Chateau Carbonnieux, Pessac Leognan Red, 750ml, Bordeaux, France
A New Peak for Carbonnieux (1956 to the present day)
After the suffering of two World Wars, Bordeaux viticulture had reached its lowest ebb. There was a terrible frost in the winter of 1956 and it was in this same year that Marc Perrin who had bought the estate, set to work on the renovation of the château and its vineyard. With the help of his son, he first started a significant replanting campaign that took the estate to 45 hectares in 1970 then to 70 hectares in 1980, to reach almost 95 hectares today. When his father passed away, Antony took over, he built a new fermentation cellar and modernized the cellars to adapt to new vinification methods. He continued the restoration of the château and the vineyards and focused on increasing the renown of Carbonnieux and Bordeaux wines throughout the world. He was president of the “Union of Grands Crus de Bordeaux”, president of the “Crus Classés de Graves” as well as being one of the forerunners of the Pessac-Léognan appellation, created in 1987. Over the years he passed on the family winemaking heritage and his skills to his children Eric, Christine and Philibert Perrin. Today the torch has been passed on to them and once again the estate has reached a peak. In the footsteps of their father, Eric held the office of president of the "crus classés de Graves" between 2012 and 2015 and since 2017, Philibert has been that of president of the Pessac-Léognan appellation. In 2019, The family has grown, Eric's eldest sons join the work teams. Marc for a commercial part and Andréa as an oenologist in charge of the winemaking.
Vineyard
119 Plots, 119 Personalities
The selection of grape varieties suited to soil types has been an integral part of the special winemaking culture of Château Carbonnieux for centuries. The implantation of each red and white variety is considered carefully so that each plant can flourish in the soil by drawing on the elements that will allow it to reveal its greatest aromatic finesse.
55 hectares planted with red grape varieties:
• Cabernet Sauvignon (50%) expresses terroirs of deep and massive gravel.
• Merlot (40%) is planted in fine gravel and clay soils.
• Cabernet franc (5%) is planted in clay-limestone soils covered with fine gravel, like Petit Verdot (5%)
Average age of the red vineyard : 26 years45 hectares planted with white varieties :
• Sauvignon blanc (68%) dominates on deep gravel soils, and, in order to lend greater expression to the wine, it is also planted in fine gravel and in clay-limestone soils.
• Sémillon (30%) is planted only in clay-limestone soils, lending the wine fleshiness and complex aromas.
• Sauvignon gris (2%), a young plantation, should find its best expression in clay-limestone soil.
Average age of the white vineyard : 30 years
Château Carbonnieux red has for centuries been a great classic among the finest wines in the region of Bordeaux. With its high standard of quality, it is the smooth result of an excellent blending of grape varieties from this region: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot.
The vinification, both modern and traditional of red wines, is carried out by slow and gentle extraction in order to preserve the roundness of the wine and the mineral features of the soil. The tannins are well balanced and silky in harmony with red fruits (blackcurrant, blackberry, cherry…) and reveal toasted notes from ageing in the finest quality French oak barrels. Only the very best batches tasted are selected for the final blending of Château Carbonnieux red wines.
Serving temperature : 18-19°C
Cellaring advice : 6 years minimum
Wine and food pairing : all type of grilled, roast, or stewed meat, swordfish, tuna fish, mushrooms, seasonal vegetables or legumes, cheese, chocolate or red fruit desserts…
Country of Origin:
France
Region / Appelation / Cru:
Bordeaux / Graves / Pessac-Leognan
Certification:
PDO Pessac-Leognan (Appellation D'Origine Controlee).
Union des Crus Classés de Graves
Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux
Sustainable agriculture / Integrated pest management
Grape Varieties:
2019 Vintage Blend: 50% Cabernet Sauvignon 40% Merlot 5% Cabernet Franc 5% Petit Verdot
2020 Vintage Blend: 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot
2022 Vintage Blend:50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot , 3% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot
Alcohol:
2019 Vintage: 14.5%
2020 Vintage: 14.5%
2022 Vintage: 15%
Producer:
Chateau Carbonnieux
Ratings:
Vintage 2019:
James Suckling: 94pts:
Black fruit, dried sage, charred bark, lavender, graphite and oyster shell on the nose. It's full-bodied with firm, tightly wound tannins. Focused. Excellent tannin framing. Best yet. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot, 5% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot.
by James Suckling, JS, 2022.
