Robert Ahlstrom

9.1

Inky red orange with currants on the nose and palate. Opened up a couple of hours after uncorking with some sweet coconut shavings on top of the red fruits. Will continue to develop. — 6 months ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Happy New Year!🎈🎆🎊

From mag. An amazing follow up to the 2007 Haut Bailly. This 2002 is still young. Five hours in decanter and just starting to blossom. This in mag hasn’t hit its peak…might be another 10 years plus.

Second night tasting with leftovers. I knew that this would be even better in the second night than it was the first. Heitz makes hardy wine that are very age worthy.

Last night it showed more brawn/teeth. It still does but shows much more blue and purple fruits. It is purely, lush, ruby, round in the mouth. Bramble fruits of, blackberries, black plum, black raspberries, boysenberries, blueberries, plum, wafting raspberries. Dry, strong tobacco, leather, cedar, sandalwood to barrel shavings, Rutherford dust, melted, dark chocolate, black licorice, dry top soil, tumble weed, dark spice with some heat, dry herb notes, a touch of black pepper, dry, crushed rocks, dark withering florals, lavender framed in violets, beautiful round acidity, extremely well balanced, structured, tenioned, multi- layered excellent beautiful finish that lasts minutes. — 10 months ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

8.9

A glass of wine to finish up the night...good age, nice evolution and an extremely good value at $25. Recent direct Chateau purchase. While the 1998 Bordeaux vintage was panned by the critics as a whole on the Left Bank, Pessac-Leognan shined better than most on the Left Bank. It was Right Bank Saint Emilion that had the great year. This 98 Haut-Bergey is not quite the wine the 98 Haut-Bailly is. However, it is delicious for $25. Nose of; blackberries, dark cherries, cherries, strawberries leather, cedar, tobacco leaf, dry stones, vanilla, dark moist soils and fresh red florals. The body is medium to lean. Tannins are completely resolved. Ripe, lean, shining; blackberries, dark cherries, strawberries & cherries. Black moist earth, touch of funk, soft chewy leather, stones, crushed dry rock powder, cedar, tobacco leaf, steeped fruit tea, cola, dry underbrush, fresh & dry red florals, liquid violets with raining acidity. The finish has lean, bright mid red fruits, earth and dark spices. Nice wine for the $. While this will hold another 3-5 years, it's not going to continue to improve. So, drink em. Photos of; the Chateau, barrel room, view inside the Chateau and their shiny stainless steel fermentation tanks. — 7 years ago

John Bratincevic

9.4

Pomegranate, cassis, bitter/unsweetened chocolate, forest floor, graphite, ash (but not smoke), dried strawberry, clay dust — there’s a little blueberry in there too. Elegant and subtle with many flavors I can’t pinpoint. Could age a long while. Wine with a capital “W.” 94…others with better palates would probably go higher. — 6 months ago

Jason Gaffner

9.2

Fantastic wine from the folks that bring you Haut Bailly — 4 years ago

Maurizio Abbà

9.5

Chateau Carbonnieux is one of the largest estates in Pessac Leognan. It boasts some high profile neighbors, such as Chateau Haut Bailly and Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte. The 90 hectares of gravel-based soil is evenly split between red and white.
As it often happened in France, Benedictine monks started planting vines on this land in the 13th century. Perrin family bought the estate in 1956, proceeding to a renovation of the vineyard and the cellar.
This excellent example of white Bordeaux is composed of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon. The vinification is made in barrel, a third of them in new French oak. The wine is left on the lees for ten further months, before being put in bottles.
Beautiful golden color with paler reflexes, young and vivid despite its eight years of slow aging, the first impact on the nose is fresh and green, with prevalent notes of lime and cucumber. Some decanting time reveals floral notes, elderflower, jasmine, ripe peaches, with some bready tones provided by the lees — a very balanced nose with bright flavors.
In the mouth, a beautiful sapid dry wine with high acidity, medium body, medium to high alcohol. The latter is the only spike in an otherwise perfectly rounded taste. Aftertaste reminding citrus and stone fruit.
A great drink, one of the best white wines from Bordeaux in the 20-30£ range. Ready to drink in 8-10 years. — 6 years ago

Alexandre Pagliano

9.0

Dark rubi robe, spicy, floral, cedary. Good stuff that works great with food. — 10 months ago

with Jose and Adriana

John Van Trijp

9.4

From 6 liter Imperial — 2 years ago

July Glibova

9.0

Coffee, mulberry, blackcurrant. Grafite finish — 7 years ago

Said Medina

9.0

Not as transcendent as the '47 Haut Bailly but another great P-L wine with a lot to say. — 8 years ago