December 3 & 4, 2011 – OPEN DAYS in PESSAC-LEOGNAN
All along this special week-end, CARBONNIEUX and numerous other estates open their « gates » to let you enjoy visiting, tasting and buying the wines of their prestigious terroir. It's the good time to think about your gifts and dinners before the holiday season.
www.pessac-leognan.com

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November 20, 2011 – ACCABAILLES
The Accabailles evening event, marking the end of the harvest, had taken place at Chateau Carbonnieux last year, the 2011 edition was held at Château Fieuzal, the group of CRUS CLASSÉS from PESSAC-LEOGNAN appellation were very pleased to welcome 250 french and foreign star chefs to taste the 2009 vintage and enjoy a dinner under irish influence.

November 19 & 20, 2011 – DECANTER FINE WINE ENCOUNTER (open to the public)
To appreciate the most famous wines from all around the world, Rendez-vous at the DECANTER Fine Wine Encounter which will take place at Landmark Hotel on Maylebore Rd, LONDON.
Philibert PERRIN will welcome you on CARBONNIEUX stand, to taste Château CARBONNIEUX Red and White, Château TOUR LEOGNAN Red and White and Château LAFONT-MENAUT White.

October 2011 – Oenofoss
Strange name for a supply full of finesse.

Last summer, Château CARBONNIEUX purchased a new eonological analysis device. This high technology device determines all chemical features of wine with accuracy, at any time of its making. This analyser brings us a high autonomy and reactivity on the choice and timing of the work to do in the vineyard or the cellars.
Oenology is improved.... so is wine....

OCTOBER 14, 2011 – GREAT PIANO RECITAL
To end the harvesting period, a wonderful piano recital will be welcomed at Château CARBONNIEUX thanks to « Musica con anima ». The pianist, Dana CIOCARLIE will perform on pieces of MOZART, SHUBERT, CHOPIN, LISZT and after the intermission, DVORAK, SCHUMANN, WAGNER-LISZT, ENESCU.
Concert at 8:30 p.m.
Booking and information : +33(0)6 84 24 22 67
Ticket : 30 €

SEPTEMBER 2011 – SATURDAYS VISITS in TWO-COLORS (bicolore)
In September, month of harvesting but also of visiting, Château CARBONNIEUX, associated to Château HAUT-BAILLY, opens its doors on Saturdays to visitors who want to learn more about vinification and tasting of white wines (Carbonnieux) and red wines (Haut-Bailly).
Visits by appointment only. On September 10, 17, 24 and October 1st.
11 a.m. – 1st visit
2:30 p.m. – 2nd visit
Phone number : +33 (0)5 57 96 56 20
We suggest lunch at La Forge Restaurant, in Léognan and Le Pistou Restaurant, at Martillac.
Usual tasting tours at 9:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. or on the other days of the week.

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AUGUST 18, 2011 - HARVEST
First picked grapes of the 2011 vintage !
The harvest started exceptionnally early this year. Only 2003 (heatwave) and 1893 vintages started at the same date and were the earliest recorded. High temperatures and sunny days of Spring explains this abnormal maturity. Fortunately, risks of drought and water stress linked to low rainfall in April May and June, were avoided thanks to frequent and abondant summer rains.

JULY 2011 - CONCERTS
Several concerts will take place in “ la salle des Pressoirs “, our reception room at Carbonnieux :
- on Tuesday, July 5 at 8:30 p.m. during the festival of “Baroque Festes in Graves and Sauternes”, we welcome Bruno Helstroffer for improvisations of various composers (Kapsberger, De Visée, Castaldi …) and plucked strings on theorbo (type of lute).
www.festesbaroques.com

- on Friday, July 22 at 8:30 p.m. concert « BRAHMSIANA » during the “Rencontres Musicales Internationales des Graves” (International Meetings of Music in the Graves region) on works of Brahms et Semionov.
www.musiqueengraves.com

See details and bookings on each website.
A tasting of our wines will be offered at the end of the concert.

from JUNE 1st to AUGUST 31st 2011 - Ch. CONAN sculptures exhibition
In association with the agency ART&COM and the sponsorship « 1 château pour 1 artiste », various works of Christophe CONAN, a famous sculptor from Bordeaux, are exhibited in our cellars for the 3 summer months.
This exhibition entitled Living Nature, is a poetic experience on the "Creation " and the animal world in particular. Through his very personal observation of nature, Christophe CONAN dissects diversity, duplications and mutations of the species.

