2020 Chateau Les Carmes Haut-Brion

Red Bordeaux Blend

France / Bordeaux / Graves / Pessac-Leognan

$1,220
RP 97
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2020 Chateau Les Carmes Haut-Brion, Pessac-Leognan, France

Les Carmes Haut-Brion

Among the classic elegance of Pessac-Léognan, the Carmes top wine has carved out its own niche. Unprecedented proportions of Cabernet Franc offer a silky power which is then supported by the intensity of Cabernet Sauvignon. Within this structure, Merlot develops rounded and refined fruitiness: balance is the order of the day, ensuring a style that is complex and delicious in equal measures.

Assemblage :
40% Cabernet Franc
34% Cabernet Sauvignon
26% Merlot

VINEYARDS
Surface area planted in 2020: 30.75 ha.
Plots used to make the Grand Vin: 7.60 ha.
Plantation density: 10,000 vines / ha.
Average age of the vines in 2020: 43 years-old
Soil types: Mindel graves on clay and limestone
Harvesting: 100% hand-picked
Harvest dates: 14th September – 26th September 2020

VINIFICATION TECHNIQUES
Vats used: Thermoregulated tanks: Tronconic stainless steel tanks (60Hl) • Wooden tanks (76 Hl) • Concrete tanks (50 Hl)
Initial fermentation: 35 days
Malolactic fermentation in the barrels: Partial
Barrel maturing: 80% new oak barrels 11% foudres 9% terracotta amphorae
Duration: 24 months
Noteworthy features of the vinification and / or maturing processes: All vats vinified without crushing, and partly by whole bunch fermentation.
Composition of the wine: 13.5% alc. / 3.62 pH

RP 97

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2020 Les Carmes Haut-Brion has turned out beautifully, wafting from the glass with aromas of blackberries, red fruits, exotic spices, rose petals, raw cocoa and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, seamless and layered, it's intensely flavored but weightless, with a compelling sense of harmony and a long, orange-inflected finish. A blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Merlot, it was vinified with some 65% whole bunch and attained 13.5% alcohol. This is the first vintage where Pouthier's methods (whole bunch with weighted cap and long élevage incorporating larger vessels) were applied writ large, and the results are striking. Reviewed by William Kelley, Issue date: April 2023. Drinking window: 2025 - 2055.

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We ship within the United States to:

AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, MA, MD, ME, MN, MO, MT, NC, NE, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, and WY.

FREE SHIPPING INSURANCE: We provide FREE carrier insurance for lost or damaged shipments (per carrier terms and conditions.)

FREE WINE STORAGE: We provide FREE 6 Months wine cellar storage from date of purchase. Please choose this option at checkout and we will coordinate shipping for a later date.

SHIPPING: During warm summer weather, we recommend to only ship within the United States with Same Day or Next Day Air service to protect the wines from environmental damage. If you would like to waive this protection by shipping Ground, we will request a waiver be signed.

PACKAGING: Our premium wines need optimal temperature consistency, therefore are packaged in EPS foam shippers with gel pack (when needed) and shipped only during ideal weather temperatures.

For OWC (Original Wooden Case) orders, wine bottles will be removed from case and shipped inside a foam shipper box for safety (unless otherwise requested). The wooden case will be shipped separately at Ground service. If faster service is necessary please contact us.

WEATHER HOLD: In adverse temperature conditions, we reserve the right to withhold shipment until ideal temperatures return unless we receive explicit instructions via email to release the wines, voiding any guarantee. We will contact you if a hold is necessary.

FULFILLMENT: Shipments are via UPS.

  • Orders received Monday - Thursday before 2:00 p.m. will typically ship the same day.
  • Orders received Thursday 2:00 p.m. ~ Sunday will ship on Monday.

DELIVERY:

  • Same Day service within Los Angeles Metro area may be available if order is placed before noon, but not guaranteed. Please contact us directly at (626)714-7006 to facilitate expedited service.
  • During extreme temperatures, all shipments are recommended for Next Day Air.

Adult Signature: By law, all shipments of alcohol must be received and authorized by an adult. Our delivery carriers will not release packages without an adult signature and additional charges may be incurred if the package requires withholding or redirection.

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We ship within the United States to: Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington D.C., West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

  • CRITICAL REVIEWS
  • WINEMAKER NOTES
RP 97

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2020 Les Carmes Haut-Brion has turned out beautifully, wafting from the glass with aromas of blackberries, red fruits, exotic spices, rose petals, raw cocoa and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, seamless and layered, it's intensely flavored but weightless, with a compelling sense of harmony and a long, orange-inflected finish. A blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Merlot, it was vinified with some 65% whole bunch and attained 13.5% alcohol. This is the first vintage where Pouthier's methods (whole bunch with weighted cap and long élevage incorporating larger vessels) were applied writ large, and the results are striking. Reviewed by William Kelley, Issue date: April 2023. Drinking window: 2025 - 2055.

2020 Chateau Les Carmes Haut-Brion, Pessac-Leognan, France

Les Carmes Haut-Brion

Among the classic elegance of Pessac-Léognan, the Carmes top wine has carved out its own niche. Unprecedented proportions of Cabernet Franc offer a silky power which is then supported by the intensity of Cabernet Sauvignon. Within this structure, Merlot develops rounded and refined fruitiness: balance is the order of the day, ensuring a style that is complex and delicious in equal measures.

Assemblage :
40% Cabernet Franc
34% Cabernet Sauvignon
26% Merlot

VINEYARDS
Surface area planted in 2020: 30.75 ha.
Plots used to make the Grand Vin: 7.60 ha.
Plantation density: 10,000 vines / ha.
Average age of the vines in 2020: 43 years-old
Soil types: Mindel graves on clay and limestone
Harvesting: 100% hand-picked
Harvest dates: 14th September – 26th September 2020

VINIFICATION TECHNIQUES
Vats used: Thermoregulated tanks: Tronconic stainless steel tanks (60Hl) • Wooden tanks (76 Hl) • Concrete tanks (50 Hl)
Initial fermentation: 35 days
Malolactic fermentation in the barrels: Partial
Barrel maturing: 80% new oak barrels 11% foudres 9% terracotta amphorae
Duration: 24 months
Noteworthy features of the vinification and / or maturing processes: All vats vinified without crushing, and partly by whole bunch fermentation.
Composition of the wine: 13.5% alc. / 3.62 pH

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