Château Carbonnieux 2017

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Carbonnieux is closed and broody on the nose with tar and herb scents over black cherries, mulberries and plum preserves plus a waft of garrigue. The medium-bodied palate is simple, chewy and a bit lean.

This packs solid blackberry, red currant and boysenberry fruit paste flavors together, all inlaid with tar and licorice snap notes. A bold brambly edge infuses the finish with grip and energy. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2022 through 2035. 10,000 cases made.

Intense fruit flavours on the nose, with clear definition of raspberry, blueberry and brambly fruits. Medium-bodied and a little soft through the mid-palate, but plenty to enjoy over the next six to twelve years.

This has attractively fresh and ripe cassis and blackcurrant aromas. The palate has a measured shape and a supple, fleshy feel with plenty of depth to the cassis and blueberries. Drink or hold.

The 2017 Carbonnieux has quite a showy bouquet with blackberry, blueberry and subtle mint aromas, perhaps just missing the tertiary character that would pin it down as a Pessac-Léognan at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity. It constitutes what you might describe as a “mellow” Pessac-Léognan that I suspect will drink earlier than its peers.

Much better in bottle than in barrel, the wine is fresh, medium-bodied, soft, refined, forward and lifted. Easy to like, the elegant red fruits, with their cigar box overtones taste and feel fine. Give this at least 5 years to develop more depth and nuances.

Dark garnet with a ruby rim. Delicate woodland berry aromas, followed by cooled fruit tea and raspberries. On the palate, elegant with a finely knit texture. The finish shows fine-grained notes that should integrate well with further barrique aging. Potential rating.

Kunz barrel sample 18: (65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot, 35 hl/ha, 13.2% vol. alcohol) Floral, silky, finely structured bouquet, cherries, blackberries, fine chocolate, roasted almonds. Silky, medium-bodied, fresh palate with delicate fruit, good tannins, airy aromatics, finely muscular structure, long, fresh finish.

(65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot, 35 hl/ha, 13.2% vol. alcohol) Floral, silky, finely detailed bouquet, cherries, blackberries, fine chocolate, roasted almonds. Silky, medium-bodied, fresh palate with delicate fruit, good tannins, airy aromatics, finely muscular structure, long, fresh finish. 17/20 2023 - 2038

The 2017 Carbonnieux is medium to deep garnet-purple in color. It swans out to notes of juicy black and red plums, boysenberries, and vanilla pod, with a waft of cinnamon stick. Medium-bodied, the palate is bright and breezy with soft tannins and a lifted, uncomplicated finish.

Juicy, broad, sappy, supple tannins, lovely length.

Garnet red with slight purple highlights. Pleasant freshness and good fruity intensity, with notes of black berries and a hint of licorice. On the palate, the wine mirrors the nose: fresh, enjoyable, and perfectly balanced. A fine tannic framework carries through to the finish, where the tannins and structure are in harmony. Bravo.

The nose is fruity and elegant, with racy minerality and freshness. It reveals notes of blackcurrant, crunchy wild blackberry, and, more subtly, crunchy wild strawberry, along with fine touches of Cubeb pepper, iris, and licorice stick, as well as discreet hints of star anise/tobacco leaf and very discreet toasted notes. The palate is fruity, juicy, balanced, well-crafted, and offers a zesty backbone, minerality, tension, precision, indulgence, a fine grain, juiciness, and a subtle silky feel. On the palate, the wine shows juicy blackberry/blackberry, juicy blackcurrant, and, more lightly, wild strawberry, with small touches of small berries and licorice/cardamom, along with discreet hints of vanilla and toasted/chocolate. The tannins are elegant and well-handled. Good length.

The nose is a little discreet, while the palate is somewhat light yet smooth, with fruit flavors that are already showing some evolution. Drink young.

The ripeness of this wine creeps up slowly to reveal swaths of black fruits and a densely tannic core. The wine is layered with acidity that balances the black-currant flavors. The wine will age well. Drink from 2023.