2016 Le C de Carmes Haut Brion

A pretty, midweight wine, the 2016 Le C. des Carmes Haut-Brion emerges from vineyards near Smith Haut Lafitte and Carbonnieux rather than within the Carmes Haut-Brion estate proper. Black cherry, smoke, licorice and plum give the wine its dark personality. Medium in body, the 2016 is a good choice for drinking over the next few years.

The 2016 Le C des Carmes Haut-Brion comes from vines located in the clos over towards Martillac, rather than the vines in the original Les Carmes Haut-Brion vineyard in the Bordeaux suburbs, known as "Le Clos des Carmes Haut-Brion" up until the 2013 vintage. It is a blend of 51% Merlot, 48% Cabernet Sauvigon and 1% Petit Verdot, matured in 30% new oak and the remainder one year old barrels. This includes 25% whole berry fruit. It offers plenty of brambly black fruit on the nose, crushed violets, fresh fig and a touch of spice that opens nicely in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, neatly integrated oak, a little plushness on the entry thanks to the Merlot, and then it dovetails into a more structured, gently grippy, chalk-textured finish with attractive black fruit. Give this two or three years in bottle just to shave off a little abrasiveness and you will have a fine Pessac-Léognan.