Community Tasting Notes 32

• Jake Barnes wrote: 89 points

  January 17, 2024 - Small pour at a walk-around tasting hosted by a local specialty retailer. The cepage from this producer is typically very cab franc heavy, and the house style is accordingly on the light, herbal side. Given these facts, the leafiness was to be expected, and the lack of concentration only put it in line with many other 2012s and was not the issue. The issue was that like the other 2012s on offer that night there was just no there there—and a short finish to boot—making it bad QPR at about $120 a bottle when you could have such good wines from other only slightly younger vintages for the same money or less. Unknown ABV (very good (barely)/*** (just)/15.5/89)

  Comment

• acyso wrote: 90 points

  January 17, 2024 - Flickinger Tasting at The Casino (Chicago, IL): Good, but nowhere close to the excellent 2018. Far more bitter and herbal, with a tighter structure and more tannin to boot. Less charm and expressive fruit here.

  1 person found this helpful Comment

• Caudalix Likes this wine: 93 points

  July 8, 2023 - Je n’en attendais pas autant, peut-être à cause du millésime et parce que les Carmes n’avaient pas encore entamé leur immense ascension qualitative. Toujours est-il que ce vin a largement été à la hauteur d’une belle côte de bœuf, doté d’une belle complexité et très bien construit. Très classique. On peut le boire et à mon avis il en a encore sous le pied.

  1 person found this helpful Comment

• watcheslover Likes this wine: 94 points

  June 11, 2023 - My colleagues and I hosted a Carmes H-B mini vertical last night to redefine the odds against the fabulous 2022 vintage. We can't put 100 points everywhere.
  
  1) 2022 100/100
  2) 2016 99/100
  3) 2020-2021 98-99/100
  4) 2018 98/100
  5) 2014-2017-2019 97/100
  6) 2005 96/100
  7) 2012 94/100
  8) 2013 91/100
  
  (2021 and 2022 tasted on samples)

  1 person found this helpful Comment

• wineforth Likes this wine: 94 points

  July 29, 2022 - First tasted at the 2016 en primeur event as the alternative vintage, and blew the 2016 away. I bought a half case from which this is the first bottle. Lovely big smoky nose of dried herbs and coffee. Medium bodied with plenty of soft tannins still and a huge finish. Drinking well now and will improve for at least 5 years. Glorious and moreish.

  1 person found this helpful Comment

Pro Reviews 15

Wine Definition

• Vintage 2012
• Type Red
• Producer Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion
• Varietal Red Bordeaux Blend
• Designation n/a
• Vineyard n/a
• Country France
• Region Bordeaux
• SubRegion Graves
• Appellation Pessac-Léognan
• UPC Codes 000002130057, 3258691465883, 3277034254526, 3364420083089, 3412951201929, 3550871204337, 3660989153738, 3700188031540, 3700188032165

Community Holdings

• Pending Delivery 45 (3%)
• In Cellars 849 (65%)
• Consumed 407 (31%)

Food Pairing

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