Château Carbonnieux, a Premium red at Pessac-Léognan

Let me take you to the South of the city of Bordeaux, in the vineyard of Pessac-Léognan, at Château Carbonnieux.

Château Carbonnieux produces two Premium wines, both white and red. They are both classified as Grands Crus.

Let’s focus on the Premium red offered by the Château. The wines of Pessac-Léognan remind me of family meals. When I was a kid, I remember these wines opened for special occasions: with the Easter lamb or the Christmas turkey! A few names are coming back to my mind: Château Olivier, Château Pape-Clément and Château Fieuzal! These good memories made me fill my own cellar with some of these wines. Including a few bottles of the famous Château Carbonnieux!

Château Carbonnieux is one of the oldest wine estates in Bordeaux. Its history dates back to the 13th century! It is also one of the largest estates in the region, about a hundred hectares of vines. The terroir of Pessac-Léognan wines consists of a thick layer of gravel and pebbles: the “graves”.

The best wines of the vineyard are therefore the “Grands Crus Classés de Graves”! Château Carbonnieux, like the other Grands Crus of Pessac-Léognan, are made from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape variety. The Cab is the dominant grape, blended with Merlot and Cabernet Franc, depending on the vintage.

The premium wine is aged for a year and a half in oak barrels to bring complexity and suppleness to the wine. Once bottled, a few extra years are still necessary to reveal its full aromatic palette.

On the nose, there are notes of black fruits. I love the blackcurrant, blueberries, and violet aromas. Also supported by a smoky bouquet of grilled roasted almonds. These are rich and elegant wines, when you have the patience to taste them with a few years on the clock. They have a great aging potential. I’d recommend keeping them for at least ten years in your cellar. The great vintages can age over 30 years!

In their youth – before 10 years old – their tannic structure pairs so well with red meats. Older, their velvety texture opens the pairing options. I like tasting the leather and cedar notes with autumn mushrooms. Love also the dishes with black truffles!

Among the great recent vintages are: 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016 and the solar 2018!

Cheers!