Wine Region:Bordeaux - France
Grape: 44% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Tasting notes: "An inky, bluish-black color, this wine has deep black raspberry and blueberry notes mixed with charcoal, graphite and subtle smoke. Rich, full-bodied and silky textured, this complex, stunning Pessac-Léognan from this tiny jewel of a vineyard near Haut Brion is hitting all the high notes in 2012. It should drink well for 15-20. This is another bottled wine that dramatically out-performed its barrel sample." Robert M. Parker, Jr. The Wine Advocate
Expert Rating: Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94/100.
How to Enjoy: This wine’s Merlot and Cabernet Franc flavors makes it flexible to pair with a variety of meat and fish like tuna and salmon. Classically, these blends are paired with with grilled foods, as well as dishes that could be described as earthy. Other good pairings might be soft cheese, smoked meats, and charcuterie.
About the winery:Most Bordeaux aficionados will be very familiar with Pessac-Léognan stars, Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion. However, next door lies Château Les Carmes, named after the monks (les carmes) who owned it for 200 years. It came under significant new ownership in 2010, when Patrice Pichet bought it. He has since built a lavish, new, gravity-fed cellar and extended the vineyards considerably. Unusually three quarters of the grapes go into Le C and, of those, nearly half is Merlot. This gives the wine an intense fruit charm, while partial bunch fermentation (ie with stalks on) gives the wine a fresh sappiness.
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