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)
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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.
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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.
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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.
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.
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1/17/2024 - Jake Barnes wrote: 89 Points
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)
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1/17/2024 - acyso wrote: 90 Points
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.
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7/8/2023 - Caudalix Likes this wine: 93 Points
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.
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6/11/2023 - watcheslover Likes this wine: 94 Points
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)
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7/29/2022 - wineforth Likes this wine: 94 Points
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.
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