How do you start the New Year the right way?
Opening a fantastic bottle of wine like the 2017 Château Carbonnieux Blanc Grand Cru Classé de Graves is one way. Château Carbonnieux was our first in 2021 and, we think it might set the tone for the entire year.
Why, you might ask?
Why Château Carbonnieux
First, it’s a Grand Cru Classé wine, meaning it’s in the top 1% of Bordeaux wines by quality and price. And it’s more than a status wine.
Second, Château Carbonnieux Blanc is a sort of legendary wine. In the 18th century, it was brought to the palace of the Sultan of Constantinople and introduced as “mineral water from Carbonnieux,” thanks to its clarity. While we expect nothing but clear wine with no sediment nowadays, clear wine wasn’t as common two centuries ago. According to the legend, the Ottoman Sultan loved it so much that he asked why the French bother to make wine if they produce such a delicious “mineral water.”
Third, this wine comes from the Pessac-Léognan appellation in Bordeaux. Its clay-limestone and gravel soils that established a reputation for producing some of the best dry white wines in the Bordeaux region for centuries.
Lastly, the estate of Château Carbonnieux has a rich history stretching back to the 13th century. The first vineyards of Bordeaux were born in the southern part of Graves region, developed in the Middle Ages with monks’ support, and then through trade with England and Northern Europe. Its rich history is closely intertwined with the history of the Graves, Bordeaux region, and France.
Château Carbonnieux flourished when the times were good and suffered through tumulous times. It witnessed history: Hundred Years War (1337-1453) and Thomas Jefferson’s visit in 1786. It survived the French Revolution (1789) and phylloxera plight that destroyed the French wine industry in the 19th century and more.
While Château changed owners many times, one thing remained the same – the exceptional quality of the wines the estate can produce.
In 1956 Marc Perrin purchased the estate, the same year when historic frost devastated Bordeaux. Perrin winemaking family persevered, and third-generation Eric, Christine, and Philibert leading the winery in the 21st century. Their eldest children joined the winery in 2019.
Over the years, the estate has grown to 95 hectares and build modern winemaking facilities.
Château Carbonnieux Blanc 2017 Grand Cru Classé de Graves
Vintage
The 2017 vintage had a rocky start. After a cold winter, the temperatures rose rapidly in March, giving the vines a head start on the season. But at the end of April, a severe frost event struck all French vineyards. Despite its favorable location, Château Carbonnieux was not spared.
Although yields were substantially lower due to frost in April, all white grapes reached uniform ripeness and allower for a quick harvest.
In the Bottle
Carbonnieux Blanc is a blend of 60% Sauvignon Blanc and 40% Semillon. The grapes came from sustainably farmed 28-year old vines. The fruit was hand-picked and first sorted in the field and then at the winery.
The grapes were gently pressed in the inert gas environment to control the fermentation process. The new wine was aged in 25% new oak barrels with lees stirring for 10 months. This technique helped to add complexity to the wine.
Ready wine was cold clarified before bottling. Remember, Château Carbonnieux was called “mineral water of Carbonnieux” for its clarity?
In the Glass
Speaking of the clarity of the wine, Château Carbonnieux has a pale golden color with a greenish tint. This wine is meant to age, and it would be fun to compare the color ten years later. The white wines get darker with age and become amber and even brown. Too bad we have no time machine to do it right now. The best we can do is save the photo and compare it later.
Aroma Trip
Due to a young age, Château Carbonnieux comes forward with a robust green-grass-like scent. It needs a few short sniffs to adjust the senses and “dig deeper” with your nose.
Suppose you set the initial powerful note aside (it takes an intent). In that case, you’ll discover the treasure trove of aromas: orange and tangerine peel, green guava and passion fruit, peach and vanilla cream, almond and apricot skin. Yeah! All of that! You just need to swirl the glass and keep smelling the wine. It’s an olfactory trip!
Flavor Quest
Château Carbonneiux needs time for you to appreciate its flavors as well. Our friends who tasted it before us said that the wine was quite acidic. We can see why that initial crispiness may seem a bit too much for the modern palates. Current consumer trends pushed winemakers to create a “fast-foody” kind of wines that please “here and now” and “from the first sip.”
While some winemakers are chasing palates, others create wines requiring drinking with intent and contemplation on the liquid in your glass. Château Carbonneiux is from the latter category. It’s a wine for thought.
The first taste of wine is a bit of a sensory overload for our tastebuds, and we need a few more sips to adjust. We tasted tangerine, ripe grapefruit and Meyers lemon, guava and apricot, and a touch of salinity. If you can taste beyond the crispiness, you may find yourself on your own flavor quest or join ours.
Finish
The aftertaste was long and had a persistent dried apricot note. The complex flavors of Château Carbonnieux reminded us of Sauternes, the infamous dessert wine of Bordeaux.
While Château Carbonnieux Blanc 2017 is already fantastic wine, it is still in its infancy and can benefit from further ageing. We are going to try not to open another bottle until 2025. Where’s our time machine when we need it?!
What are your thoughts if you tasted Château Carbonnieux Blanc 2017? What other white Bordeaux wines would you suggest trying?
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