2020 Barde Haut
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Tasting notes
Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Dark and quite oaky on the nose. Under that, pure blackberry fruit. Chalky tannins make this a bit abrupt on the palate at the moment but the fruit is enough to balance in the long term. Juicy finish, the acidity not fully meshed. A bit of an adolescent. (JH)
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Jane Anson, Decanter
More reviews and scores
The 2020 Barde-Haut unwinds in the glass with aromas of blackberries, cassis and blueberries mingled with hints of violets and spices. Medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with a deep core of ripe but lively fruit, powdery tannins and a floral finish, it's the usual blend of more or less 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc (the latter increasingly deriving from massal selections taken at Clos l'Eglise).
I always love this wine, and the 2020 Château Barde-Haut is a quintessential Saint-Emilion revealing a deep ruby/purple hue, awesome notes of red plum, cherries, tobacco leaf, and chalky earth, full-bodied richness, bright acidity, and fine tannins. A gorgeous wine, it will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.