Château La Tour Carnet is a Fourth Growth (Quatrième Cru Classé) in the 1855 Médoc classification, based in Haut-Médoc. The estate is owned by Bernard Magrez (since 1999) and is often noted for its deep history: its tower is said to date to 1120, and the name references a squire, Carnet, associated with the Hundred Years’ War. Vineyard-size figures vary by source, but the property is consistently presented as one of the larger classified-growth holdings in the Médoc.
The 2018 grand vin is reported as a 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon blend, aged 12 months in oak barrels with 33% new wood, at 14% alcohol. Production is cited at roughly 48,300 cases for the vintage. Stylistically, this is a Left Bank Bordeaux built around ripe fruit and firm structure, and multiple reviewers point to the need for time in bottle.
Critical reception is broadly positive, clustering around the low 90s. Decanter rates it 92 points, highlighting “pure, vibrant black cherry and raspberry fruit” with “floral accents” and a “tight tannic frame,” concluding it has “good ageing potential.” James Suckling also scores it an excellent 92 points, emphasizing ripeness and grip—“blueberries, plums and blackberries”—with “firm, tight tannins” and a finish marked by “cassis and light tar,” recommending you “try after 2024.”
Wine Spectator’s James Molesworth (90 points) finds a more classically savory register, citing “cassis and cherry” layered with “anise, black tea and sweet tobacco,” and suggests drinking “now through 2028.” Vinous is slightly more reserved: Neal Martin (89 points) calls it “earthy,” “medium-bodied,” and framed by “dense, grippy tannins,” noting it “needs bottle age.” Vinous’ Antonio Galloni lands back at 92 points, reinforcing the vintage’s overall strength.
Overall, 2018 La Tour Carnet reads as a solid, well-reviewed Haut-Médoc with ripe black-fruit depth, assertive tannins, and credible near- to mid-term aging potential.
