Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan 1949

Amazingly youthful, this has cold ash, smoke, campfire, the barest hint of brambled fruits and finely spun tannins. The 1949 vintage saw the hottest summer since 1929, and you have a good chance of finding wines that are still going strong. This is one of them. Scores are meaningless for wines this age, but this is full of gentle pleasure. No record of exact blend, but Cabernet Franc was dominant in the vineyard at this point (before being brought down in favour of Merlot, and then replanted).