2012 Château Carbonnieux – A Red Bordeaux for the Table and the Cellar

Château Carbonnieux (Pessac-Léognan, 2012) Red
Special Price: $264/6-pack ($44/bottle)

One of the highlights of our Bordeaux MasterClass earlier this year was Eric Perrin’s Château Carbonnieux red and white wines from the Pessac-Léognan region of Bordeaux. Since these were such exquisite wines we decided to stock up for autumn and we’re happy to report that these wines are drinking even better than they were earlier this year.

Château Carbonnieux red is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot that spent 16-18 months in barrels (35% new oak). A heady and complex nose of black currant, cherry, mocha and cedar precedes a rich and full-bodied sip of generous, concentrated fruit. The copious but integrated structure provides excellent balance on the finish and the promise of further development in a proper cellar over the next 15 years.

One of the oldest estates in the entire Bordeaux wine region with a history dating back to the 12th century, Château Carbonnieux has 220 acres of vineyards in the gravel, sand and clay soils of Pessac-Léognan. They are one of the few Bordeaux estates to produce close to equal amounts of red and white Bordeaux wine, with base grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc, and both equally stunning.

The history of the modern Château Carbonnieux dates from the 1950s, when Marc Perrin (Grandfather to Eric) acquired the estate. A fresh start was made after the harsh winter of 1956 wiped out the remaining vines in what were by that time rather unkempt vineyards. But this is prime real estate, as illustrated by Château Carbonnieux’s neighbors Château Smith Haut Lafitte and Château Haut-Bailly. The estate has recently added new, temperature controlled, stainless steel vats to allow vinification on a parcel by parcel basis. Today, Château Carbonnieux is considered one of the top estates in Bordeaux.

If you’re doing your holiday shopping early, both the white and red wines of Château Carbonnieux come in attractive wood 6-pack boxes. These boxes filled with delicious, cellar-worthy wine would make a fantastic gift for the wine lover in your life (even if that wine lover is you).

Also available at the same price is the elegant and refined 2014 Château Carbonnieux white. It’s a blend of 75% Sauvignon, 25% Semillon that was barrel-fermented in 25% new French oak and then aged another 10 months in the barrel. Scents of apple blossom and lemon curd precede a crisp and elegant palate with a focused, stony finish. Break out a few bottles this holiday season to pair with dishes like lobster ravioli or pan-fried scallops with beurre blanc and throw a handful in the cellar for future drinking.

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Posted on 2016.11.09 in France, Bordeaux, Saturday Sips Wines