Les Carmes Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan 2016

99 points Jeb Dunnuck: "Readers looking for the next superstar in Bordeaux need to jump on the bandwagon of Les Carmes Haut-Brion, who have produced one of the wines of the vintage in 2016. The 2016 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion checks in as a blend of 41% Cabernet Franc, 39% Merlot, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon that hit 13.8% natural alcohol and spent 22 months in 65% new French oak. Its deep purple color is followed by a complex bouquet of high-class smoke tobacco, decaying flowers, charcoal, gravelly minerality and loads of sweet black and blue fruit. Possessing full-bodied richness, flawless integration of its acidity, fruit, and ultra-fine tannins, and a blockbuster finish, this is another 2016 that possess both power and elegance. Do your best to hide bottles for 5-7 years and it will keep for 3-4 decades. Don’t miss it. Tasted twice. Drink: 2024-2064. (2/28/19)"

99 points Jeff Leve (The Wine Cellar Insider): "The initial blast of crushed rock, salty tannins and pure, deep, red fruits is all it takes to get hooked here. The nose, with its smoky, cigar box, flowers, leafy herbs, wet earth and sweet cherry notes might have started the show, but it is the intensity and purity in the fruit on the palate, with the 50 second finish that makes it all work. This is a star in the making! I am pointing this out because even though this vintage seems to have doubled in price since we initially raved about it, for a wine of this quality, it is well worth the price. (Feb 2019)"

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. Drink: 2024-2056. (Jan 2019)"

97+ points Lisa Perrotti-Brown (The Wine Independent): "The 2016 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is made from 51% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 19% Merlot, with 65% whole bunch fermentation. It was aged for 2 years, 90% in new oak and 10% in amphorae. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs a little coaxing to reveal notes of pure blackcurrants, black cherries, and mulberries with suggestions of Indian spices, tilled soil, and cumin seed plus a touch of cardamom. Medium-bodied, the ripe, densely laden fruit grows in the mouth with firm, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and minerally, showing wonderful harmony. Alcohol 13.5%. Drink: 2022-2042.(6/22/22)"

97 points James Suckling: "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. (1/19/19)"

96 points Neal Martin (Vinous): "The 2016 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is consistent with previous bottles. It soars from the glass with those (to use a word I used last time) disarming array of blackberry, iris and fig aromas, but displaying a little more blue fruit than I recall. The palate is very well balanced with a velvety texture, pure with just a hint of black pepper. Interestingly, the 65% whole bunches are barely noticeable, just a guiding hand that shapes the finish. Sapid yet tender, this is an outstanding Pessac-Léognan. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the Icons of Bordeaux dinner at Legacy Records in New York. Drink: 2026-2050. (May 2024)"

96 points Panos Kakaviatos (Decanter): "Refined, if a bit closed in at this stage, slowly revealing blackberry, juicy damson and tobacco leaf. The palate comes across with wet stone, much more ‘mineral’ in expression and less fruit-forward than the Haut-Bailly. Can stand up to venison or a zesty rack of lamb. Drinking Window: 2025-2050. (Apr 2021)"

96 points Jane Anson (Inside Bordeaux): "(41% Cabernet Franc, 39% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon). Subdued power with cassis and blackberry fruits, liqourice root, cocoa beans and a wall of tannins that retains an air of controlled restraint at 6 years old. Maintains momentum and energy through the palate,with a saline lick of crushed rocks on the finish. This is sculpted, moreish, delicious. As with the 2015, a vintage again that Carmes has its own personality, and doesn't follow the pack. New winery, with softer infusion-method for the extraction of flavours and tannins, and 60% stems. Ageing takes place in a mix of 25% new oak, 5% oak casks, and 10% amphoras. (2/7/22)"

96 points Wine Spectator: "This offers alluring waves of ganache-tinged plum sauce, blackberry reduction and steeped açaí fruit flavors, while tobacco and singed mesquite notes hang in the background. Shows a lovely bramble echo through the finish, with the fruit easily keeping pace. This has range, distinctive mouthfeel and serious length. There's a new player officially in the Pessac game... Best from 2023 through 2038. (3/31/19)"

96 points Chris Kissack (Winedoctor): "There is a strong showing from Cabernet Franc here, at 41% of the blend, with 39% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. The vinification included some whole bunches, and the élevage was in 65% new oak, the rest going into a complex mix of old barrels of varying sizes, cement vats and terracotta amphorae. It has a complex nose, the lead variety clearly expressed, with notes of smoke and green peppercorn wrapped around the fruit, with toast and praline notes of oak. The palate feels very structured, taut and well framed. There are some toasted and grilled elements to the fruits, which are dark and complex, saline even, reminiscent of dried and salted black olives. It remains elegantly textured throughout, pure and balanced, with a real sense of tension coursing underneath it all. This is beautiful. (Dec 2018)"

96 points (18/20) La Revue du Vin de France: "The 2016 red is the estate's most complete and brilliant wine. It displays a distinction and class of tannins that place it among the elite. (2020)"