Pessac-Leognan
Located just south of Bordeaux, the Péssac-Léognan AOC is renowned for producing exceptional red and white wines. The area's unique terroir, characterized by gravelly soil, allows for excellent drainage and provides the perfect environment for the cultivation of the region's signature varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot for reds and Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon for whites. Château Haut-Brion is amongst the most prestigious First Growth in this appellation. Other renowned wineries in the region include the Super Second Château La Mission Haut-Brion, and the fast ascending Château Smith Haut-Lafitte and Domaine de Chevalier, all of which are known for their exceptional red and white blends.
Pessac-Leognan
| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Bordeaux | 2 | 94 (WI) | $174.00 | |||||
The Wine Independent (94)The 2019 Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge is made from 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs a little coaxing to bring out notes of blackcurrant pastilles, stewed black and red cherries, and baking spices, leading to an earthy undercurrent of mossy tree bark and tilled soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a very serious backbone of firm, ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness supporting the taut black fruits, finishing on a mineral-tinged note. This wine should age well! |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 94 (VN (AG)) | $234.00 | |||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)The 2020 Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte is a gorgeous second wine. Dark cherry, grilled herbs, menthol, licorice, plum, spice and tobacco infuse the 2020 with striking aromatic nuance. Cabernet Sauvignon drives the blend, and that is very much in evidence in the wine's flavor profile and overall structure. There's terrific depth and density here, not to mention tons of character. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 8 | 94 (VN (AG)) | $167.00 | |||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)The 2020 Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte is a gorgeous second wine. Dark cherry, grilled herbs, menthol, licorice, plum, spice and tobacco infuse the 2020 with striking aromatic nuance. Cabernet Sauvignon drives the blend, and that is very much in evidence in the wine's flavor profile and overall structure. There's terrific depth and density here, not to mention tons of character. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 7 | 92 (JA) | $190.00 | |||||
Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (92)You'll find a greater difference in quality than in a typical vintage between this and Hauts de Smith, with greater clarity of expression and rich aromatics here. Blueberry, raspberry leaf, lemongrass and campfire smoke, with salted cracker salinity on the finish. This is where you fid the sweet stuff in 2021 - not by looking for ripe fruit but by going long on juicy, elegant, well balanced savoury fruit that has plenty of character. A great 2nd wine that is worth seeking out. 30% new oak. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 80 | 94-95 (JS) | $155.00 | |||||
James Suckling (94-95)This has a big structure of polished tannins that are energetic and punchy. Medium to full body with beautiful blackcurrants, as well as dark tobacco and wet earth. Chewy at the end, but a pointed and focused finish. More structured than 2022. 60% cabernet sauvignon and 40% merlot. From organically grown grapes. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 89-91 (VN (AG)) | $393.00 | |||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (89-91)The 2014 Le Petit Haut Lafitte Blanc is wonderfully aromatic and fragrant. White flowers, lemon peel, lychee and mint inform a perfumed, crisp white to drink in its youth. The Petit Haut Lafitte is 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon, all done in barrel with some lees stirring, but no malolactic fermentation. This is the brightest of the estate's whites. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 15 | 92-93 (JS) | $228.00 | |||||
James Suckling (92-93)A dense, layered white with cooked-apple, honey and lemon aromas and flavors. Layered and flavorful with a zingy, mineral finish. 80% sauvignon with 20% semillon. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 96 (WS) | $1,340.00 | |||||
Wine Spectator (96)This is gorgeous, with blackberry and licorice and spice. Full and silky-textured tannins turn chewy, but finishes with class. Best ever? So impressive. Score range: 93-96 -JS |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 93+ (WA) | $702.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (93+)Made of 45% Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the deep garnet colored 2010 Les Carmes Haut-Brion gives up notes of baked blackberries, blackcurrants, black raspberries and cedar chest with hints of baking spices, black olives, pencil lead and Marmite toast. Full-bodied, the generously fruited palate has a solid backbone of grainy tannins and bold freshness supporting all that tightly-packed brawn, finishing with great length and purity. Still incredibly youthful, I suspect this wine has a lot more to give in the years to come! |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 2 | 94 (VN (AG)) | $650.00 | |||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)A powerful, intense wine, the 2012 Les Carmes Haut-Brion exudes richness and depth. Game, smoke, tobacco, grilled herbs, black cherries and