EN PRIMEUR Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan 2024 i trækasse

Decanter

Les Carmes Haut-Brion ‘an obvious buy’ as price drops

Chris Kissack, The Wine Doctor

: “This barrel sample is a blend of 48% Cabernet Franc, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23% Merlot, from vines aged 60 years on average, on clay and limestone subsoil around the château. The whole bunches made up 52% of the vinification, more Merlot than Cabernet. The colour is remarkable, a juicy black tulip hue, and the nose is gloriously complex, with violets, griottes, dark chocolate and liquorice, with little undertones of sweet black fruits, blackcurrant and olive. The palate is no less divine than the nose, with a sinewy, granular texture for backbone, with a salted edge to the minerals, supporting black fruits, olives, currants, roses and violets. There is a ripe grip of tannins to it, which wraps around a texturally confident palate, which runs into a finish infused with finely poised grip and smoky tobacco from the oak, the only moment at which this really shows. This is a stunning result in this vintage, individual, perhaps idiosyncratic (but in a good way), with levels of tannic confidence and especially textural integration not really seen elsewhere. It could be the buy of the vintage. The alcohol is 31.2%.”

B my Bordeaux

Ruby. Dark fruits, blackberries, spices, fruit forward, layered, floral and scented, roses, dark fruits, deep. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, juicy, red and dark fruits, spices, nuanced, gorgeous fruit, well balanced, juicy, intense. Some 40% of the crop was selected out. Long finish. 24 hl yield.

The Drinks Business

(Pessac-Léognan; 48% Cabernet Franc (Bouchet) – 10% more than usual; 29% Cabernet Sauvignon; 23% Merlot; pH 3.61; aged in 70% new oak, 19% in vats of 30 hl and 25% in amphorae; whole bunch fermentation at 52%; a final yield of 24 hl/ha; 13.2% alcohol with no chaptalisation, picked at 13.9% and reduced with the whole bunch; tasted with Guillaume Pouthier at the property). I find this more like Cheval Blanc than ever before! The lowest ever proportion of Merlot in the final blend. A very long floraison of 3-4 weeks, with the biggest problem being the variation in the ripeness of the grapes within the bunches arising from coulure and millerandage. Densimetric sorting was crucial, with almost 40% of the harvested crop rejected (everything below 11.5% of potential alcohol). In the process a potential yield in the vineyard of 45 hl/ha was reduced at picking to 41 hl/ha, with just 24 hl/ha selected for vinification. The average age of vines is now 65 years. The density in the midpalate is reinforced by the whole bunch fermentation. Instantly nutty. Walnuts and walnut oil. Iris. Peony. Peony bulb. Marjoram. Crushed and yet-to-be-crushed blueberries, a little black cherry too and that lovely authentic Cabernet Franc leafiness. That renders this very aerial but there is no mistaking the great gravitas and profundity too. This has a great vertical range which Guillaume Pouthier compares to a diamond shape in the mouth –though I find it less angular than that implies. Cedar and graphite, with more and more of the former with aeration. Saline, with even a touch of iodine. Succulent, intensely juicy and with a rare viscosity and density – this actually pushes the cheeks. The viscosity of the sapid finish produces almost the sensation of the transposing of the ‘tears’ in theglass to inside of one’s cheeks. Beautifully shaped and structured, lush and plush, plump and generous. Vintage transcendent and clearly the wine of the vintage in the appellation

Jean-Marc Quarin

Dark, nearly black color. The nose is intense, refined, pure, fruity, and lightly smoky. Soft on the entry, smooth at the core, with an elegant texture—this wine glides effortlessly and melts across the palate, then re-emerges on the finish with depth, a touch of austerity, yet retains its supple character. Moderate length. Blend: 48% Cabernet Franc, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot. Alcohol: 13.5% – pH: 3.61. Vinified with 52% whole bunches.

