CARMES-HAUT-BRION 2005

Aromas of plum, chocolate and leather follow through to a full body, with a very good richness of fruit and a caressing, medium finish. Not overdone. Balanced and pretty. Best after 2011. 2,500 cases made.

Bright red-ruby. Smoky aromas of raspberry, black cherry and coffee, with a meaty nuance. Suave and silky in the mouth, with nicely integrated acids keeping the wine fresh. Intriguing, slightly rustic notes of hot stones, smoke and meat. Finishes with a subtle sweetness and broad, dusty tannins.

This jewel of an estate hidden in a beautiful park (with a swan-filled lake), just behind Haut-Brion, has produced the finest Les Carmes since the 1998 and 2000. The 2005's huge, fragrant nose of spring flowers, blue and red fruits, cedar, and wet rocks soars from the glass. While not a powerful blockbuster, this medium-bodied wine’s terrific intensity, fruit purity, elegance, delicacy, and long persistent finish suggest it will be at its finest between 2011-2025. A liqueur of elegance and grace.