Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

For those who are interested:

I've just published a profile of Les Carmes Haut Brion on my website. http://greatbordeauxwines.com/chateau-p ... haut-brion

Rising star of the appellation imho.

Working on profile of La Confession - have tasted all the vintages produced at this property, 2001-2017 in April 2018. Mark 1 2001-2006 previous location, Mark 2 2007-2017 present location. Very interesting tasting it was!

Izak,

Thanks for a detailed review on a wine that I have never tried before and looks that they are a rising star. I'll keep my eyes open for this one.

Nice write up, CHB has always been a favorite estate of mine.

I had a bottle of the 99 CHB with ravioli, spinach, and shrimp tonight and it was fantastic. I'd give it an A- with lots of mint, cab franc oregano, and mulberry flavors. I realize it's not a traditional pairing, but the wine is so good & balanced, that it can be drunk with/without food.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/3vRkWGCAdrGGwEXUA

I thought the wine would be heading downhill now, but its coasting along effortlessly.

AKR,

Nice to hear!

This property has been producing wines which keep for a long time.

Haven't tasted 1999 but had 1975 in December last year and 1971 in June last year. Both scored 91p.

Carmes is an interesting property. When it was sold, Haut Brion was one of the bidders with the idea of incorporating some of the best parcels into Haut Brion itself. They were outbid, which is interesting if you think about the economics. The most that the new owners can get is what they can sell the Carmes for; I cannot believe that the sales revenue would be close to equaling a significant percentage of Haut Brion and the balance of Carmes.

That being said, this is definitely a property on the rise. There was a mini vertical a few years ago, and the wines of the old regime lacked a certain spark, which is very apparent in the new one. Last vintage I tasted was the 2016, which I thought was the best yet.

Thanks for the note Arv and the pictures...you eat and drink very well! And that 1999 seems like a beauty.

I thought the 2016 was very good when I tried it, and was certainly differentiated from other 2016s given its high CF proportion in the blend - around 40% I believe - but I preferred DDC and other Graves tasted next to it.

I bought a case of the 1996 which drank really well young but had low acidity, these are long gone. The same criticism could be levelled at the 1998 we tried last in a horizontal year, but some really loved it.

AKR wrote:I had a bottle of the 99 CHB with ravioli, spinach, and shrimp tonight and it was fantastic. I'd give it an A- with lots of mint, cab franc oregano, and mulberry flavors. I realize it's not a traditional pairing, but the wine is so good & balanced, that it can be drunk with/without food.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/3vRkWGCAdrGGwEXUA

I thought the wine would be heading downhill now, but its coasting along effortlessly.

I’ve been a long-time fan of this estate pre-2014 vintage changes. Apparently I like it more than others here. The high concentration of CF makes it distinct and appeals to this Chinon-lovers palate. The 1999 was a major sleeper. I really like 2000, 2005 and 2010. The new regime is not necessarily making a better wine, they are making a different wine, one with more gloss and concentration that clearly appeals to many, especially the critics and commentators like Jeff Leve. I will admit to liking them as well, and I think again, the CF spares these wines from going OTT. But lets be clear, this is not the same charming old school Chateau that it once was. I’m still a buyer but no longer in the same quantities since the price increased by like a zillion bucks. Frankly, 2014 could be the best vintage in the new regime, the classic vintage really keeping this wine in check. And it’s like 1/3 the price of the highly-praised 2016.

Ps. Maybe the change happened in 2012. I cannot recall the exact date. I was not that thrilled with 2012. I did load up on 2014, but interesting around this time, Total Wine had the 2010 for close to the same price, so I grabbed even more of that.

I bought a case at $90/per of the 2016 after having tasted it at the UGC last year and noticing a large pricing disparity btw it’s current retail cost and its wholesale replacement costs. The following week, TW sent out a 72 hour sale and I pulled the trigger on an additional 2 cases at $84.97/per. Timing was really the key here and I will most likely flip 2 of the cases and then drink the 3rd for free but we shall see.

jckba wrote:I bought a case at $90/per of the 2016 after having tasted it at the UGC last year and noticing a large pricing disparity btw it’s current retail cost and its wholesale replacement costs. The following week, TW sent out a 72 hour sale and I pulled the trigger on an additional 2 cases at $84.97/per. Timing was really the key here and I will most likely flip 2 of the cases and then drink the 3rd for free but we shall see.

Wow, killer pricing. I would have grabbed some more, too.

I bought the 2016 in futures in the 375 format and I think it was $35 per.

I bought this bottle on release and I'm guessing it was $28-$30. 1999 was a touch cheaper than 1998 because it wasn't a speculators year, and the dollar was a bit stronger when orders were placed. Back then, I'd always be waffling between Carmes, Latour Haut Brion, and Bahans HB since they were generally similar in price point, and were well regarded. Thinking about it, all of those have aged well, so its still a tough call between them, although the latter two sites' grapes are not exactly under those banners any more.

Count me as a fan of Chateau Les Carmes Haut-Brion. Met Mr. Furt there in 2004, with AlexR, what a gentleman!

That is true that lately, the price went up more quickly than I guess any other Bordeaux wine (ok, maybe Angélus is the real champion for that), but i think it is true that their terroir is great, and if Chateau Haut-Brion try to buy, it is a sign.

I have some 2015 and I'm really happy to have them, even if I did not taste yet. I had a 2000 last summer with JeanFred and my brother, and I thought it was the best wine that night, over 1990 Léoville Barton, 1990 Sociando Mallet, 1990 Pape Clément, 2008 Léoville Barton and 2009 Léoville Poyferré... so if I do an analysis back, i guess the price is deserved.

Here is what I wrote about the 2000:

I had another bottle of the 2000 Chateau Les Carmes Haut-Brion not so long ago, that was excellent, but the one I brought at JeanFred was probably the best that wine can offer. An extraordinary bottle. Deep color, the nose started like a syrah with bacon fat, blackpepper and smoky blackberries. It evolved dramatically during the night, adding minerals, black licorice, black currants, cherries, and some blond tobacco tones. In mouth, a near perfect balance, with lot of fruit, dark and red, rasberries, leafy tobacco, light smoky cocoa. Stay in control, complex, the type of "I want more" wine. Final was also long, fresh with classic tannins, old oak, more blackcurrant and licorice. Almost too good to be true. Finally, my favorite that night. Tn: 96-97.


Nic

Just had a 1998 from the cellar. Very good, but I suspect the newer vintages show more pedigree.

I “discovered” Les Carmes, thanks to Arv...

Thinking about Haut Brion monikers, did anyone try Allary Haut Brion?

I snagged couple of 08 AHB maybe in 2012 or something. AHB sits right next to HB and is now part of HB, as HB bought them few years back...

1998 Carmes Haut Brion [Pessac Leognan] a throwback to another era, and owners. lighter/medium bodied, lower alcohol, but great depth of flavor - ocean, iodine, cranberries. Despite the years, it just doesn't seem to be fading. I think this is my last bottle, and pretty much all of them have been wonderfully joyful. This is an unusual CHB, in that I'm not opening it with any enthusiasts, normally I try to save them to share+evangelize, although distribution now is light years better today than a generation ago. (This one is from Calvert Woodley, curiously) Garnet edges, smooth tannin, earthy palate, enough acid to be food friendly if desired, but I enjoyed this while reading an older Grant's IRO. A- in my ledger.

Nice report Arv.

This 1998 Chateau les Carmes Haut Brion looks fabulous! It reminds me the 2000 I had a few years ago, that was also fabulous.

The best of traditionnal complex Pessac Léognan.