91-93pts Vinous
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.
91-92 James Suckling
A linear and typical Medoc here with blackcurrants and hints of spearmint on the nose and palate. Firm, polished and lightly velvety tannins.
91pts Decanter
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.
89-91pts Wine Advocate
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.
88-90pts Jeb Dunnnuck
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.
History
The origins of La Tour Carnet lie in the Middle Ages, although the exact details are lost in the mists of time. Initially named Chateau de Saint-Laurent, some parts of the building, specifically the round tower, date from the 11th Century. The fortress was inhabited as early as the 12th Century, by the English, and it constituted a valuable military asset when Bordeaux was under English rule. The seigneurie of St-Laurent at this time was held by the Foix family, who were closely allied to the English king. Nevertheless, the land eventually fell to French rule once again, to which the then incumbent Comte Jean de Foix refused to submit, a decision that would eventually cost him his life. He was defeated by le beau Dunois, a compatriot of Jeanne d'Arc, and the impressive castle was partly destroyed. Following these events the ruined property passed through the hands of a succession of owners, before coming to Thibault de Carmaing in the 16th Century and eventually to Charles de Leutken, a man of Swedish origin, two hundred years after that. It remained with his descendents, and at the time of the 1855 classification was under the direction of Angélique Raymond, the wife of Jean-Jacques Leutken, who extolled a vineyard which covered 52 hectares. The current owner is Bernard Magrez, who is the proprietor of a number of other Bordeaux estates, most notably Pape Clément in Pessac-Léognan and Fombrauge in Saint Émilion.
