A Masterclass with Les Carmes Haut-Brion
On the 7th November, we were thrilled to host a masterclass at The Oyster Club with a fantastic line up of vintages from Chateau Les Carmes Haut Brion. Led by their commercial director, Thibaut Richard, the evening gave guests a fantastic opportunity to explore this fantastic estate in depth.
Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a 7 hectare estate in Pessac-Leognan, on the left bank of the Gironde. A fairly small estate, enclosed by walls, they are unique for the fact they have seen very little change over the course of their history. After being confiscated during the French Revolution, it was purchased by the Leon Colin family in 1840, who saw generations of the family putting in meticulous work to enhance the property. They eventually sold the estate to Patrice Pichet in 2010. Changing hands very little over its lengthy history, and never expanding in size, has helped preserve the spirit of the estate.
Thibaut led us through the history of Carmes as we sampled the first glass, the Le C des Carmes Haut Brion 2019. This led to a discussion about the very nature of the Le C, a wine not be regarded as a ‘second wine’, but more so a ‘signature’ wine. It is very important to Carmes that Le C stands on its own two feet. And the 2019 vintage certainly did that. A much more approachable, fruit forward style, the Le C originates from a very different soil type, with grapes being grown on sand and clay in Martillac, outside of the main estate, near to Smith Haut Lafitte. You get a real minerality and freshness in this wine, with a juicy fruit character. It has a crisp intensity, with the fruit profile leading the way on the palate. It is a classic expression of Pessac, with personality and power.
As we moved to the selections of their Grand Vin, Thibaut explained the winemaking choices which truly set Carmes apart. They take quite a modernist approach in the vineyard as well as in the winery, choosing to co-plant vine varieties and ferment a portion with whole bunches. Their aim with this largely comes down to expressing varietal character, by fermenting 70% in whole bunches – a rather unusual method, more commonly seen in Burgundy. Their unique style is further exemplified by the large proportions of old-vine Cabernet Franc (a Bouschet clone), so unusual for the left bank. As we tried the 2018 vintage, this character was immediately present. This wine is earthy and slightly floral, with flavours of red fruits, and a subtle salinity. It is as complex as it is enjoyable. The Cabernet Franc really lifts the wine, a feature which sets this wine apart. Carmes are really pioneers in their craft, as their unique techniques are now starting to gain popularity across the region.
We then moved to taste the 2019 and 2020 vintages as a pair. Both top-scoring vintages, especially considering the consistent 100/100 scores for the 2020 vintage. The 2019 offers notes of rosemary, sage, blueberry and raspberry – it is so enticing on the palate. The wine is aged 70% in new oak (225 litres), 20% foudres (300 litres), and 10% amphorae, this brings a real tension to the final product. The 2020 is full of floral aromatics, dark fruits and an array of savoury notes! It is such a vivid wine, with great potential.
The tasting concluded with the fantastic 2021 vintage. As we approached this wine, Thibaut emphasised how important it is for Carmes to create a wine which can be enjoyed whilst still in its youth. The miraculous thing about the wines from Carmes is that they are enjoyable at only 3 years old, but they still have that quintessential Bordeaux ageing capacity. Managing Director at Carmes, Guillame Pouthier, is a real innovator – he uses a wild yeast starter to restrain the alcohol, as he believes this is crucial in creating a wine which shows softness, and elegance at this young age. The 2021 has so much energy and structure. It has a concentrated core of black fruit, with some cassis, crushed-stones and violets. It is a truly spectacular vintage.
All of the wines showed very well, and ignited some very enthusiastic conversations among our guests. With Thibaut’s excellent presentation, and some truly excellent wines – the evening could not have been more of a success. As the event drew to a close, discussions began over the favourites of the night. It was interesting to see that no one could agree on just one standout – a sign of a truly great line up.
The selection from Les Carmes Haut-Brion is available on our website.