Winemaker Notes
The presence of citrus fruits can be iden-fied in the nose, the dis-nc-ve style of Château Carbonnieux. As for the mouth, there is aroundness and voluptuousness that is rare at this stage. This characteristic leading to a full and well-coated mid-palate certainly comes from the marvelous Sémillon harvested this year. On the finish there is the pleasant sweetness and aroma complexity both floral and fruity with lemon, apricot, white peach typical of our white wines.
Blend: 55% Sauvignon, 45% Semillon
Professional Ratings
-
Decanter
Right off the bat this has richness and concentration, with peachy creaminess through the mid-palate but without sacrificing tension and lift. It's a fine example of what 2017 can deliver in the best whites, and should age very well.
Barrel Sample: 93-95 -
Wine Enthusiast
This wine’s smooth texture is deceptive. Under this creamy guise, a taut, steely character promises long-term aging. Richness and fruitiness harmonize with complexity. Drink from 2022.
-
Wine Spectator
Very bright, with lots of gooseberry and chamomile notes racing along, this glistens with a fleur de sel edge on the mouthwatering finish. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now through 2024.
-
Jeb Dunnuck
Notes of lemon curd, citrus rind and hints of crushed rock define the 2017 Château Carbonnieux, which is medium-bodied, pure, and elegant on the palate. It’s another great white from the Pessac-Léognan region in 2017.
Barrel Sample: 89-91 -
James Suckling
Attractive tropical-fruit aromas with mangoes and papaya, as well as peaches. The palate delivers a smooth and juicy feel with supple peaches and lemons, cast in fleshy mode. A blend of 60% sauvignon blanc and 40% semillon. Drink now.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Carbonnieux 2017 Blanc gives aromas of lemon pie, lime cordial, honeysuckles and almonds with wafts of cedar and white pepper. The palate is medium-bodied, tightly wound and crisp, finishing long.
Sometimes light and crisp, other times rich and creamy, Bordeaux White Blends typically consist of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Often, a small amount of Muscadelle or Sauvignon Gris is included for added intrigue. Popularized in Bordeaux, the blend is often mimicked throughout the New World. Somm Secret—Sauternes and Barsac are usually reserved for dessert, but they can be served before, during or after a meal. Try these sweet wines as an aperitif with jamón ibérico, oysters with a spicy mignonette or during dinner alongside hearty Alsatian sausage.
Recognized for its superior reds as well as whites, Pessac-Léognan on the Left Bank claims classified growths for both—making it quite unique in comparison to its neighboring Médoc properties.
Pessac’s Chateau Haut-Brion, the only first growth located outside of the Médoc, is said to have been the first to conceptualize fine red wine in Bordeaux back in the late 1600s. The estate, along with its high-esteemed neighbors, La Mission Haut-Brion, Les Carmes Haut-Brion, Pique-Caillou and Chateau Pape-Clément are today all but enveloped by the city of Bordeaux. The rest of the vineyards of Pessac-Léognan are in clearings of heavily forested area or abutting dense suburbs.
Arid sand and gravel on top of clay and limestone make the area unique and conducive to growing Sémillon and Sauvignon blanc as well as the grapes in the usual Left Bank red recipe: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and miniscule percentages of Petit Verdot and Malbec.
The best reds will show great force and finesse with inky blue and black fruit, mushroom, forest, tobacco, iodine and a smooth and intriguing texture.
Its best whites show complexity, longevity and no lack of exotic twists on citrus, tropical and stone fruit with pronounced floral and spice characteristics.