MAY 2011 - The "BICOLORES" (two-colour events)
The month of May will again be devoted to the "BICOLORES" theme. Château CARBONNIEUX will offer tours and tastings (Saturdays included) mostly focused on white wine, and Château HAUT-BAILLY, our neighbour, will offer tours and tastings on red wine.
Every Saturday, on the 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th of May, visitors will also be able to enjoy lunch on our lawns between the two visits.
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MAY 2011 – ANNE LANDAIS PHOTO EXHIBITION - Free Admission
Anne LANDAIS will exhibit her photographs throughout the month of May, during "the BICOLORES" events (see news update above).
While you taste our wines, you will be able to admire beautiful pictures devoted to the "Sea, River, and Harbour" theme. Anne LANDAIS, a renowned photographer from Nantes, was awarded the 1st prize in the Public Works Picture Trophies for 2010.
www.anne-landais.fr

MAY 7 and 8, 2011 – GRANDS CRUS WEEKEND
Château CARBONNIEUX, as a member of the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux, will be delighted to welcome great-wine lovers who will be spending this exceptional week-end in Bordeaux.
site Union des Grands Crus

APRIL 2011 – NEW VATS
Vine growing, vinification and ageing techniques have made huge progress thanks to oenology research. Each year, these techniques allow us to modernize our work methods in the vineyard or in the cellar, to obtain top quality wines.
This year, we reduced the size of our stainless steel vats (from 250 hl to 150 or 200 hl) to focus more closely on plot-by-plot management (each plot of vines therefore has a specific vat) and on the low yields we aim for in the vineyard, so as to preserve nature and obtain juices of optimal quality.

FEBRUARY 2011 - WORK IN THE VINEYARD
We have almost finished pruning our vines, removal of vine shoots and repair work (mending of posts, wires, vine training...) is being carefully completed, and folding will be finished in time for the vineyard to be ready for the first buds. As is the case each year, we are dreading the risk of frost in April, this year in particular, as the Easter full moon (the most risky period) will be late, at a time when all the buds will already be out.

Winter 2010-2011 - Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux Missions
As a member of the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux, Château Carbonnieux will be present in many cities around the world this winter, in order to present the 2007 and 2008 vintages.
October: London and Moscow.
November: Merano (IT), Brussels, Zurich and Paris.
December: Mission to Asia (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Seoul, Tokyo)
January: Mission to North America (San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, Boston, New York)...

December 4, 2010 - dinner and wine-tasting during the PESSAC-LEOGNAN Open Days FULLY BOOKED
Some forty PESSAC-LEOGNAN wineries will take part in the Open Days during the weekend of December 4 to 5.
Château Carbonnieux will be organising a dinner and tasting open to the public in its vat room on SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4th, which will provide a unique opportunity to discover the many estates of the Appellation while enjoying gourmet dishes in a convivial atmosphere.
Price: € 60 (limited seating available). Registration and payment with the Syndicat Viticole de Pessac-Léognan - 1, cours du XXX Juillet – 33000 BORDEAUX. Tel.:+33 (0)5.56.00.21.90 / Fax: +33 (0)5.56.00.21.91

NOVEMBER 21, 2010 - The ACCABAILLES
As is the case each year, the GRAVES CRUS CLASSÉS are delighted to welcome star-winning chefs from leading restaurants and “Relais et Châteaux” hotel owners during the ACCABAILLES evening event.
On November 21st, Château CARBONNIEUX will have the honour of hosting the event.
We will welcome Alain DUTOURNIER (2-star chef at the Carré des Feuillants in Paris) whose talent will be the driving force of a prestigious dinner.

SEPTEMBER 6, 2010 - Beginning of the HARVEST...
The harvest started on Monday, September 6, with the earliest-ripening white plots.
Rainfall was rather low in June, July and August. Daytime temperatures were slightly above seasonal averages, alternating with rather chilly nights. Weather conditions were therefore extremely conducive to optimal grape ripeness. Grape health is excellent and promises an excellent harvest.

July 30, 2010 at 8:30 pm - “the Schumann tales Concert”
In its superb vat room, Château Carbonnieux will have the pleasure of welcoming the 11th International Musical Encounters of the Graves, for the closing concert of the festival. The concert is a tribute to Schumann, with various pieces for piano, alto, clarinet, quintet...
Concert: € 20 / € 12 (reduced fee) / free for spectators under 18.
Wine tasting offered by the château.

