fruits, black flavors and underlying dry tannins. Excellent.

Producer Information

Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a Bordeaux estate that was once part of the famed First Growth Château Haut-Brion. Situated in Pessac-Léognan, in the southwestern outskirts of Bordeaux town and on the "left bank" of the Garonne river, the vineyards and wines are Merlot and Cabernet Franc dominant with a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon – an uncommon ratio for the commune. Located in the heart of the oldest part of Bordeaux, it is the only château located within the bounaries of Bordeaux and therefore, is one of the last enclosed urban vineyards of the region. In the 16th Century, Jean de Pontac owned the Haut-Brion property. The historically much larger grounds encompassed the estates of the modern Pessac-Léognan châteaux Haut-Brion, La Mission Haut-Brion, Laville Haut-Brion, La Tour Haut-Brion and Les Carmes Haut-Brion. The Les Carmes property was created when Pontac donated a mill and its surrounding property to a mission of the Carmelite Order in 1584. The Carmelites owned and tended the property for two centuries, recognized in the modern château's name of Les Carmes. After the French Revolution, the estate was run by the Chantecaille-Furt family for generations. In 2010, Les Carmes was bought by Groupe Pichet, a Bordeaux real estate company, for roughly US$25 million – a record-breaking price for the region at the time at more than US$5m per hectare. Under new ownership the property has been expanded significantly, from 4.7 to 29.6 hectares (12 to 73 acres), most of which is under vine. Planted almost evenly to Cabernet Franc and Merlot (39 and 41 percent, respectively), it has arguably the highest proportion of Cabernet Franc in any Pessac-Léognan vineyard. Soil types here are gravel dating from the Mindel glaciation on a clay-limestone bedrock. The estate produces a second wine, formerly called Clos de Carmes, now titled Le C des Carmes Haut-Brion. Prior to bottling, the wines are barrel-aged for 18 to 24 months in up to 30 percent new french oak. The estate employs famed Bordeaux winemaker Stéphane Derenoncourt as a consultant.

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