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SKU: 421510
Les Carmes Haut Brion 2016 (750ML)
$227.99
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Cabernet Franc takes the lead in the 2016 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion, at 41% alongside 39% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Part of the Cabernet Franc and Merlot was fermented as whole bunches, the grapes reached 13.8% alcohol naturally, and the wine spent 22 months in élevage, a portion of it in amphora. This Pessac-Léognan pours a deep purple and opens on blackberry and blueberry fruit, cigar tobacco, charcoal, gravel and faded petals, with licorice, hazelnut and dark chocolate filling in on the palate. It is full-bodied and dense, yet the acidity and ultra-fine tannins are fully knit, and the finish is long and assured. Critics place the start of its drinking window in the mid-2020s, with decades still in hand. Decant it for a grilled ribeye, venison loin or a wild mushroom risotto finished with truffle.
Stock & Availability
Available
Country
France
Region
Bordeaux
Appellation
Graves
Color
Red
Varietal
Bordeaux Blend
Prearrival
No
Critic Reviews
Wine Advocate
95+ Points
95+ Points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2016 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a blend of 41% Cabernet Franc, 39% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 65% new and 35% one-year-old oak for 22 months. This is one of the largest percentages of Cabernet Franc for this wine this vintage. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it gives notes of kirsch, black raspberries and black plums with touches of cassis, violets, chocolate box and pencil shavings. The palate is medium-bodied, firm, grainy and lively with loads of layers and a long, well-poised finish." 11/18
Neal Martin
96 Points
96 Points, Neal Martin, Vinous: "The 2016 Les Carmes Haut-Brion was deeply impressive out of barrel. Now in bottle, does it meet my admittedly high expectations? Yes. Quite deep in color, it delivers the same intense and disarmingly pure bouquet it exhibited during en primeur, offering blackberry, kirsch, fig and pressed iris flowers and wonderful delineation. The palate is medium-bodied, the new oak still prominent but sutured into the fabric of the fruit. There is a discreet sprinkling of cracked black pepper, and the finish is controlled and correct when it might easily have overreached with something more brash. This will age with style, but be warned, it will require several years in the cellar." 1/19
Wine Spectator
93-96 Points
"93-96 Points, James Molesworth, Wine Spectator:""This has the grippy, licorice-accented edge typical of the AOC, along with sappy kirsch and cherry paste flavors. Good energy supplies lift and cut through the finish, putting this half a step ahead of the pack."" 4/17."
James Suckling
97 Points
97 Points, James Suckling, jamessuckling.com: "Terrific ripeness, depth and complexity on offer here. This has a very attractive array of bright, ripe blueberries and cassis with some leafy and earthy notes. The palate has a quite deep, long and vibrant array of perfectly ripe dark plums and blueberries. So good. Best vintage this decade. Try from 2023." 12/19
Antonio Galloni
98 Points
98 Points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous: "The 2016 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is very clearly one of the wines of the vintage. Breathtaking in its beauty, the 2016 soars from the glass with stunning aromatic and flavor intensity. Red cherry jam, wild flowers, mint, blood orange and sage are some of many notes that develop. In the glass, the 2016 is a vivid, statuesque, exotic wine that takes over all the senses as it delivers tons of pure pleasure. Readers should plan on cellaring the 2016 for at least a few years, but that will be virtually impossible. The 2016 is a towering masterpiece from Les Carmes Haut-Brion and Technical Director Guillaume Pouthier. Tasted three times." 1/19
