Château Carbonnieux

Grand Cru Classé de Graves Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend

9.1403 ratings
9.162 pro ratings
Graves, Bordeaux, France
Red Bordeaux Blend
Chili & Hot Spicy, Potato, White Rice, Mushrooms, Pasta, Pork, Salami & Prosciutto, Pungent Cheese, Lamb, Tomato-Based, Onion, Shallot, Garlic, Beef, Hard Cheese, Venison
Top Notes For
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9.3

The 2017 Carbonnieux is dark and intense in the glass. Swaths of tannin wrap around a core of dark fruit in this decidedly potent, Pessac-Léognan. Orange peel, incense, spice, sweet tobacco and cedar add a super appealing exotic flair as the 2017 builds with time in the glass. Another few years in bottle should help things come together even more fully. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, March 2020)

The 2017 Carbonnieux is dark and intense in the glass. Swaths of tannin wrap around a core of dark fruit in this decidedly potent, Pessac-Léognan. Orange peel, incense, spice, sweet tobacco and cedar add a super appealing exotic flair as the 2017 builds with time in the glass. Another few years in bottle should help things come together even more fully. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, March 2020)

Mar 6th, 2020
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8.9

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. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2020)

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. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2020)

Feb 12th, 2020
Ivonne Nill

Classic Bordeaux, linear structure, elegant, cedar, cassis, cigarbox and damp earth and dried leaves. What a joy to drink, still alive and will keep its drinking quality easily for another 8-10 years.

Classic Bordeaux, linear structure, elegant, cedar, cassis, cigarbox and damp earth and dried leaves. What a joy to drink, still alive and will keep its drinking quality easily for another 8-10 years.

Jul 5th, 2018
Scott Barber

Wine Educator Meadowood Napa Valley

9.0

Ripe with lush fruit but underlying minerality steers it back to Bdx. The longer it sits in the glass the more French it gets. Nice to taste the Rouge for a change. #blindtasting #carbonnieux #bordeaux

Ripe with lush fruit but underlying minerality steers it back to Bdx. The longer it sits in the glass the more French it gets. Nice to taste the Rouge for a change. #blindtasting #carbonnieux #bordeaux

Jun 23rd, 2018
Yianni Stone

UGC tasting

UGC tasting

Jan 27th, 2018
Kyle Groombridge

Man, this wine keeps getting better as it sits in the glass. A 90 after 1 hour, a 91 after 2.. a beautifully balanced Pessac with just the right amount of body but a profound amount of restraint as well. One of the few left bank properties featuring a slight edge in Merlot over Cabernet in the blend, and it shows. Vibrant fruit and crazy smooth, even for its youth.

The nose starts out timid but picks up steam with an aroma of almost sweetened strawberries, kirsch, and rhubarb. With time, some faint cedar and dusty minerals come to play. The palate features fine-grained tannins, medium body weight and similar fruit and mineral characteristics. Not a heavyweight by any means, but as far as early-drinkabity and smooth, elegant flavors are concerned - this one has you covered. Nice bottle for a producer more known for their whites.

Man, this wine keeps getting better as it sits in the glass. A 90 after 1 hour, a 91 after 2.. a beautifully balanced Pessac with just the right amount of body but a profound amount of restraint as well. One of the few left bank properties featuring a slight edge in Merlot over Cabernet in the blend, and it shows. Vibrant fruit and crazy smooth, even for its youth.

The nose starts out timid but picks up steam with an aroma of almost sweetened strawberries, kirsch, and rhubarb. With time, some faint cedar and dusty minerals come to play. The palate features fine-grained tannins, medium body weight and similar fruit and mineral characteristics. Not a heavyweight by any means, but as far as early-drinkabity and smooth, elegant flavors are concerned - this one has you covered. Nice bottle for a producer more known for their whites.

Aug 18th, 2017
Cyrus Hazzard

Concierge Wine Sales Total Wine & More

9.0

Tasted blind, out of a 3L. Super elegant, well-balanced-dried currents, leather, classic graves earthiness.

Tasted blind, out of a 3L. Super elegant, well-balanced-dried currents, leather, classic graves earthiness.

1 person found it helpfulDec 7th, 2014
Michael Solway

1964

Oct 21st, 2016
David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

8.8

Blackberries, black cherries, strawberries, very dry.

Blackberries, black cherries, strawberries, very dry.

Apr 7th, 2016
David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

8.8

Muted fruit. Big minerals.

Muted fruit. Big minerals.

Apr 7th, 2016