Le C des Carmes Haut-Brion 2021
Pessac-Léognan
Bordeaux, France
Arriving: May 2025
This may well be the finest bottle of C des Carmes I’ve tasted to date—made all the more impressive given the challenges of the 2021 vintage. I've long felt that the 2021s were underrated at the time of release, but while most don't rival the 2019s or 2020s in scale or polish, this wine might just eclipse both. In fact, it's in a markedly better place for drinking now than either of those more vaunted years.
The fruit profile is unexpectedly dark—richer and more brooding than one might anticipate from a cooler vintage. There’s a surprising sense of viscosity and plushness, perhaps a result of the whole-bunch fermentation, lending the wine a texture and depth that defy the growing season.
Tasted blind at the château alongside several vintages of the Grand Vin, it held its own effortlessly. None of us (included some highly experienced tasters) picked it out as the second wine; we all assumed it was Carmes Haut-Brion itself. That in itself speaks volumes. A truly exceptional bottle in the context of the vintage—and outstanding value.
| Style: Red | Packaging: OCC |
| ABV: 13.0% | Closure: Cork |
| Organic: Yes | Drink from: 2024 |
| Biodynamic: Yes | Drink to: 2035 |
| Grapes: 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot | |
Critic scores
Critic reviews
Yohan Castaing, February 2024, RobertParker.com
"The 2021 Le C des Carmes Haut-Brion contains 22% whole-bunch (to be exact). It has a lovely bouquet with peony and light white flower scents percolating through the black fruit. This is fresh and cohesive. The palate is medium-bodied with a very saline entry, showing black olive mixed with blackberry and bilberry fruit. Finely structured toward the finish, this is an absolutely delicious Le C des Carmes Haut-Brion that will get even better with bottle age."
Neal Martin, November 2023, Vinous.com
"The 2021 Le C des Carmes Haut-Brion is a stellar wine. Rich, complex and super-expressive, the C possesses notable depth and textural intensity. The C emerges from a separate property from Les Carmes Haut-Brion itself, located between Smith and Haut Bailly, where the microclimate is warmer. Cabernet Sauvignon drives the blend in this deeply textured red. The 2021 was done with 25% stems, but the whole clusters are pretty much buried by the sheer intensity of the fruit. Gravel, tobacco, incense and scorched earth add layers of dimension as it opens in the glass, while floral notes appear on the finish. Above all, I really admire the persistence here. This spent 24 months in oak—25% in French oak barrels and 75% in 30hL casks. I think this is the sole 2021 that is not in bottle yet!"
Antonio Galloni, December 2023, Vinous.com
"Fresh and racy, with beautiful cherries, dried orange peels, peppercorn, and spices. It’s so vibrant and agile on the palate, with medium body and crunchy, lively tannins. Juicy and tense. Firm but very fine and silky in the end. 62% cabernet sauvignon, 36% merlot and 2% petit verdot. Already attractive, but better after a year or two."
James Suckling, April 2024, JamesSuckling.com
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