Château les Carmes Haut-Brion 2020

"The best 2020s seem to be confident without showing off or shouting too loudly and this Carmes does just
that. Focused and precise, this is complex and characterful, rich yet vibrant with a texture and taste that
makes an impact straight away. Fresh black fruits, floral notes and sensational minerality do the talking - it
has weight, density, and structure - broad and bold yet svelte, it has direction and persistence, building
quickly then settling and elongating with such clarity and purity. This is a wine you want to drink. Cool,
classic, sharp and decisive with a flawless texture. Whereas 2019 was more generous, this is more classic
and easier to understand. An excellent job - seemingly effortless winemaking in 2020 - and a bottle that is
sure to be emptied pretty quickly."

“The 2020 Les Carmes Haut-Brion was picked at 38hl/ha and matured in 80% new oak, 11% foudres and the
remainder in clay amphorae. It has an intense bouquet of blackberry and wild strawberry, plus some light
torrefactory scents, undergrowth, and black pepper, all delineated and focused. The palate is medium-
bodied with beautifully defined black fruit and delicate touches of mint, bell pepper and cracked black
pepper. Though it shares the same surname, it is interesting to see how, stylistically, it is cut from a totally
different cloth than Haut-Brion and La Mission, which each possess their own distinct attributes. Quite
thickly textured and weighty on the finish with a long, spicy aftertaste, this is a serious Les Carmes Haut-
Brion with a very long future ahead. 2025 - 2050.”

"Gorgeous aromas of crushed berries with orange peel. Fresh spices. Flowers. Salty. Full and so bright and vivid, with an elegance and beauty at the beginning and then it goes on and on. You see the intense fine tannins at the end. Dusty and bright. Unique wine. 55% whole cluster. 80% new wood, 10% amphora, and 10% foudra."

"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."