2022 Chateau Les Carmes Haut-Brion Pessac-Leognan FUTURES - Pre-Arrival

The 2022 Bordeaux vintage will go down in the history books. Wine Spectator called it "A new paradigm for Bordeaux. Very aromatic and sleek, fresh and pure in feel, with all major varietals performing well; far more consistent than the 2018-2020 trio"

Steeped in history, Carmes Haut-Brion Estate has stood the test of time. The estate has a remarkable history that has remained constant over time. Even though different people have come and gone, the legacy has remained unchanged. It all started in 1584 when Jean de Pontac, the lord of Haut-Brion, gifted vines to the Carmelite Order. This marked the beginning of a long-lasting legacy.

In 2010, Carmes Haut-Brion was acquired by businessman Patrice Pichet, who from the very first moment, this enchanting little vineyard captured his heart and his desire to showcase its full potential. With a commitment to excellence, Pichet embarked on this wine journey and started redesigning and improving, not only the building but the vineyard itself.

At the heart of this extraordinary project are two legendary winemakers, Stéphane Derenoncourt and Guillaume Pouthier. Together, they collaborate, permeating their passion and expertise into every aspect of Carmes Haut-Brion.

The building is a work of art designed by Philippe Starck and Luc Arsène-Henry. They have perfectly combined aesthetics and functionality. This architectural masterpiece not only provides a functional space but also embraces the mysterious beauty that surrounds the art of winemaking.

The 24 acres of land are placed in a stunning terroir of gravel, clay, and sand, forming a unique geological soil that guides the selection of grape varieties. Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon stand side by side, gazing across the stream, while Merlot thrives a little farther away.

This is a BHW Direct Import/Ex-Chateau item. This is a futures item that is expected to deliver starting 2025. 

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Aging: 24 months in French oak barrels (84% new)

40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Merlot.
See Critical Reviews for detailed tasting notes.

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. ~100 Vinous Media

The remarkable 2022 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a strong candidate for the title of wine of the vintage. It's also one of the most singular, characterful wines being produced in the region today. Unfurling in the glass with complex aromas of blackberries and cherries mingled with notions of exotic spices, orange zest, pencil lead, rose petals and vine smoke, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a velvety attack that segues into a layered, seamless and multidimensional mid-palate framed by rich, powdery tannins. Pure, perfumed and penetrating, this blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Merlot is a brilliant success that caps a decade of relentless work by Guillaume Pouthier and his team that have seen Les Carmes Haut-Brion emerge as one of Bordeaux's leading estates. It checks in at a mere 13.5% alcohol, with a very healthy pH of 3.64. ~99-100 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The purity and focus here is impressive with blackcurrants, crushed stones and floral undertones. The whole-bunch character comes through clearly with rose-stem and floral aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, this is always so delicious but has lots of integrated, open-grained tannins. 70% whole-cluster fermentation. 40% cabernet franc, 34% cabernet sauvignon and 26% merlot. Idiosyncratic. So attractive now but will age beautifully. ~99 James Suckling

I think one of the legendary wines in the vintage will be the 2022 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion, which comes from a tiny vineyard not far from Haut-Brion and is based on 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Merlot, vinified with 70% whole clusters, and aged 70% in new barrels, 20% in foudre, and 10% in amphora. Despite mostly being not destemmed, you wouldn't know it by tasting it. It has a classic bouquet of ripe blackberries, cassis, leafy herbs, graphite, and violets, while in contrast, the C Des Carmes Haut-Brion, which is vinified with just 30% stems, is clearly marked more by its stems. Full-bodied, concentrated, beautifully balanced, and with a rare mix of purity, freshness, and power, it's going to rival the 2018 as one of the finest vintages ever produced from this address. It's worth noting this estate has a unique terroir in Pessac that includes some limestone in the soils, and this worked particularly well in 2022. Don't miss this wine. ~98-100 Jeb Dunnuck

The 2022 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 26% Merlot, 90% aging in oak (70% new barriques, 20% 18hl casks) and 10% in amphoras. Deep garnet-purple in color, it pops out of the glass with lifted notes of redcurrant jelly, wild blueberries, blackcurrant pastilles, and lavender, leading to cerebral wafts of cast-iron pan, dark chocolate, and dusty soil with a hint of licorice. The red and black berry flavors do pirouettes on the medium-bodied palate, featuring incredibly fine-grained tannins and fantastic tension that gives a shimmer to the very long mineral-laced finish. As usual, the alcohol is 13.5% (the stem inclusion absorbs some of the alcohol during fermentation) and the pH is 3.64. This is a vibrant, showy, immediately impactful wine that flies in the face of traditional Bordeaux, carrying it off with bags of grace and style. A slight carbonic character from the whole bunch juxtaposed by a rock-solid structure thanks to the ripe stem tannins creates a unique signature. ~97-99 The Wine Independent

An exceptional wine in 2022 by winemaker Guillaume Pouthier who has delivered a supremely drinkable, likeable and harmonious wine that perfectly balances fruit density, aromatic expressiveness, lively acidity and a less is more approach. Intensely fragrant on the nose, nuanced and expressive, open and beguiling with rose, jasmine, bramble fruit, red cherry, liquorice and slate. Tense and a touch strict on the palate, electric and thrilling with bright acidity and tannins that come in and give weight and texture to the frame. Crushed velvet, smooth and salty, not plump or overly plush, instead well defined, focussed and precise. Silky, elegant with crystalline purity. A beautiful style married to a philosophy that works in hot vintages using whole bunch fermentation to lower the alcohol and give freshness to the wine. A standout success and a wine we’re going to want to finish. ~98 Decanter

This is a truly delicious Pessac Léognan that shows just how much Carmes Haut-Brion sets itself apart, showing grip and stretching out through the palate. Don't expect the same character as you are going to find elsewhere in this vintage. Fragrant aromatics, roses, violets, crushed rocks, fennel, aniseed, with texture and tannic heft. Fresh dark fruits, edges of bitter Bendick mints, smoked caramel, slate. ~96 Jane Anson