Chateau Carbonnieux Rouge

Château Carbonnieux Red

Grand Cru Classé de Graves

Pessac - Léognan

Château Carbonnieux red has for centuries been a great classic among the finest wines in the region of Bordeaux. With its high standard of quality, it is the smooth result of an excellent blending of grape varieties from this region: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot.
The vinification, both modern and traditional of red wines, is carried out by slow and gentle extraction in order to preserve the roundness of the wine and the mineral features of the soil. The tannins are well balanced and silky in harmony with red fruits (blackcurrant, blackberry, cherry…) and reveal toasted notes from ageing in the finest quality French oak barrels. Only the very best batches tasted are selected for the final blending of Château Carbonnieux red wines.

Serving temperature : 18-19°C
Cellaring advice :  6 years minimum
Wine and food pairing : all type of grilled, roast, or stewed meat, swordfish, tuna fish, mushrooms, seasonal vegetables or legumes, cheese, chocolate or red fruit desserts…

  • 2021
  • 2020
  • 2019
  • 2018
  • 2017
  • 2016
  • 2015
  • 2014
  • 2013
  • 2012
  • 2011
  • 2010
  • 2009
  • 2008
  • 2007
  • 2006
  • Château Carbonnieux Red 2021


    Special characteristics of the vintage

    2021, Against all odds
    The 2021 vintage will leave a great feeling of pride in the memories of our winegrowers because of the need to thwart the ugly tricks of Mother Nature. About ten nights of fighting against frost in April followed by a typically oceanic, mild and humid summer causing continuous high disease pressure. The rigor of our viticultural practices, throughout the year, made a real difference this year. The pickers harvested very fine grapes with everything one could wish for: sweetness, acidity, very interesting aromatic notes and normal yields. 2021 is shaping up, against all odds, to be full of promise.

    Château Carbonnieux Red 2021

    The first nose offers a basket of very intense black fruits, blueberries and blackcurrants. On the palate, we discover a wine well-balanced. The black fruits express themselves deliciously on the palate with slightly spicy menthol notes. The tannins are noble. A superb freshness underlines the finish which makes the wine supple and sapid, bringing a lot of pleasure. This wine can be drunk both in its youth and certainly after several years of cellaring..
    Ageing : 16-18 months in barrels (35% new oak)
    Blending : 60% Cabernet Sauvignon - 30% Merlot - 5% Petit Verdot - 5% Cabernet Franc
    % Alc. Vol. : 13°


    Download technical sheet 2021
  • Château Carbonnieux Red 2020


    Special characteristics of the vintage

    2020, Mildness and Precocity
    A particulary mild rainy Autumn-Winter 2019-2020 resulted in early budding. Around March 20th , while France was in lockdown, the vine was budding about 10 days early. This advance continued throughout the vegetative cycle until the harvest time. Practically no rain in fact between June 17th and September 21st but once again our vines grown in regularly tilled soil showed a remarkable resistance to stress. The harvest was carried out without any difficulty in spite of the constraints due to strict sanitary measures. Everywhere the grapes were healthy and maturity was evenly spread over time.

    Château Carbonnieux Red 2020

    The first nose, superb, immerses uncompromisingly in essences of fruits and flowers oscillating between blueberry and violet. There is also a nice bouquet of spices of white pepper and cloves. After swirling, smokier notes and fresher notes of red cedar finally exhale. The mouth is very elegant, its attack is round and suave. The balance and accuracy of this wine are impressive. When the wine takes on its full expression, we enjoy the fruity and floral notes perceived on the nose, full of brilliance and delicacy. Its length on the palate, fine and tasty, already shows its ability to age long and well.
    Ageing : 16-18 months in barrels (35% new oak)
    Blending : 49% Cabernet Sauvignon - 45% Merlot - 4% Petit Verdot - 2% Cabernet Franc
    % Alc. Vol. : 14.5°


    Download technical sheet 2020
  • Château Carbonnieux Red 2019


    Special characteristics of the vintage

    2019, The reward
    After two difficult-to-produce vintages, 2019 ended the decade on a remarkable note.
    An homogeneous bud burst, a regular growth of the vines, an ideal course of flowering, followed by drought at the beginning of summer spared the vineyard from sanitary deterioration. At the beginning of August, the rains arrived in time for the veraison to benefit by taking place under the best auspices, then the sun resumed its rights until the end of the harvest.

    Château Carbonnieux Red 2019

    The nose presents a voluptuous aromatic bouquet with aromas of black fruits revealing more smoky notes of cedar and tobacco as well as more floral hints of violets. On the palate, the 2019 red is soft and savoury with finesse. The wine progressively expresses delicate aromatic impressions on the fruits and the spices. Ageing in barrels will further refine this wine which already seems very promising.
    Ageing : 16-18 months in barrels (35% new oak)
    Blending : 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot
    % Alc. Vol. : 14.5°


    Download technical sheet 2019
  • Château Carbonnieux Red 2018


    Special characteristics of the vintage

    2018, The sun king
    The beginning of 2018 was difficult: a hailstorm on part of the vineyard and heavy rain let us think as early as June that the quantities of all the grape varieties would be small. Then, the sun king did a supreme job right up to the end of the harvest by giving us magnificent grapes. However in spite of the limited quantity, 2018 will be a very great vintage for Carbonnieux!

    Château Carbonnieux Red 2018

    This 2018 red is characterized by a beautiful deep purple colour. On the nose the wine releases an aromatic bouquet of ripe fruit tinged with a slightly smoky sensation. The tannic structure on the palate is rich, long and soft with a smooth fleshy texture all perfectly balanced. The finish extends and produces the characteristics of a great vintage promising good ageing potential.
    Ageing : 16-18 months in barrels (35% new oak)
    Blending : 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot
    % Alc. Vol. : 14.5°


    Download technical sheet 2018
  • Château Carbonnieux Red 2017


    Special characteristics of the vintage

    2017, A vicious start.
    Château Carbonnieux which is usually not very frost-riven was struck by a severe frost on 27, 28 and 29 April. About 50% of the white varieties and 30% of the red varieties were affected. The resulting yields were low but fortunately of very fine quality. The hand-picking harvest was early and sunny.

    Château Carbonnieux Red 2017

    The nose is very fruity, we easily guess cherry, blackcurrent, and blackberry. This fruity freshness which is also present on the palate stimulates and lengthens the fine and velvety tannins. The finish is highlighted by shades of cloves and eucalyptus. The wine is well-balanced and silky.
    Ageing : 16-18 months in barrels (35% new oak)
    Blending : 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot
    % Alc. Vol. : 13.5°


    Download technical sheet 2017
  • Château Carbonnieux Red 2016


    Special characteristics of the vintage

    2016, Happiness for a winemaker.
    Vintages both exceptional in quality and generous in quantity are very rare. Yet 2016 is one of them.
    The fruit of excellent work every day together with weather full of good surprises, 2016 gave us a great harvest with, in addition, grapes of a remarkable quality.

    Château Carbonnieux Red 2016

    The attack on the palate is silky, delicate, smooth. The mid-palate is full-bodied, structured and concentrated. The pleasure rises to a crescendo throughout the tasting and finishes with a remarkable length on the palate. 2016 is definitely in the big league!
    Ageing : 16-18 months in barrels (35% new oak)
    Blending : 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot
    % Alc. Vol. : 13.5°


    Download technical sheet 2016
  • Château Carbonnieux Red 2015


    Special characteristics of the vintage

    2015, The magic of “5”.
    Bordeaux remembers the mythical 1945, 55, 75 or more recently 85, 95 and 2005.
    A perfect weather along the vegetative cycle allows 2015 to follow the ten-year legend for the marvellous vintages produced in years ending in “5".

    Château Carbonnieux Red 2015

    Deep, intense, almost crimson colour. The nose is expressive and fruity. The attack is fresh, then evolves towards a generous tannic structure, characteristic of great wines with ageing potential. The majority of cabernet sauvignon in the blend provides volume and a remarkably long finish. The merlot and the petit verdot add aromatic complexity and a certain delicacy to the wine.

    Ageing : 16-18 months in barrels (35% new oak)
    Blending : 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot
    % Alc. Vol. : 14°


    Download technical sheet 2015
  • Château Carbonnieux Red 2014


    Special characteristics of the vintage

    2014, from doubt to certainty, a vintage saved by the sun god….
    The climatic inversion between summer and autumn 2014 remains unique in the annals of Bordeaux and as winegrowers from the region we could only be filled with enthusiasm. The 2014 vintage was marked by early flowering and very slow ripening. All the aromas were preserved because of the cool summer and the impeccable quality of the harvesting produced a high flying vintage.

    Château Carbonnieux Red 2014

    The ripeness and structure of the 2014 reds have good prospects for excellent tasting and cellaring potential.
    Ageing : 16-18 months in barrels (35% new oak)
    Blending : 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc
    % Alc. Vol. : 13.5°
  • Château Carbonnieux Red 2013


    Special characteristics of the vintage

    2013, unlike any previous year.
    A cold stormy spring, a very sunny summer and a late ripening of the grapes. Late harvests recalling the 80s or before. Extremely low yields (the lowest since 1991). 2013 gave the winegrowers cause for worry at the moment of flowering but a steady sun and lack of rain in the summer saved the vintage. More pickers were hired (30%) to speed up the picking and select the best grapes in the vineyard and in the vat cellar.