Wine Enthusiast: 93pts:
Dominated by structured Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine is powerful, with layers of wood-aging flavors to go with the strong tannins.
by Wine Enthusiast, RV, 2022.
Vinous Media: 94pts:
I am so pleased that the 2019 Carbonnieux has retained the engaging aromatics that I found from the barrel sample: copious blackberry, raspberry, incense and light violet aromas soar from the glass. The palate is very well balanced with fine-grained tannins, and much more precise than recent vintages, leading to a harmonious, silky-smooth, almost tender finish. More polished than recent vintages, this Carbonnieux comes highly recommended.
by Vinous Media, NM, 2021.
Wine Advocate: 90pts:
Exhibiting aromas of earthy black fruits, bay leaf, burning embers and forest floor, the 2019 Carbonnieux is medium to full-bodied, rich and enveloping, with a broad attack that segues into a fleshy core of fruit framed by ripe acids and fine, powdery tannins that assert themselves gently on the finish.
Wines Spectator: 91pts:
Solid, with red currant and cherry paste notes allied to a tarry spine, with tobacco and iron accents on the finish. Shows good drive through the finish, too. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
by Wine Spectator, JM, 2022
Vintage 2020
James Suckling: 95pts:
Blackcurrants, raspberries, crushed stone, bark, and dark mushroom. Licorice, too. Full-bodied with chewy tannins that are minerally and intense. Tangy undertone with plenty going on. Very structured. Solid wine from this estate.
by James Suckling, JS, 2023
Wine Enthusiast: 94pts;
The Perrin family's wine has a structured character with tannins and crisp black currant fruits offering juicy, bright acidity as well as some fine potential. The wine's richness will develop well.
by Wine Enthusiast, RV, 2021
Wines Spectator: 93pts
Solidly built, this seems to soak up the vintage's heat, turning it around in the form of a broad swath of steeped black currant and blackberry paste flavors supported by warm tar and smoldering tobacco. Shows a nice singed cedar frame, with a lingering note of warm paving stone on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
by Wine Spectator, JM, 2022
Wine Advocate: 93pts;:
Sporting a deep purple-black color, the 2020 Carbonnieux opens with notes of tar, dark chocolate and licorice, giving way to a core of stewed black plums, cassis and blackberry compote, plus a waft of smoked meats. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers mouth-coating, juicy black fruits, supported by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing savory.
by Wine Advocate, LPB, 2021.
Vintage 2022:
James Suckling: 94pts;
The density and mouthfeel to this young Bordeaux are very attractive with velvety tannins that give it a juicy and pretty texture. It's medium-bodied, showing currants, blackberries, black cherries and hints of chocolate and spice. Delicious finish. Hard not to drink now, but it needs at least three or four years of bottle aging to bring it around to a good spot.
by James Suckling, JS, 2025
Wine Spectator: 93pts;
Gently steeped dark currant and cherry fruit mixes well with singed tobacco, alder and black tea accents. There's a warm earth echo through the finish, which is fine-grained and focused. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.
by Wine Spectator, JM, 2025
Wine Advocate: 93+pts;
The 2022 Carbonnieux, a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, exudes a complex, attractive bouquet of spices, dark berries, flowers and oak. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated and fleshy, it's satiny and ample with structured, youthful tannins and a lovely oaky finish. It remains an excellent Carbonnieux that should age gracefully over the years.
by Wine Advocate, YC, 2025.
Wine Enthusiast: 95pts:
This is a dense wine with concentration and power. Its pepper and tobacco aroma lead to solid black fruits layered with wood. The estate dates its origins to 1292, currently owned by the Perrin family.
by Wine Enthusiast, RV, 2025.
Food Pairing:
Serving temperature : 18-19°C
Cellaring advice : 6 years minimum
Wine and food pairing : all type of grilled, roast, or stewed meat, swordfish, tuna fish, mushrooms, seasonal vegetables or legumes, cheese, chocolate or red fruit desserts…Vintage Tasting Notes: