2016 Château Barde-Haut Château Barde-Haut

Neal Martin (Parker) 92-94/100 / > The 2016 Barde-Haut is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, vinified without SO2, matured around 80% in new 300-liter barrels from three cooperages and the remainder in one-year-old barrels. Hélène Garçin-Léveque told me that they are focusing on the elegance of their Saint Emilion estate and are picking a little earlier and practicing slightly less extraction. It has a really quite gorgeous bouquet with layers of ripe black plum and wild strawberry notes tinged with sloes. This has very fine delineation and focus. The palate is very well balanced with super-fine tannin, very well judged acidity and tension that lasts from start to finish. This is certainly one of the most feminine Barde-Haut wines that I have tasted from barrel, expressing more precision and finesse. It is an excellent follow-up to the 2015 Barde-Haut and may well surpass it in the long-term. // James Molesworth (WineSpectator) > Juicy, with good bramble and plum cake accents along the edges of the cherry, blueberry and raspberry preserve flavors. Judicious toast lets the fruit shine through the finish while keeping the energy up.