The 2023 Les Carmes Haut Brion is a Bordeaux blend from the renowned Pessac Leognan sub-region in Bordeaux, France. This wine, produced by Les Carmes Haut Brion, is a red varietal composed of 50% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Merlot. It is crafted from organically grown grapes and utilizes 60% whole-berry fermentation. The wine is currently maturing in a combination of 70% new oak barrels, 20% foudres, and 10% amphorae.

James Suckling, awarding the wine a near-perfect score of 99 points, describes it as “fantastic and very, very exciting,” highlighting its “purity and brightness with floral, spicy, and blackberry notes.” He notes its “agility and weightlessness,” indicating the wine's ability to balance concentration and structure without feeling heavy.

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, also giving it 99 points, praises the wine’s unique character. Yohan Castaing commends its “aromas of mulberries and raspberries mingled with vine smoke, orange zest, rose petals, and spices.” He describes the wine as “medium to full-bodied, fleshy, and concentrated,” with a “long, ethereal, and mouthwateringly saline finish.” The wine’s refined tannins are considered more abundant but brilliantly integrated, making it approachable at an early age despite its potential for longevity.

Vinous reviewer Antonio Galloni gives it 96 points, noting the wine’s seamless integration and a more reductive early-aging style. He points out that while the wine is currently a bit shy in its aromatics, it holds promise for further development with extended aging.

Jane Anson, who also scores the wine at 96 points, highlights its “elderflower and peony aromatics” and “inky plum color.” She remarks on the wine’s “vibrant lift and drinkability,” with a “grippy slate texture” and “crushed rose petals and salted cracker salinity.”

Decanter awards the wine 97 points, pointing out its “extremely floral nose” and “smooth and supple” texture. The publication appreciates its “seamlessly integrated” nature and “excellent terroir signature,” describing it as “ripe, fresh, clean, fragrant, sleek, and streamlined.”

Jeff Leve from The Wine Cellar Insider rates it 98 points, noting its “intensity, purity, length, and vibrancy.” He remarks on its “rich, full-bodied” nature that remains “light on its feet,” with layers of “crushed stones, herbs, and ripe, sweet, dark fruits.”

Jeb Dunnuck, scoring it 97 points, highlights its “vibrant aromatics of cassis and black cherries” and “beautiful precision and focus.” He notes the wine’s potential for gaining mid-palate density over time.

Finally, The Wine Independent gives it 98 points, with Lisa Perrotti-Brown describing its “fabulously pure, well-defined notes” and “solid backbone of very fine-grained, prancing tannins.” She emphasizes the wine’s “airy and refreshing” palate and its potential to expand into something powerful with time.

Overall, the 2023 Les Carmes Haut Brion is highly praised for its complexity, elegance, and potential for aging, making it a standout wine in the 2023 vintage.