With 90 hectares almost evenly divided between white wine (43 hectares) and red wine grapes (47 hectares), Château Carbonnieux is one of the largest vineyards in the Pessac-Léognan appellation.

Written records of Carbonnieux go back as far as 1234, making this one of the oldest estates in the Graves (or, more precisely, the Pessac-Léognan appellation). Carbonnieux has for neighbours the La Louvière, Smith-Haut Lafitte and Couhins estates.

The red wine vineyard consists of deep gravel on a clay subsoil and the white wine vineyard has a clay and slightly gravelly soil.

Carbonnieux blanc, which has been followed by Denis Dubourdieu since the 80s, is barrel aged on its lees for 8-9 months with bâtonnage (stirring with a stick).

In the Bottle

Château Carbonnieux's red wine has a good reputation, although one would have hoped for more concentration and complexity in the 90s. Since 2002, Carbonnieux is on a solid positive trend which makes it a very good QPR deal.

The widely-distributed Carbonnieux blanc is pleasant, fruity, and aromatic.

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Carbonnieux, Le Sartre, Tour-Léognan, Bois-Martin, Lafont-Menaut, Haut-Vigneau