This picture is taken from the top of the cellar at LCHB - (Copyright Izak Litwar)
Les Carmes Haut Brion's spectacular cellar - (Copyright Giorgio Bocoshvili)
Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion can trace its roots back to the 16th century. For over 200 years, it was owned by the Carmelite order. During the French Revolution, the state was confiscated and sold in 1790 to Bordeaux wine merchant Jean-Baptiste Jourdan. Since then, the Chantecaille-Furt family has been the owners until 2010, when Pichet Real Estate Group purchased it. In 2012, the new owner brought a well-qualified winemaker and director to Les Carmes Haut-Brion to dramatically improve quality. Guillaume Pouthier arrived at Carmes Haut Brion from the same position as technical director at a famous producer in Rhone, Chapoutier.
From the start, he introduces a unique technique, which winemakers frequently use in the Rhone. Instead of already sorted grapes in vats, whole bunches of grapes are placed before fermentation and maceration. This technique should add more freshness, flavors, and aromas to the wine. It was introduced for the first time at Les Carmes in the 2012 vintage.
There were raised eyebrows among winemakers in Bordeaux when Guillaume Pouthier began using it, but this technique gradually gained popularity in Bordeaux. Under his direction, Les Carmes Haut-Brion has gained more stability, precision, focus, finesse, and a sophisticated touch.
Cabernet Franc is vinified in wood, Cabernet Sauvignon in concrete vats, and Merlot in stainless steel vats. There's also a second wine here, Le C des Carmes Haut Brion, mainly from the vineyard in Martillac.
This property is situated within the city limits of Bordeaux, even closer to the town itself than Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion. The surroundings are beautiful, with a lake, a large park, and an old bridge. After several additions, the vineyard now spans around 29 hectares, with 35-year-old vines planted in a 55% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon composition. Additionally, a state-of-the-art cellar, resembling an upside-down boat, was ready for use in 2016.
LCHB uses more Cabernet Franc in the blend than any other property at Left Bank, accounting for more than one-third. Because the vineyard is situated so close to Bordeaux, the temperature is always 2-3 degrees higher here. This also means the harvest starts early (1-2 weeks before the properties outside Bordeaux).
Les Carmes Haut Brion's manager, Guillaume Pouthier, is achieving things!
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LCHB 2024 (barrel sample) 90-94?
Tasted in April 2025 at the property. 48% Cabernet Franc, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 23% Merlot. 13.2% alcohol. I tasted this wine at the property and, honestly, I found it rather disappointing. The acidity was very pronounced and overshadowed the flavors, while the oak (or stem taste?) masked everything else. This barrel sample did not truly reflect the estate's potential. However, there were hints of underlying potential. I give it 90p for the moment. When I taste it again, likely in September 2025, I hope the wine shows improvement, and the score can increase considerably.
LCHB 2023 (barrel sample) 97-99p
Tasted in April 2024. 50% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Merlot. 13.5% alcohol. This wine differs from the powerful 2022 version, displaying tenderness, delicacy, finesse, and elegance. Still, its aromatic profile is intact, with fragrant morello cherries and blackcurrants. It's savory, vibrant, and sophisticated on the palate, with a very long aftertaste. It is almost as thrilling as its one-year-old brother.
LCHB 2022 98-100p
Tasted twice - last time in February 2025. Consistent notes. 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 26% Merlot. 13.5% alcohol. 70% whole bunches to keep alcohol down! An intense mix of black cherries and blackcurrants spiced up with roses, minerality, vibrant, great structure, a strong backbone, incredibly sensual, sophisticated, and many layers. A strong candidate to compete for the wine of the vintage!
LCHB 2021 94-95p
Tasted twice - last time in October 2024. Consistent notes. 40% Cabernet Franc, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 23% Merlot. 13.5% alcohol. An intense mix of black cherries and morello cherries added notes of violets, crushed rocks, tension, vibrant, finely grained tannin, splendid complexity, and a well-structured, persistent finish. Splendid effort for the vintage.
LCHB 2020 99p
Tasted twice - last time in April 2023. Consistent notes. 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 26% Merlot. Fifty-five percent of the whole grape bunches were included in the vinification process. 13.65% alcohol. 80% new oak, 11% foudres, and 9% amphoras. The nose was a paradise of fragrances, and the palate was a paradise of tastes. When you find spectacular complexity, sophisticated touch, liquid cashmere, and seamless structure in this wine, the result is true perfection! 2020 is the best vintage Guillaume Pouthier has ever produced at LCHB; that's it! It was not running at full speed when tasted in April 2023. Bottling occurred in February 2023, and the wines tasted disjointed. 98p.
LCHB 2019 99p
Tasted in July 2022 (Copenhagen). It was my first encounter with this wine – I couldn’t taste it in Bordeaux from the barrel in April 2020. The blend is 50% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 16% Merlot. This wine was certainly worth the wait! It was an incredible thrill from start to finish. Initially, this wine was a paradise of aromas and fragrances. On the nose, it overwhelmed you with cascades of freshly cut black cherries and blackcurrants. The palate offered a striking attitude, seamless structure, a cashmere-like texture, vibrancy, a sophisticated touch, and fantastic complexity. After half an hour in the glass, this wine began to take on the typical characteristics of the Pessac-Leognan district, with its shellfish scent, saltiness, and smokiness, without losing any of its energy, vitality, or fruit. It is a genuinely epic wine, and what a pair it will make with the 2020 version!
