Carmes Haut Brion 2024

Carmes Haut-Brion, a unique signature

In 1584, Jean de Pontac, the lord of Haut-Brion, donated several acres of meadows and vines to the Carmelite Order. They cared for the land for nearly two centuries with an unwavering devotion. In 2010, Patrice Pichet purchased this unique and historic estate.

Carmes Haut-Brion is first and foremost a unique situation, that of a closed vineyard in the city of Bordeaux. This distinct configuration grants it a unique microclimate that leads to early ripening. Its 7 hectares of vines, surrounded by the city, are dominated by Cabernet Franc and cohabit with a magnificent park. Emerging from the park's grounds is the now famous cellar designed by Philippe Starck.

Since his arrival in 2012, Guillaume Pouthier has been dedicated to the perpetual quest for vibrant fruit, lively energy, and seductive salinity. Each year, new methods are reinvented to further clarify the definition of the wines down to the smallest detail. Thus, the essence of the berries is gently and delicately extracted through infusion. Due to their early ripening, a portion of the grape clusters is fully submerged in the tanks. This deliberate pursuit of precision and brilliance leads to deciphering and unveiling the essentials of Carmes. Here, the wine carries the taste of its surroundings.

The 2024 vintage

This was the year when... You had to have a bit of bottle. Handle the challenge over the long haul, with patience and composure. It rained, rained and rained again. From October to October, 1,400 mm of water fell from the sky. The vines were saturated on their surface. Member of our technical team had to become marathon runners when they realised that the weather was going to transform an early vintage into a late one. And every day brought another challenge and another opportunity. In the face of such adversity, every opportunity had to considered and seized. The lack of uniformity in the crop emerged as a lever. The last miles will be decisive: going out to find each bunch, in each plot, picked and accepted in all its fragility. In the cellar, all sorting techniques were applied and selection was uncompromising, focusing on the ripeness of each berry and the expression of each place. With whole bunches, we gain in texture, sweetness and freshness.

Tasting notes:

If it were a shape, it would be a diamond; a compact attack, taking shape, refocusing. Black cherry nose, crème de cassis.
Evoking pine forest, resin, smoke. Between flower and root, iris bulb, violet. And a saline note on the finish.

Prices listed for En-Primeur are ex-Singapore Duty Free and inclusive of GST on wines only. Delivery in 2026/2027