Château Les Carmes Haut Brion - Pessac-Léognan 2010

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

90 / 100

le 31/08/2013

Bright red-ruby. Aromas of cherry, spiced plum, smoke and earth, plus a whiff of sweet butter. Juicy and a bit tight, showing moderate flesh and depth but good complexity to its flavors of red fruits, spices and minerals. There's a good dollop of cabernet franc in this wine, and it shows in the youthfully imploded texture. Finishes with fine-grained tannins and lingering minerality.

Wine Spectator

91 / 100

par James Molesworth le 31/03/2013

Offers a plush feel, with warm cocoa and steeped blueberry notes leading the way, backed by dark, fleshy plum and blackberry fruit. A loamy edge takes over on the finish, revealing a flicker of tobacco in the background. Best from 2015 through 2025. –JM

Wine Advocate

90 / 100

par Robert Parker le 28/02/2013

The wine is less complex than a Chevalier, but displays plenty of raspberries, red currants and sweet cherries as well as hints of vanilla, smoke and Christmas fruitcake. The blend is 45% Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, tipping the scales at 14.5% natural alcohol. Always elegant, stylish and medium-bodied, it should drink best between 2015 and 2030.Wines from this small, jewel-like estate, not far from Haut-Brion, are always made in a somewhat finesse style, similar to those of the great estate to the south of this Pessac property, Domaine de Chevalier. Les Carmes Haut-Brion may have the highest percentage of Cabernet Franc of any well-known wine from the Pessac-Leognan region.

Jamessuckling.com

93 / 100

par James Suckling le 17/02/2013

The blueberries, walnut and chocolate character here is impressive. Full and very silky with refined tannins and a silky finish. Very pretty. Wonderful balance like the 2009. Try in 2016.

Wine Advocate

92 / 100

par Neal Martin le 11/02/2013

Tasted at the UGC and at the chateau, the 2010 is a blend of 46% Cabernet Franc, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and the remainder Merlot, raised in around 40% new oak. This was a difficult wine to ascertain out of barrels despite numerous encounters. Fortunately it is turning out to be a very fine Pessac-Léognan. It has a well-defined nose that is more bashful than the 2009, with scents of blackcurrant, briary, a touch of marmalade and cedar. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, gently grippy tannins on the entry and a structured, fresh, masculine finish that will need several years to unfurl. Delicious. Tasted November 2012

Wein Wisser

18 / 20

le 31/05/2011

Sattes Purpur-Granat. Delikates, vielschichtiges Bouquet, florale Würze vom Cab. Franc. Im Gaumen viel Souplesse, samtige Tannine mit gut stützender Säure. 2016-2034

Wine Advocate

88-90 / 100

par Robert Parker le 31/05/2011

2010: This attractive, finesse-styled wine exhibits a dark ruby/purple color as well as smoky blue fruits intermixed with a hint of menthol, medium body and an elegant, restrained style. The tannins are noticeable, but they are not terribly intense for a 2010. Give this one 2-3 years in the cellar and drink it over the following 10-15 years. Drink 2013-2028

Asian Palate

90-91 / 100

par Jeannie Cho Lee MW le 24/05/2011

The deep ruby 2010 Les Carmes Haut-Brion offers up notes of plums, blackberries, cedar and cassis, followed on the palate by very vibrant fruit with firm tannin density and a fairly long finish. This is a great achievement by Stephane Derenoncourt - a balanced wine, made in an elegant style with a softness in the mid palate. Two samples tasted at different times and both were impressive.

Le Point

15,5 / 20

par Jacques Dupont le 12/05/2011

Nez séduisant, fruits noirs, confits, épices douces, riche, matière dense, onctueux, savoureux, très tendre, long, gourmand, élégant. O=2015 G=12 ans

Jamessuckling.com

93-94 / 100

par James Suckling le 30/04/2011

Complex red with chocolate, berry, currants and nutmeg as well as other dried spices. Full and velvety with a long, long finish. Best ever from here.

TAST

14-15 / 20

par Bettane & Desseauve le 30/04/2011

Notes de violette et de réglisse, haute maturité évidente du raisin, curieusement souple, en entrée de bouche, bonne corpulence demi volume, bon alcool, mais peu travaillé et brut de décoffrage dans son expression tannique, à revoir dans quelques mois.

Jancis Robinson

16 / 20

par Jancis Robinson le 12/04/2011

Rather simple ripe fruit aromas. Lots of gas, sweetness but no great intensity. A tiny bit scrawny. Drink 2018-2028(16- points)

Wine Enthusiast

91-93 / 100

par Roger Voss le 05/04/2011

Ripe, soft fruit and tannins that come from fruit rather than wood. The acidity is a dominant factor, with great wafts of bright black currant fruits and final tannins.-R.V.