July 23, 2010 - the Tour de France
Nothing to do with wine, but we had the good fortune this year to see the TOUR de FRANCE cycling through the CARBONNIEUX vineyards during the 18th stage from Salies de Béarn to Bordeaux (198 km) and to take part in this very popular event, without moderation.

June – July 2010 – growth in the vineyard...
… Suckering, leaf removal, replanting, crop thinning… We started in mid-June with a team of seasonal workers, in order to air, thin clusters or regulate the excess of certain vine plants, with a constant focus on obtaining the best possible grapes at harvest time.

May and September 2010 – “BICOLORES” discoveries (discover wine in two colours)
This year, Châteaux CARBONNIEUX and HAUT-BAILLY again offer wine-lovers the opportunity to discover their estates and wines every Saturday in May and September (as well as on weekdays).
Carbonnieux will welcome guests for visits and tastings on the theme of white wines and Haut-Bailly will focus on red wines. The LE PISTOU restaurant in La Brède, as a partner of these special discovery days, has created a TWO-COLOUR menu that visitors can enjoy between the two visits. Visit times: 9:30 – 11:00 - 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm
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By appointment: +33 (0)557 965620

December 2009 – January 2010 BLENDING of the 2009 vintage
With the contribution of Denis Dubourdieu (oenology professor at the Institute of Vines and Wines), the first tasting of the different plots started this month, showing the makings of a great vintage. 2009, both in white and in red, seems very promising.

December 2009 – January 2010 BLENDING of the 2009 vintage
With the contribution of Denis Dubourdieu (oenology professor at the Institute of Vines and Wines), the first tasting of the different plots started this month, showing the makings of a great vintage. 2009, both in white and in red, seems very promising.

5-6 December 2009: Open weekend for PESSAC-LEOGNAN
Each year, the châteaux of the Pessac-Léognan appellation open their estates and their cellars during the first weekend in December. Carbonnieux welcomed 1,500 visitors who enjoyed a complete tour, with tasting of 4 wines: Tour Léognan and Carbonnieux in red 2007 and white 2008, as well as the possibility of buying wines directly from the estate.

November 2009 ASIA MISSION of the Union des Grands Crus Classés de Bordeaux
Eric PERRIN travelled with a delegation of approximately 80 classified growths to present the 2006 vintage in white and in red on the Asian continent. Tastings started in Beijing and continued in Canton (China), Shanghai (China), Seoul (Korea), Osaka and Tokyo (Japan). Eric noted an increased interest for the wines of our region in these countries. As an appropriate finishing touch to the trip, a small prestige delegation, including Carbonnieux, opened a new chapter of the Commanderie du Bontemps du Médoc, des Graves, du Sauternes et de Barsac in Manila (Philippines).

Wine Fairs
Carbonnieux 2007 and also, perhaps, 2006, can be found in white and in red in leading hypermarkets.

October 2009 – Quality survey
On a given plot of Sauvignon blanc, we divided the juice from the harvest into three batches. The wine in each batch was made differently. The first batch was made in traditional Bordeaux barrels (225 L), the second in 400-litre barrels, and the third in casks (5 000 l = 50 hl ) in order to judge the impact of the wood on the varietal expression of sauvignon blanc. Based on the results obtained during ageing and at the end of the ageing process, we will draw conclusions for our future vinification.

September 2009 – “BICOLORES”(Two-colour) weekends
During the harvest, Château Carbonnieux and Château Haut-Bailly again organised open days throughout the month. Guests enjoyed a one-hour visit and tasting (on the theme of winemaking) and access to the boutique.
Contact Béatrice at +33 (0) 557 965620 - beatrice.arnaud@chateau-carbonnieux.fr

August 2009 – Beginning of the harvest
This is the moment of truth. The harvest started on Thursday, August 27, with the ripest white plots, and continued in optimal conditions. The harvest was sunny and the grapes healthy. The first juice appears to be very promising.
(See: 1pm news on TF1 – August 27, 2009))

Summer concerts at Carbonnieux: (Open to the public)
- Wednesday, July 15, 2009 at 8:30 pm: Festes Baroques (Baroque music festival)
"Virtuoso Sonatas, diminution and improvisation in Italy".
www.festesbaroques.com
Martillac Tourist Office +33 (0) 556 784772
A tasting of our wines will be offered at the end of the concert

-Saturday, July 25, 2009 at 8:30 pm: Rencontres Musicales Internationales des Graves (International Musical Encounters)
"A Toute Suite" from the Baroque period to the present day.
Within the framework of the 10th anniversary of the festival.
A tasting of our wines will be offered at the end of the concert.