Château Carbonnieux is a 92 hectares large property, classified as Cru Classe de Graves. The estate is the property of the Perrin family, who cultivate the vineyards following sustainable level 3 principles and have been certified by HVE since 2017.

The white wines of Château Carbonnieux are full of creaminess and concentration in the flavours. The reds are focused on brambly red fruits with liquorice notes.

The winery crafts six wines: Château Carbonnieux Pessac-Léognan and Château Carbonnieux Pessac-Léognan Blanc (white wine), La Croix de Carbonnieux (2nd red wine) and La Croix de Carbonnieux Blanc (2nd white wine), Château Tour Léognan (non classified) and Château Tour Léognan (non-classified white wine).

The Château Carbonnieux Rouge 2020 scored 91 - 93, the 2015 scored 92, and the 2005 scored 91+ by the Wine Advocate.

The white wine, Château Carbonnieux 1979, 2005, 2008 scored 93; the 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2007 scored 92; the 2019, 2017, and 2016 scored 91 by the Wine Advocate.

Robert Parker’s tasting notes on the Château Carbonnieux 2020: “Sporting a deep purple-black colour, the 2020 Carbonnieux opens with notes of tar, dark chocolate and liquorice, giving way to a core of stewed black plums, cassis and blackberry compote, plus a waft of smoked meats. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers mouth-coating, juicy black fruits, supported by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing savoury.”

Robert Parker’s tasting notes on the Château Carbonnieux 1979: “The 1979 Carbonnieux Blanc is still full of life, wafting from the glass with aromas of waxy citrus rind, vanilla pod, blanched almonds and hints of petrol. Medium to full-bodied, textural and layered, with lively acids and a satiny, seamless profile, it's a concentrated, characterful and remarkably youthful wine that concludes with a bone-dry finish. With age, it appears as if the wine's Sémillon component has come to dominate the blend.”

The Perrins family owns Château Carbonnieux. The siblings Philibert Perrin, Eric Perrin and Christine Perrin, are the owners. Christophe Ollivier is the consultant.

The estate was founded in the 13th century by the Carbonnieu family. The château was famous for its white wines throughout the centuries.

In 1776 the wines of Château Carbonnieux were on Guyenne Intendant’s top list. Thomas Jefferson tasted these wines and planted an American pecan tree on the estate grounds, which is still there.

The property was bought by Marc Perrin, the grandfather of today’s owners, in 1959. The same year the vineyards were classified as Crus Classés de Graves.

The vineyards of Château Carbonnieux are farmed according to the sustainable level 3 principles and have been certified by HVE since 2017. The minor part of 42 hectares is used for the white vines, while the rest of 50 hectares are planted with red grapevines, equally split between the production of the first and the second wines. The recent soil studies have identified 119 different plots across the property.

There are five grape varieties in Château Carbonnieux’s vineyards. The one with white grapevines is 65 percent Sauvignon Blanc and 35 percent Sémillon. The more extensive vineyard with red vines includes four grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon (60 percent), Merlot (30 percent), Cabernet Franc (7 percent), and Petit Verdot (3 percent).

The white wine, made of Sauvignon Blanc, is aged in large wooden vats with lees stirring. The red one is a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

The white wine is made under both nitrogen and carbon dioxide. Bottling moved from July to October to ensure outside temperatures are better suited to preserving the aromatics - in tanks rather than barrels for the final stretch. The percentage of new oak is now at 25 instead of 35 a decade ago.