Château Les Carmes Haut Brion 2019

The Wine Independent

Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

The only Pessac Leognan I was not able to taste in barrel has turned out beautifully! The wine opens with flowers, smoke, tobacco leaf, herbs, sea-salt, blackberries, plums and forest leaf aromas. If that wasn't enough to steal the show, the wine is silky, intense, fresh, elegant, deep and sensuous on your palate. Multi-layered and multi-faceted, this stunning wine has a seamless finish that doesn't quit. Give it a few years in the cellar before pulling a cork as this has the potential to age and evolve for 2-3 decades with ease. Drink from 2030-2060.

Adrian van Velsen - vvWine.ch

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2019 Les Carmes Haut-Brion has turned out very well in bottle. Mingling aromas of plums and cassis with notions of blood orange, warm spices and new oak, it's full-bodied, velvety and seamless, with an ample core of bright, succulent fruit that's framed by an elegantly muscular chassis of ripe, powdery tannins and lively acids. Concluding with a long, expansive finish, it's reminiscent of a more giving, extroverted version of Pouthier's superb 2016. As is now the rule at this address, some whole bunches were retained during maceration, and the wine saw a long élevage in a variety of vessels, from classic 225-liter Bordeaux barriques to foudres and amphorae. The blend is dominated by 42% Cabernet Franc, complemented by 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot.

The irrepressible Guillaume Pouthier has delivered another fine success at this 6.9-hectare Pessac-Léognan estate. Viticulture at this address is rather innovative, with great attention paid to managing hydric stress: soils are worked at night or during the day, and sometimes the cover crop is rolled rather than being cultivated, on a parcel-by-parcel basis, all with a view to creating the necessary hydric deficit for optimal maturation without going too far, causing the vines to shut down. Deleafing (traditionally performed to expose the grapes to sunshine and improve canopy airflow) has been banished to retain fresh, vibrant flavors. And since the 2015 vintage, when the château's new

Yohan Castain

Jeb Dunnuck

I wasn't able to taste the 2019 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion from barrel, but it certainly brings the goods from bottle. Deep ruby/purple-hued, with a smorgasbord-like array of red, blue, and black fruits as well as violets, candied flowers, tobacco, and sappy herbs, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a deep, layered, concentrated mouthfeel, flawless balance, and that rare mix of power and elegance that truly great Pessac can deliver. Showing the more elegant style of the vintage, it checks in behind the magical, perfect 2018 but is very much in the style of the 2016. Readers will love having this beauty in the cellar, and it will evolve for 40-50 years if stored correctly. Hats off to winemaker Guillaume Pouthier for another thrilling wine.

James Suckling

What a great nose with such complexity of blackberry, forest floor, mushroom and bark. Like walking in a deep forest. Full-bodied with a dense palate, yet it remains energetic and focused. Very fine texture. Flavorful finish. Extremely persistent. Fantastic young 2019. Try after 2028.