Chateau Carbonnieux 2016

Cellar for up to 15 years. Decant 1 hour before serving.

Dating back to the 12th century, the historic Château Carbonnieux is one of Bordeaux’s oldest estates and was one of the very first to be included in the Graves wine classification system. Today it's also one of the largest estates in Pessac-Léognan with 92 hectares of vineyards which are almost evenly split between black and white grape varieties.

Their Grand Vin is made from the estate’s finest plots each vintage and is typically composed of two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon to one-third Merlot. It is vinified in stainless steel tanks and then aged in 33% new French oak barrels for 18 months to soften Pessac-Leognan’s characteristically firm tannins and well-built structure.

This wine benefits from decanting ahead of serving to reveal the full beauty and complexity of the cuvee. On the nose there are bold dark fruit aromas along with undertones of spice, tobacco leaf, and dried herbs which carry through onto the palate. The first sip reveals a generous full body supported by grippy tannins and a muscular structure with a long finish. This is a wine with a long future ahead of it which will respond well to another decade or so in the cellar. If you’d prefer to enjoy it now, try pairing with rich dishes like a prime ribeye steak or hearty meat stews.