Château les Carmes Haut-Brion

Identity

Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a winegrowing estate located in Pessac, in Gironde. It is owned by Diane and Patrice Pichet, who acquired it in 2010. Guillaume Pouthier serves as general manager.

History and philosophy

The estate's history dates back to the 16th century. In 1584, Jean de Pontac donated these lands to the religious order of the Grands Carmes de Bordeaux, who established a vineyard here. Following the French Revolution, in 1791, church property was confiscated and the estate became national property. It was subsequently purchased in 1840 by Léon Colin, and the Chantecaille-Furt family owned it until its acquisition by the Pichet group in late 2010.

Since the takeover, substantial investments have been made, notably the restructuring of the vineyard and the construction of a new vinification and ageing cellar. Inaugurated in 2016, this cellar, designed by architects Philippe Starck and Luc Arsène-Henry, is a striking architectural feature of the estate. Spanning 2,000 m², it boasts a distinctive ship-shaped structure. The estate's consultant oenologist is Stéphane Derenoncourt.

Appellations

Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion produces its wines under the Pessac-Léognan Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée.

Practical information

Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion is located at 197 Avenue Jean Cordier, 33600 Pessac.

For visits, the estate is open Monday to Saturday, from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm and from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Visits are tailored and by appointment only, including a tour of the estate, vineyard, cellars, and a tasting. The estate is closed on Sundays. Languages spoken for guest reception are English, Spanish, and French.

Telephone: +33977510420 or 07 77 38 10 64

Email: contact@les-carmes-haut-brion.com

Find out more

Official estate website

The vineyard (terroir)

The Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion vineyard covers approximately 10 hectares and is characterised by a terroir of Mindel and Günzian gravels, sand, and clay over a clay-limestone bedrock. This geological singularity endows the estate with a microclimate favourable to the vine, protecting the vineyard from spring frosts and encouraging early grape ripening. Enclosed within the Bordeaux urban area, at the crossroads of Pessac, Mérignac, and Bordeaux, it is one of the region's rare walled urban vineyards.

The vineyard plantings are dominated by Cabernet Franc (around 44–48%), complemented by Merlot (30–41%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (18–20%). A small percentage of Petit Verdot may also be present (5%). The average vine age is around 40–41 years, with a planting density of 10,000 vines per hectare. Harvesting is carried out by hand, and the soil is ploughed with horses.

Flagship cuvées

Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion produces two main wines:

• Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion: The estate's grand vin is a still red wine crafted from Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, with a predominance of Cabernet Franc. It delivers a structure that is both silky and intense, complemented by the round, refined fruity aromas of Merlot, achieving a complex and generous balance.
• Le C des Carmes Haut-Brion: This second wine is crafted from a more traditional blend of Merlot complemented by Cabernet Sauvignon. It places fruit to the fore, displaying an elegant aromatic palette. In its youth, it is distinguished by a crisp density that evolves over time into lovely complexity.

The estate has also produced special cuvées, such as “Hommage au Siècle, 1917-2017”, a 100% Cabernet Franc cuvée aged for four years, and in 2019 revived the Marie-Jeanne bottle format (2.25 litres).

Vinification and ageing

Winemaking at Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion is characterised by a meticulous approach and respect for the fruit. The harvest is manual, followed by triple sorting of the grapes. Vinification is carried out by infusion, featuring practices such as partial destemming and whole-cluster fermentation, the proportion of which varies depending on the vintage (often between 40% and 70%). Fermentations take place in small vats, using techniques such as pigeage (punch-down) for certain cuvées. The cellar houses 23 vats of varying capacities (21 to 86 hectolitres), made of wood, stainless steel, or concrete.

Ageing of the grand vin, Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion, lasts 18 to 24 months in oak barrels, 18 hl foudres, and terracotta amphorae. The proportion of new oak barrels varies, reaching for instance 70% in certain vintages. The second wine, Le C des Carmes Haut-Brion, is aged for 12 to 18 months in oak barrels (30% new oak), followed by concrete vats.