Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion
Encyclopedia
Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a Bordeaux
wine
estate located in the AOC
Pessac-Léognan
within the region of Graves
.
In addition to producing a red grand vin named Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion, the estate produces the red second wine
Le Clos des Carmes.
, La Mission Haut-Brion
, Laville Haut-Brion
and La Tour Haut-Brion
, in once being part of the Haut-Brion estate that belonged to Jean de Pontac. Reportedly at age 101, De Pontac donated land holding a water mill and vineyards to the Carmelite order
, who tended the property from 1584 until the French Revolution
. During this period the estate took the name Les Carmes Haut-Brion.
After the Revolution, it was confiscated and sold at auction to Léon Colin, whose descentant lineage maintained ownership of the estate into the 21st century with the Chantecaille-Furt family. In November 2010, Didier Chantecaille-Furt and his daughter Penelope sold Les Carmes Haut-Brion to real estate executive Patrice Pichet for €
18m, reported to be a "record price".
The estate employs Stéphane Derenoncourt
as consultant oenologist. Thierry Rustmann, former co-owner of Château Talbot
, took over the running of the estate following the sale.
, with a grape variety distribution of 50% Merlot
, 40% Cabernet Franc
and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
.
The annual production of the red grand vin Chateau Les Carmes Haut-Brion is approximately 1800 winecase, and of the second wine Le Clos des Carmes there is a production of 200 winecase.
Bordeaux wine
A Bordeaux wine is any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. Average vintages produce over 700 million bottles of Bordeaux wine, ranging from large quantities of everyday table wine, to some of the most expensive and prestigious wines in the world...
wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
estate located in the AOC
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...
Pessac-Léognan
Pessac-Léognan
Pessac-Léognan is a French wine appellation, within the Graves subregion of the Bordeaux wine region. Both red and white wine is produced within the appellation, which consists of 10 communes: Cadaujac, Canéjan, Gradignan, Léognan, Martillac, Mérignac, Pessac, Saint-Médard-d'Eyrans, Talence and...
within the region of Graves
Graves
Graves is an important subregion of the Bordeaux wine region. Graves is situated on the left bank of the Garonne river, in the upstream part of the region, southeast of the city Bordeaux and stretch over...
.
In addition to producing a red grand vin named Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion, the estate produces the red second wine
Second wine
Second wine is a term commonly associated with Bordeaux wine to refer to a second label wine made from cuvee not selected for use in the Grand vin or first label...
Le Clos des Carmes.
History
The property shares its origins with châteaux Haut-BrionChâteau Haut-Brion
Château Haut-Brion is a French wine, rated a Premier Cru Classé , produced in the Gironde region. It differs from the other wines on the list in its geographic location in the north of the wine-growing region of Graves...
, La Mission Haut-Brion
Château La Mission Haut-Brion
Château la Mission Haut-Brion is a Bordeaux wine from the Pessac-Léognan appellation, classed among the Grand Crus in the Graves classification of 1953...
, Laville Haut-Brion
Château Laville Haut-Brion
Château Laville Haut-Brion was a Bordeaux dry white wine from the Pessac-Léognan appellation, which was ranked among the Premiers Crus in the Classification of Graves wine of 1953...
and La Tour Haut-Brion
Château La Tour Haut-Brion
Château La Tour Haut-Brion was a Bordeaux wine estate from the Pessac-Léognan appellation within Graves, and was ranked as a Cru Classé for red wine in the Classification of Graves wine of 1953 and 1959...
, in once being part of the Haut-Brion estate that belonged to Jean de Pontac. Reportedly at age 101, De Pontac donated land holding a water mill and vineyards to the Carmelite order
Carmelites
The Order of the Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel or Carmelites is a Catholic religious order perhaps founded in the 12th century on Mount Carmel, hence its name. However, historical records about its origin remain uncertain...
, who tended the property from 1584 until the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. During this period the estate took the name Les Carmes Haut-Brion.
After the Revolution, it was confiscated and sold at auction to Léon Colin, whose descentant lineage maintained ownership of the estate into the 21st century with the Chantecaille-Furt family. In November 2010, Didier Chantecaille-Furt and his daughter Penelope sold Les Carmes Haut-Brion to real estate executive Patrice Pichet for €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
18m, reported to be a "record price".
The estate employs Stéphane Derenoncourt
Stéphane Derenoncourt
Stéphane Derenoncourt is a French vigneron working as a consultant for numerous estates in Bordeaux and other wine producers world wide, with his wife Christine Derenoncourt runs Vignerons Consultants and owns Domaine de l'A in the Côtes de Castillon and Derenoncourt California in Napa Valley...
as consultant oenologist. Thierry Rustmann, former co-owner of Château Talbot
Château Talbot
Château Talbot is a winery in the Saint-Julien appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. Château Talbot is also the name of the red wine produced by this property...
, took over the running of the estate following the sale.
Production
The estate has 4.7 hectares (11.6 acre) under vineVitis
Vitis is a genus of about 60 species of vining plants in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The genus is made up of species predominantly from the Northern hemisphere. It is economically important as the source of grapes, both for direct consumption of the fruit and for fermentation to produce...
, with a grape variety distribution of 50% Merlot
Merlot
Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
, 40% Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is one of the major black grape varieties worldwide. It is principally grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux style, but can also be vinified alone - as in the Loire's Chinon...
and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
.
The annual production of the red grand vin Chateau Les Carmes Haut-Brion is approximately 1800 winecase, and of the second wine Le Clos des Carmes there is a production of 200 winecase.