Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesBlackcurrants, raspberries, crushed stone, bark, and dark mushroom. Licorice, too. Full-bodied with chewy tannins that are minerally and intense. Tangy undertone with plenty going on. Very structured. Solid wine from this estate. Best After 2027
Barrel Sample: 92-94
Barrel Sample: 93-95
Sporting a deep purple-black color, the 2020 Carbonnieux opens with notes of tar, dark chocolate and licorice, giving way to a core of stewed black plums, cassis and blackberry compote, plus a waft of smoked meats. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers mouth-coating, juicy black fruits, supported by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing savory.
Barrel Sample: 91-93
Barrel Sample: 93
Barrel Sample 91-93
Solidly built, this seems to soak up the vintage's heat, turning it around in the form of a broad swath of steeped black currant and blackberry paste flavors supported by warm tar and smoldering tobacco. Shows a nice singed cedar frame, with a lingering note of warm paving stone on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
Marc Perrin acquired and restored the chateau in 1956. His son, Antony, currently manages the estate. The gravelly soil at Carbonnieux is perfectly drained thanks to the Eau Blanche stream that carries away any excess water. The 85 hectares of vines are evenly divided between red and white wine varieties. The white wine is fermented and aged in barrel for 10 months. The red wine is aged for 15 to 18 months in barrel, depending on the quality and characteristics of the vintage.
Recognized for its superior reds as well as whites, Pessac-Léognan on the Left Bank claims classified growths for both—making it quite unique in comparison to its neighboring Médoc properties.
Pessac’s Chateau Haut-Brion, the only first growth located outside of the Médoc, is said to have been the first to conceptualize fine red wine in Bordeaux back in the late 1600s. The estate, along with its high-esteemed neighbors, La Mission Haut-Brion, Les Carmes Haut-Brion, Pique-Caillou and Chateau Pape-Clément are today all but enveloped by the city of Bordeaux. The rest of the vineyards of Pessac-Léognan are in clearings of heavily forested area or abutting dense suburbs.
Arid sand and gravel on top of clay and limestone make the area unique and conducive to growing Sémillon and Sauvignon blanc as well as the grapes in the usual Left Bank red recipe: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and miniscule percentages of Petit Verdot and Malbec.
The best reds will show great force and finesse with inky blue and black fruit, mushroom, forest, tobacco, iodine and a smooth and intriguing texture.
Its best whites show complexity, longevity and no lack of exotic twists on citrus, tropical and stone fruit with pronounced floral and spice characteristics.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.