Jeb Dunnuck

The 2024 Château Carmes Haut-Brion comes from 7.8 hectares of vines in the heart of Pessac and is 48% Cabernet Franc, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance 23% Merlot that was vinified with 52% whole clusters and will spend two years in 70% new barrels as well as smaller portions in vats and amphora. It's one of the darker-hued wines in the vintage and has a terrific nose of ripe black fruits, smoky earth, violets, crushed stone, and hints of lead pencil. It's medium to full-bodied, has ultra-fine tannins, a layered, seamless mouthfeel, and a great finish. I think it's clearly one of the top wines in the vintage.

La Revue Vinicole Internationale

The wine displays remarkable freshness—pleasant, smooth, with a saline finish. A true wine of place, marked by a confident, precise, and elegant signature.

La Revue du Vin de France

This interpretation of the vintage is both faithful and ambitious. “The owner gave us the means to be selective,” says Guillaume Pouthier—and it shows in the robe’s nuanced density, the clarity of the fruit, and a graceful sense of completeness. With the Merlots affected by coulure, the dominance of Cabernet (48% Franc and 29% Sauvignon) is evident; over half the grapes were vinified with whole bunches. The oak framing guides the palate, while a vibrant vein of acidity propels the wine forward—yet the natural expression of the fruit (a hint of a Loire-like character?), more vibrant than anything else we’ve tasted from the vintage, remains entirely intact.

Vinifera

Inky black robe. The nose is deep and mysterious, gradually unfolding with captivating notes of rose, peony, dark fruits, and Havana cigar. The attack is delicate, with a beautifully soft texture, before the wine takes flight—gaining volume and breadth without ever losing its finesse. Utterly seamless, with an exceptionally fine grain. The oak is perfectly integrated, and the whole displays a vibrant, pulsating energy.

Le Figaro Vin

Profound and voluptuous, with dark, juicy fruit, the nose evokes a slowly simmering jam in a grandmother’s kitchen. A welcoming richness is lifted by a heady perfume of fully bloomed flowers, accented by an unexpected freshness of sap and pine resin. Like an elegant satin gown swirling in a waltz, the texture unfolds on the palate with grace and energy. Expressive and ethereal at first, then building in intensity, it captivates all attention. The finish is subtly bitter, with notes of cocoa nib, saline and mouthwatering, compelling one to return again and again. A more refined and streamlined style than in other vintages, with lively acidity but undiminished depth.

Matthew Jukes

Unlike the brilliant second wine, ‘C’, with its incredible single-note flavour, the Grand Vin is a swirling vortex of black and red fruit, requiring every molecule of one’s attention to comprehend its scale and ambition. The varietal players are wholly integrated and complex. I found myself waiting for the inevitable diminuendo of flavour to kick in on the finish and completely lost track of time! There are still some 18 months of élévage left to run, yet this wine already looks sensationally cool and centred. The most fascinating wines of the vintage are unique and thrilling. There is no other wine quite like Carmes, and in 2024, it takes a few more commanding steps away from the pack. After a forensic selection in the vineyard, the wine team spends hours contemplating every decision concerning this wine’s creation, and sensational press wine is one of the most critical elements in its assembly. Like post-production in the greatest films, which often takes longer than the acting, nothing is ‘in the can’ until the cork is finally placed in the bottle. In a world of talented wine ‘finishers’, Les Carmes Haut-Brion is guaranteed to retain every fractal of elegance and distinction throughout this process. This means I reserve the right to add a half point when I eventually taste a bottled sample of this wine. At present, it is a thunderous storm of exquisite flavour, punctuated by moments of breathtaking calm. In time, these elements will coalesce into near or actual perfection

Antonio Galloni

Seamless and silky in the glass, with superb balance, the 2024 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is one of the wines of the vintage. All the elements are so well balanced, always a sign of a superior vintage at this address. Floral notes, spice, leather and mocha run through a core of layered, beautifully persistent dark red fruit. Harvest took place between September 17 and 25, during one of the rare windows with little rain. As always, Les Carmes is done with a high percentage of stems (52%), specifically 100% for the Cabernet Franc, 50% for the Merlot and 20% for the Cabernet Sauvignon. Aging is 70% new oak barrels, 19% 18HL foudre and 11% amphora. New oak is already very nicely integrated, another sign of a superb vintage. The 2024 is a brilliant effort by the team led by Technical Director Olivier Pouthier.

