Château les Carmes Haut-Brion is the only Bordeaux chateau to be actually in Bordeaux, at the unique address of 20, Rue des Carmes. Although the vineyard was historically ‘outside the walls’, it is now entirely within the city, a walled vineyard in urban surroundings. The exceptional location of the estate, ten hectares in size including six hectares of vineyards, means that it enjoys a privileged environment with a milder microclimate and a well-preserved ecosystem that work together to ensure perfectly ripe grapes. The terroir, a mixture of Mindel gravel, sand, and clay over a limestone subsoil, forms a unique geological spectrum that has informed this vineyard's unusual mix of grape varieties, consisting of 40% Cabernet Franc, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon and the remainder Merlot. The vines are an average of 42 years old and are planted with a density of 10,000 per hectare. This singular location and unique mix of grape varieties give Carmes Haut-Brion a strong identity as an exceptional vineyard. The estate has expanded to incorporate complementary plots in the villages of Martillac, Cadaujac and Saint Médard D’Eyrans, that have been purchased progressively since 2011, bringing the total area today to 35 hectares. These plots are used to produce the estate's other signature wine, Le C des Carmes Haut-Brion, and have their own modern production facility in the village of Martillac. The vineyards are planted with 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot and are now 13 years old on average. They grow in a terroir consisting of Gunz gravel, sand and clay. The winemaking process is sustainable and draws on traditional methods. Since 2009, the soils have been worked completely organically (using only natural products) with the greatest respect for the site. Harvesting is by hand and tractors are gradually being replaced by horses. Since 2012, winemaking has used whole grapes with a small portion of the stems and been carried out in vats of 21 to 86 hectolitres in size. The top wine is matured in oak barrels (75% new oak), large casks and terracotta amphoras for a period of 18 to 24 months. Le C des Carmes Haut-Brion is matured in 30% new oak barrels for 12 to 18 months, and then in cement vats.