Château Carbonnieux 2021

Initially restrained, sour cherries, herbs. On the palate, slightly powdery tannins, just-ripe fruit, noticeably less body than in other years, finishing slightly drying.

The 2021 Carbonnieux has a spicy bouquet with aromas of pencil lead, licorice, blackberries and green pepper. Medium-bodied and fresh with chewy tannins, it’s tense and extracted with a tannic, dense, metallic finish. This is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot.

Modest, but fresh and full, with red and black cherry fruit lined with touches of warm stone and sweet tobacco. Even reveals a dash of juicy energy through the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2029. 12,000 cases made, 3,000 cases imported.

Supple and friendly, textured and serious. Tannins are a little dry and raspy, just giving some austerity on the mid palate and finish but I like the weight and sense of drive. Really not a bad effort with high acidity, good juiciness mixed with dried herbs and Cabernet aspects and licks of oak and dark chocolate on the finish suggesting more time to age and settle. Nice construction and potential.

58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot. Deep crimson. Leafy black fruit. Elegant, dry, with the balance just right given the constraint of the vintage. Dry, chalky fresh finish. (JH)

The 2021 Carbonnieux offers tightly wound black fruit, damp earth and light marine notes on the nose, though it could use a bit more cohesion and vigor. The palate is medium-bodied, with firm tannins balanced by a crisp line of acidity, but it hasn’t really developed on the finish. For now, it feels quite restrained and lacks the persistence I was hoping for.

A dash of cocoa, smoke, flowers, tobacco, and sweet red fruits create the perfume. On the medium-bodied palate, the wine is soft, vibrant, supple, and spicy with loads of salty, sweet, black cherries and peppery currants, with another dash of cocoa to wrap everything up nicely on the finish. The wine blends 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2024-2037.

Dark ruby garnet colour with purple reflections, delicate brightening on the rim. Ripe nuances of dark berries, a hint of olives and liquorice, some nougat, candied orange zest. Juicy, notes of red berries, fresh acidity, mineral and good persistence, salty finish, has good ageing potential, still needs a little time.

Ripe red and black fruits, tobacco, and loamy earth, as well as some meaty nuances, all emerge from the 2021 Château Carbonnieux, a medium-bodied, round, supple, enjoyable Péssac based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest equal parts Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

They have done a great job of softening the tannins over ageing without overdoing the oak impact. Precise and balanced, savoury and lean, blueberry, cassis and lemongrass, with slate-like grip. Overall yield of 40 hl/ha. Christophe Ollivier consultant. A rare two-point upscore for the vintage. Tasted twice.

The 2021 Carbonnieux has a deep garnet-purple color. It features notes of new leather, black olives, and crushed rocks, giving way to a core of redcurrant jelly and cassis. Medium-bodied, soft, and lively, the palate delivers peppery sparks to the youthful fruit and an herb-laced finish.

The fruit, dark, juicy, and smoky, expresses itself more delicately on the nose than in other wines of the vintage. The aromas, reminiscent of a distant campfire, are very seductive. On the palate, it is feather-light, discreet, and delectable.

The inviting bouquet of Carbonnieux 2021 reveals nuances of blackcurrant, blackberry and licorice wood. Harmonious in character, the wine is carried by velvety tannins that provide good density and underline its elegance. Charm and flavor in 2021; bravo!

A touch of licorice, cedarwood, dried black cherry... Everything comes together around a dark, intense color. The Cabernet, well represented in the blend, gives us tannins that are still a bit firm en Primeurs. Time will take care of it.

Owned by the Perrin family, this grand estate has produced an impeccable, impressive wine. Rich tannins and dense black fruits are marked by ripe, juicy acidity and spice from the wood aging. It needs aging, drink from 2028.