Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion 2022

Robert Parker
The 2022 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is the finest wine bottled to date at this estate under Patrice Pichet's ownership and Guillaume Pouthier's direction. Unfurling from the glass with aromas of violet, iris, dark wild berries, pencil lead and mulberries, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated with a deep core of fruit beautifully framed by velvety, precise tannins, segueing into a long, saline and perfumed finish. Suave and harmonious, it was crafted with 70% whole bunches and matured in 70% new oak. This unconventional blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Merlot represents a turning point for the estate, cementing its rapid ascendancy in the Bordeaux firmament.

Vinous
The 2022 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a towering masterpiece from Technical Director Guillaume Pouthier. Dark and seamless in the glass, the 2022 presents an exotic mélange of black cherry, lavender, sage, blood orange, menthol, espresso and dried flowers, showing tremendous depth and substance in all of its dimensions. Time in the glass hints as to what is to come in the years and decades that follow. The 2022 is a co-ferment of 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Merlot done with 70% stems that saw six full weeks on the skins. Élevage is 70% new oak, 20% 18HL cask and 10% amphora. Most importantly, all the elements are so well balanced that nothing sticks out. Instead, it is the wine's total sense of harmony that is mind-blowing. Magnificent.

Decanter
Floral and brooding, this offers violets, irises and peonies alongside ripe black cherries, liquorice and dark chocolate. Concentrated yet vibrant, with a mineral backbone of wet stones. Crisp tannins and bright acidity add incredible tension, keeping it weightless despite its depth. Red fruits shine with pristine balance. A true expression of place, bursting with energy and finesse. A compelling wine, effortlessly drinkable now but built to age. 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot.

The Wine Cellar Insider
At the same level as the perfect, 2016, this is an extraordinary-tasting experience. Opaque in hue, aromatically, the wine delivers a cornucopia of fruits, incense, curry, flowers, and smoke. The palate is even better with its endless layers of seamless fruits that caress your senses with their display of salt-tinged, spices, crushed rocks, pit fruits, berries, and white pepper. The seamless finish crosses the 60-second mark with poise, refinement, and purity. The wine was made using 60% whole bunch clusters, blending 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 26% Merlot. The wine was aged in a combination of 70% new, French oak, 20% foudres, and 10% amphora. Drink from 2029-2060.