incense are some of the signatures. This explosive, powerful Pessac is going to need time to settle down, but it is exceptionally beautiful, even at this very early stage. Les Carmes Haut-Brion is marked by its high percentage of Cabernet Franc (38%) which is unusual in this part of Pessac, and its fabulous terroir. All of that is on full display here. Don't miss it! |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 95+ (VN (AG)) | $647.00 | |||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (95+)One of the stars of the vintage, the 2014 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is total knock-out. Graphite, smoke, red cherry jam, spice, cured meat, pomegranate and tobacco are just some of the myriad sensations that race out of the glass. Today, the 2014 is gloriously ample on the palate, with remarkable nuance for a wine of its size. The Carmes Haut-Brion has been terrific in two recent tastings. The blend is 54 % Cabernet Franc, 32 % Merlot and 14 % Cabernet Sauvignon, all aged in oak, but with some influence of 500-liter tonneaux and 12-hectoliter casks. Simon Blanchard is the consulting oenologist. Tasted two times. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 97 (JS) | $674.00 | |||||
James Suckling (97)Very polished and poised with an immensely powerful core of tannin that drives incredible length on the palate. Fruits are deep in the dark-berry spectrum, encapsulating a terrific sense of freshness through the finish. Great wine. Try from 2024. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 2 | 99 (JD) | $943.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (99)Readers looking for the next superstar in Bordeaux need to jump on the bandwagon of Les Carmes Haut-Brion, who have produced one of the wines of the vintage in 2016. The 2016 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion checks in as a blend of 41% Cabernet Franc, 39% Merlot, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon that hit 13.8% natural alcohol and spent 22 months in 65% new French oak. Its deep purple color is followed by a complex bouquet of high-class smoke tobacco, decaying flowers, charcoal, gravelly minerality and loads of sweet black and blue fruit. Possessing full-bodied richness, flawless integration of its acidity, fruit, and ultra-fine tannins, and a blockbuster finish, this is another 2016 that possess both power and elegance. Do your best to hide bottles for 5-7 years and it will keep for 3-4 decades. Don’t miss it. Tasted twice. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 96 (DC) | $1,160.00 | |||||
Decanter (96)Brilliant wine that continues to impress three years on from the En Primeur tasting, with a creamy but restrained texture, precise black fruits with a spicy undertow. By this point Carmes had the highest percentage of Cabernet Franc on the Left Bank, and had really started to establish its own identity. It was also using a full 40% whole bunch winemaking, choosing only the ripest stems to include in the fermentation tanks, adding a twist of salinity on the finish and ensuring a dip of around 1% in potential alcohol levels at picking (this is a hot site close to the city centre). Owned by Patrice Pichet since 2011, with Guillaume Pouthier joining as director in 2012 - whose experience in the Rhône meant he was not afraid to use stems in winemaking, something traditionally shunned in Bordeaux. This wine shows the success of that approach, giving personality and poise. Needs another few years for the austerity to soften further. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 3 | 96 (DC) | $620.00 | |||||
Decanter (96)Brilliant wine that continues to impress three years on from the En Primeur tasting, with a creamy but restrained texture, precise black fruits with a spicy undertow. By this point Carmes had the highest percentage of Cabernet Franc on the Left Bank, and had really started to establish its own identity. It was also using a full 40% whole bunch winemaking, choosing only the ripest stems to include in the fermentation tanks, adding a twist of salinity on the finish and ensuring a dip of around 1% in potential alcohol levels at picking (this is a hot site close to the city centre). Owned by Patrice Pichet since 2011, with Guillaume Pouthier joining as director in 2012 - whose experience in the Rhône meant he was not afraid to use stems in winemaking, something traditionally shunned in Bordeaux. This wine shows the success of that approach, giving personality and poise. Needs another few years for the austerity to soften further. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 96 (DC) | $470.00 | |||||
Decanter (96)Brilliant wine that continues to impress three years on from the En Primeur tasting, with a creamy but restrained texture, precise black fruits with a spicy undertow. By this point Carmes had the highest percentage of Cabernet Franc on the Left Bank, and had really started to establish its own identity. It was also using a full 40% whole bunch winemaking, choosing only the ripest stems to include in the fermentation tanks, adding a twist of salinity on the finish and ensuring a dip of around 1% in potential alcohol levels at picking (this is a hot site close to the city centre). Owned by Patrice Pichet since 2011, with Guillaume Pouthier joining as director in 2012 - whose experience in the Rhône meant he was not afraid to use stems in winemaking, something traditionally shunned in Bordeaux. This wine shows the success of that approach, giving personality and poise. Needs another few years for the austerity to soften further. |
|||||||||

