2018, Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion, PESSAC-LÉOGNAN, Grand Vin de GravesBordeaux Blend: Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2018 Les Carmes Haut Brion was aged in 75% new oak with a touch more matured in foudres. It includes 55% whole bunches. This has a slight confit like aroma on the nose, plush cranberry and wild strawberry intermingling with cassis and violet; aromatically, this is the more precocious recent vintage. The palate is medium bodied with sappy red fruit, fine tannins, clean and pure with

Seductively approachable

90-92 Antonio Galloni

damson and red cherry fruits

it retains the appealingly unfussy welcome of Ormes de Pez even with the ripe signatures of the vintage

mid-weight personality

Although they had not begun conversion at this point

offering amazing detail

A lovely cool and creamy texture

cedar and menthol

This is full on concentrated fruit

but not overly textured or plush

and shows moderate acidity and invigorating spiciness