2012 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan Bordeaux France Wine Tasting Note
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2012
Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion (Pessac-Léognan)
Kiss of oak, earth, smoke and truffle, smooth and silky with a polished, elegant, blackberry, finesse styled, smoky, fruit filled finish. This is showing more depth and softer textures with bottle age. 7,831 Views Tasted Jul 23, 2015With good color, a nose of forest scents, herbs, black raspberry, mint and cassis, the medium/full bodied, round, soft wine finishes with sweet, mineral driven dark red fruits. 3,427 Views Tasted May 15, 2015With a complex nose of cigar leaf, black cherry, oak and earth, the wine is soft, round and plush, with a blast of ripe, silky fruit in the finish. The wine was produced from a blend of 44% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon that reached 14.1% ABV. 3,333 Views Tasted Mar 11, 2015With licorice, smoke, blackberry and earthy notes, this wine has plush, soft, polished textures and a sweet blackberry and dark chocolate finish. 90-93 Pts 4,578 Views Tasted Apr 25, 2013 |
When to Drink Chateau, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time
Chateau Les Carmes Haut Brion can be enjoyed on the young side with decanting. Young vintages can be decanted for an average of 2-3 hours, give or take. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment.
Chateau Les Carmes Haut Brion is usually better with at least 8-10 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage character. Chateau Les Carmes Haut Brion offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 10-35 years of age after the vintage.
Serving Les Carmes Haut Brion, with Wine, Food, Pairing Tips
Chateau Les Carmes Haut Brion is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift. Chateau Les Carmes Haut Brion is best served with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised and grilled dishes. Chateau Les Carmes is a perfect match with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, mushrooms and pasta as well as cheese.
Chateau Les Carmes Haut Brion Character and Style
The style of wine from Les Carmes Haut Brion until recently has been on the light side for the Pessac Leognan region, due to the high percentage of Cabernet Franc planted in the vineyard. With the new owners, the style has changed a bit. Today, the wine is showing more depth and concentration, while retaining its elegance and freshness.
Depending on the vintage, the wine can offer more complexity in the nose, than in the mouth. The 2014 Les Carmes Haut Brion displayed more depth and complexity than many previous vintages making it a contender for the best wine produced in the history of the chateau.
Les Carmes Haut Brion has the ability to age and evolve. The best example of this was discovered this year when tasting a magnum of the 1915 Les Carmes Haut Brion at the chateau!
On average, close to 4,000 cases of wine are produced in an average year. The estate makes a second wine, Le Clos de Carmes Haut Brion. However, this wine is actually its own unique brand as it's produced from grapes planted in Martillac that were originally part of the Le Thil vineyard.