LCHB 2018 98+p
Tasted three times - last time in December 2020. Consistent notes. Ridiculously sublime. It combines perfect power and elegance with riveting richness, complexity, and length: grilled bacon and cigar box. There is more Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend (34%); usually, it's 20%. Less Merlot, at 29% (usually 41%), but Cabernet Franc remains about the same, at 37% versus 39%. 13.75% alcohol, 75% new oak, 16% wooden vats, 9% terracotta amphoras, and 50% whole bunches used in vinification. It is the best vintage Guillaume Pouthier has ever produced at LCHB!
LCHB 2017 95-96p
Tasted three times - last time in October 2019. Consistent notes. This property didn't experience frost in April 2017, as the vineyard is well sheltered, and the temperature here is always 2-3 degrees higher than in the other vineyards in the Bordeaux area. 41% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot, and 29% Cabernet Sauvignon. It's a stellar, aromatic, and fruity wine with a silky texture, elegance, and a fruity finish. It's a real heartbreaker wine. Here, 40% of the whole bunches were going into barrels. 75% new oak, 15% two-year-old foudres, and 10% amphoras were used for aging.
LCHB 2016 96+p
Tasted four times - last time in October 2018. Consistent notes. 41% Cabernet Franc, 39% Merlot, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. 13.8% alcohol, IPT = 82. 70% new oak + 20% 1 year old barrels + 10% amphoras. Thick aromatic nose with blueberries, very concentrated yet refined, incredibly complex, precise, and focused. It has an impressively long finish. Certainly, a wine to compete with big guns in this vintage!
LCHB 2015 95+p
Tasted four times - last time in October 2018. Consistent notes. 44% Cabernet Franc, 32% Merlot, and 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% alcohol, IPT = 75. 80% new oak + 10% one year old barrels, + 10% amphoras. This wine had a beautifully scented (rosebush perfume) nose, refined and intense; you could feel/taste the wine's precision, purity, and length. More concentrated than in recent vintages. Impressive stuff, which will only get better in the future.
LCHB 2014 93p
Tasted four times - last time in November 2021. Consistent notes. 55% C. Franc (!) + 15% C.Sauvignon + 30% Merlot. 75% new oak, 15% big oak barrels, + 10% amphoras. Consistent notes. It is an aromatic, well-composed wine with finesse and a caressing fruity finish. Fine acidity, balance, and complexity. Cool climate vintage and a classic Bordeaux one.
LCHB 2012 93p
Tasted in September 2015. 40% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine was impressive for the vintage; it was very aromatic, with Cabernet Franc shining through. It was silky, smooth, complex, graceful, and balanced. I gave it 91p for a barrel sample in 2013, but now it's in the bottle and even better! What a transformation - a new technique is responsible for?
LCHB 2011 92p
Tasted twice - last time in October 2018. Consistent notes. It is tight and has fine minerality, nice complexity, and lovely length. It is well-balanced and has a persistent finish. It's a superb wine for the vintage.
LCHB 2010 94p
Tasted twice - last time in September 2015. Not consistent notes. 55% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine showed all the superlatives this vintage deserves. The previous staff at Les Carmes knew precisely what they were doing. It is a beautiful wine crammed with perfectly ripe fruit and ripe fat tannin, excellently constructed with great complexity, grace, and depth. Exquisite balance. Like many other wines of the 2010s, this wine improved dramatically after aging in the barrel. As in the 2005 version of LCHB, elegance is present here. I had this wine again in December 2016, but it wasn't similarly expressive. The bottle in question was purchased at an auction and didn't come directly from the chateau, which may explain its below-par performance.
LCHB 2009 94p
Tasted in December 2019. This wine was like a sledgehammer with great intensity and concentration. Muscular and strong, yet not overdone or exaggerated. Tons of perfectly ripe fruit and tannin. There are many, many years to go! Very, very impressive.
LCHB 2007 87p
Tasted in September 2015. 55% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. It expressed softness, spiciness, nice acidity, smoky fruit, and light structure. Quite mature already and ready for consumption.
LCHB 2005 94p
Tasted twice - last time in September 2015. Consistent notes. 50% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine confirmed all the great things about this vintage. I regard this vintage in Bordeaux as one of the best since 1961! The captivating aroma of blueberries, perfectly ripe fruit, finely grained tannins, excellent acidity, depth, balance, and a long, caressing aftertaste. There is more emphasis here on elegance than concentration, and no sign of advanced aging! Heartbreaker wine of excellent quality.
LCHB 1990 91p
I tasted it in April 2018. It has a soft texture and mature flavors. It is drinkable now, tastes well, and has a caressingly fruity finish.
LCHB 1975 91p
I tasted this wine three times, the last time in November 2021. Consistent notes. When served blind, I quickly identified it as Pessac-Leognan due to the remarkable oyster and sea scent on the nose, which is characteristic of this district. It is an enjoyable and round wine, fully mature, and still enjoyable.
LCHB 1971 92p
I tasted it in June 2019. It's a well-preserved wine, spicy, with lovely complexity, refined, alive, and a fine, polished finish with a fruity scent. It's keeping well.
LCHB 1960 92p
Tasted in April 2016. It's a lovely wine, still going strong, with an apparent connection to the flavors of the soil found in other vintages. Tasteful delicacy.
LCHB 1953 96p
I tasted it in March 2019. It was a great experience to enjoy this wine, which was filled with elegance, finesse, vibrancy, delicious fragrance, and a delightful taste. It was a sixty-six-year-old wine with no sign of fading away!
LCHB 1943 95p
I tasted this wine in April 2023. It was a great experience and a pleasure to enjoy this wine from the Second World War. It is delicate yet elegant and refined, vibrant, deliciously fragrant, and exceptionally tasty. This is an almost 80-year-old wine with no sign of fading away!
