La Tour Carnet 2021 (750ML)

91-93 VM / 91 DE / 89-91 WA / 90 JA / 88-90 JD

The 2021 La Tour Carnet is another gorgeous wine in this range from Bernard Magrez. Deeply pitched spice notes meld into a core of red plum/cherry fruit, followed by brighter, high-toned floral accents that add lift. La Tour Carnet has a track record of aging quite well. I suspect that will be the case here as well. La Tour Carnet remains one of the most under the radar wines in all of Bordeaux. Tasted four times - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

Cigar box, tobacco, leather, coffee, smoke and dark chocolate on the nose with perfumed blackcurrants. Ripe and chewy on the palate with these savoury elements of cinnamon, caramel, coffee and chocolate. Feels a little sombre right now, more calm than overtly expressive, but I like the overall smooth and weighty texture, not to mention the juicy side to the grippy, mouth-coating tannins. This has such an easy charm, yet still with a bold structure and lashings of spice. Characterful and a success in the vintage. Tasted twice. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter

The 2021 La Tour Carnet shows promise, exhibiting aromas of cherries and blackberries mingled with loamy soil and toasty new oak. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and generous, with lively acids and chalky grip, it's often among my favorites of the Magrez portfolio, and that's the case this year. - William Kelley, Wine Advocate

Plenty of power in the glass here, and some tight blue and red fruit that starts out fleshy but closes in as the acidity cuts through the mid palate. An estate that has grown in size in recent years, but continues to provide plenty of signature depth and shoulders. Harvest September 28 to October 14. 30% new oak. Michel Rolland and Julien Viaud consultants. - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

The 2021 Château La Tour Carnet is an attractive, possibly outstanding, wine offering plenty of ripe red and black fruits, medium-bodied richness, a round, nicely texture mouthfeel, and classic Bordeaux dried herb and sandalwood nuances. It shows the fresher, more mid-weight style of the vintage but does everything right and should keep for 10-12 years or more. - Jeb Dunnuck