    Château Carbonnieux Red 2013

    Once our fears about the weather were over, this vintage turned out to be on a par with the great Bordeaux classics, like that of 2008, with fruitiness, structure and length.
    Ageing : 16-18 months in barrels (35% new oak)
    Blending : 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot
    % Alc. Vol. : 12.5°
  • Château Carbonnieux Red 2012


    Special characteristics of the vintage

    2012, a year marked by the whims of the weather
    cold rainy periods alternating with warm dry moments but in the end things got back to normal. A vigorous vine tamed by early summer tasks. Development of grapes slowed down by low temperatures, but followed by practically no summer rainfall which made up for lost time and boosted the maturation and concentration processes.

    Château Carbonnieux Red 2012

    The Merlot Château Carbonnieux red wines have a fine deep intense colour while the Cabernet wines are fruity and full of character. The 2012 blending with a little Petit Verdot gave a vintage that is extremely pleasant and charming to drink when eating.
    Ageing : 16-18 months in barrels (35% new oak)
    Blending : 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc
    % Alc. Vol. : 13.5°
  • Château Carbonnieux Red 2011


    Special characteristics of the vintage

    2011, a winegrower’s vintage.
    Passing directly from winter to summer resulted in inhabitual early ripening and lovely flowering as early as mid-May. July and August not very sunny, indeed wet. 2011 vintage was not an easy vintage. It required extra supervision and real savoir faire on the part of the winegrower. However in spite of the unusual weather the white wines are astonishing and the red wines are great successes.

    Château Carbonnieux Red 2011

    The 2011 berries were small and rich in anthocyanins. Once again the good September weather was favourable towards the Cabernet-Sauvignon grapes and they were able to finish maturing slowly.
    Ageing : 16-18 months in barrels (35% new oak)
    Blending : 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc
    % Alc. Vol. : 13.5°
  • Château Carbonnieux Red 2010


    Special characteristics of the vintage

    2010, exceptional.
    After showering 2009 with praise, it was difficult to announce that 2010 was going to be even better. Today there is no doubt at all that 2010 has become part of the legend of the great Bordeaux vintages. An exceptionally dry summer with moderate hot spells played a large part in its crafting.

    Château Carbonnieux Red 2010

    Its deep colour, complexity and fruity intensity, freshness and tannic density allow you to imagine its enormous potential. A wine that can be kept for a very long time.
    Ageing : 16-18 months in barrels (35% new oak)
    Blending : 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc
    % Alc. Vol. : 14°
  • Château Carbonnieux Red 2009



    Special characteristics of the vintage

    2009, a long awaited vintage.
    Remarkable flowering and a very good summer followed by dream harvesting when each variety and plot could be picked at their optimal oenological maturity.

    Château Carbonnieux Red 2009

    A great year for red wine, with both smoothness and complexity.
    Ageing : 16-18 months in barrels (35% new oak)
    Blending : 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc
    % Alc. Vol. : 14°
  • Château Carbonnieux Red 2008


    Special characteristics of the vintage

    2008, the hallmark of the climate in Bordeaux.
    There are some years when the climate in Bordeaux is erratic because of the proximity to the ocean and 2008 was one of those years. Nothing to worry about. The vine is a wonderful plant that can adapt to all temperate climates if it is cared for by a good winegrower. A rather wet spring limited yields, the July drought maintained a favourable water stress and the freshness at the end of the summer preserved the aromas and guaranteed slow maturation.

    Château Carbonnieux Red 2008

    A very fine vintage in keeping with the great Bordeaux classics.
    Ageing : 16-18 months in barrels (35% new oak)
    Blending : 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc
    % Alc. Vol. : 13°
  • Château Carbonnieux Red 2007


    Special characteristics of the vintage

    2007, Bordeaux plays its classics.
    The winter of 2007 was not very harsh and April was particularly warm causing the vines to take off very quickly without being early. Mixed weather lasted until the harvest which was blessed by a long sunny period.

    Château Carbonnieux Red 2007

    The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are by far the winners of this vintage especially those picked a little late. A safe bet after cellaring for 6 years.
    Ageing : 16-18 months in barrels (35% new oak)
    Blending : 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc
    % Alc. Vol. : 13°
  • Château Carbonnieux Red 2006


    Special characteristics of the vintage

    2006, a contrasting climate
    This year was marked by cool spells interspersed with periods of such heat rarely experienced on our oceanic type 25th parallel. The harvest strategy played an important role in the result of this vintage.

    Château Carbonnieux Red 2006

    The major drawback for the 2006 vintage was to come after the 2005. In 2006 the red wines were still magnificent and had great aromatic complexity.
    Ageing : 16-18 months in barrels (35% new oak)
    Blending : 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc
    % Alc. Vol. : 13°

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