Vinum

Deep ruby red; radiant bouquet, profound and complex, with fine spicy notes of white pepper, violets, blueberries, and a subtle hint of white tea and herbal undertones. On the palate, linear, pure and clear as a mountain stream, with superb structure. Masses of tannins of outstanding quality, only becoming noticeable at the very back of the palate, supporting the fruit beautifully. Polished, precise, with impressive length and once again marked by great elegance and finesse.

Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

Showing one of the deepest colors of the vintage, the wine pops with flowers, black cherries, licorice, smoke, chocolate, and plums in the aromatic profile. The wine is supple, spicy, and fragrant in the mouth, leaving you with sweet, spicy, peppery, black cherries, marine influences, and crushed rocks, which come through in the midpalate, carrying through to the finish. The wine was made using 52% whole bunch clusters, blending 48% Cabernet Franc, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 23% Merlot, 13.2% ABV, pH 3.6. The wine is aging in a combination of 70% new, French oak, 19% foudres, and 11% amphora. Picking took place September 17- September 27. Drink from 2027-2047.

Robert Parker

One of the most impressive wines of the vintage, the 2024 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a striking effort that sets itself apart with seamless integration, even at this early stage, and a strong sense of identity. Poised, precise and unmistakably singular, it opens in the glass with a perfumed bouquet of iris, violet, dark berries, cherries, vine smoke and gentian. Medium to full-bodied, supple and notably fleshy for the vintage, it’s layered and textural, with a sappy, enveloping core of pure, vibrant fruit framed by finely grained, velvety tannins, culminating in a long, precise and gently stemmy finish. This is one of the rare wines of the vintage where sappiness is expressed with such finesse and charm, thanks in no small part to meticulous vineyard work and severe sorting in the winery. The blend is composed of 48% Cabernet Franc, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23% Merlot, and it's maturing in a combination of 70% new oak, 19% foudres and 11% amphorae.

Weinwisser

2024 Les Carmes Haut-Brion: 48% Cabernet Franc, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, pH 3.61, alcohol content 13.2%. 25 hl/ha due to the strictest selection, 52% whole bunches were processed. What a seductive perfume, a bouquet of iris, lilac, and violet. On the second approach, freshly picked blueberry, blackberry jelly, and noble cassis spice. On the regal palate, with a silky texture and a tight tannin structure, the Pessac captivates with incredible finesse and depth, a perfectly defined body. In the concentrated, never-ending finish, blue and black berry contours, dark minerality, and sublime astringency. The best wine from Pessac-Léognan and therefore a MUST-buy recommendation! The new version of Bordeaux, intended for early enjoyment. WW 2030 – 2060

James Suckling

This is always an idiosyncratic wine. This year it’s stunning, with a unique floral aspect and excellent depth of pure blue fruit, mulberries, dried herbs and white pepper. So juicy and mouthwatering on the palate, with a medium to full body and fine tannins. There is a crystalized mouthfeel, but the tannins are fresh and well knit. This is already delicious, which indicates its superb balance. 48% cabernet franc, 29% cabernet sauvignon and 23% merlot.

Alexandre Ma

The Wine Independent

Deep garnet-purple colored. Slowly unfurls to reveal classic Franc notes of red currant jelly, fresh blackberries, and pencil shavings, followed by hints of rose oil, fragrant soil, and crushed rocks. The light to medium-bodied palate shimmers with electric red and black berry flavors, framed by firm, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing on a lingering ferrous note. Nice!