Chateau Barde Haut 2018

DUNNUCK: "Showing brilliantly, the 2018 Château Barde-Haut comes from a beautiful, cooler terroir on the eastern side of Saint-Emilion. It has a wonderful sense of purity and elegance as well as ripe black cherry and blueberry fruits to go with medium to full-bodied aromas and flavors of chocolate, spring flowers, violets, and a kiss of chalky minerality. It's beautifully balanced and has ultra-fine tannins as well as a gorgeous finish. It reminds me of the 2016, with maybe a touch more up-front charm. Give it 4-5 years if you can (it's drinking beautifully today as well) and it's going to evolve for 20-25 years or more."

JAMES SUCKLING: "Currants, rose hips, dried lavender, cocoa powder and cloves on the nose. It’s full-bodied with sleek, tight tannins. Refined and elegant with tight, polished layers. Solid center palate. Try from 2025."

ANTONIO GALLONI: "The 2018 Barde-Haut is a powerful wine, but it is also rather closed. That won't be an issue in time; the 2018 needs quite a bit of air to show all of the rich, layered fruit readers have come to expect from this Saint-Émilion. Succulent dark cherry, chocolate, new leather, espresso and sweet spice build into the rich, layered finish."

WEINWISSER: "Purpurgranat mit lila Reflexen. Intensives Brombeerbouquet und ein Touch schwarze Johannisbeeren, dahinter Schokonoten, Malz und Schwarzbrot. Am üppigen Gaumen mit viel Power, aber auch stützender Frische. Im gebündelten Finale mit fein mürbem Extrakt und einem vollen Korb von blauen Beeren. Grossartiger Wert aus St.-Émilion ¬– Value for money."

DECANTER: "This has an amazing richness to the nose, with fruit that's ripe but supple, displaying the silky tannins of the vintage. It's a truly luxurious wine, combining liquorice, freshly shaved cherry wood, a gourmet touch of dark chocolate and pencil lead, but everything remains very much in balance. A great job from owner Helene Garcin Leveque. Harvested between 21 September and 11 October. 3.5pH."

WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Dark in color, this sensuous, rich, flamboyant wine shoots from the glass with polished red and black fruits, licorice, espresso, minerality and dark cocoa. Concentrated, opulent and forward, this is one of the best vintages of Barde Haut ever produced! The wine blends 80% Merlot with 20% Cabernet Franc."

WINESPECTATOR: "Alluring, with a very focused set of cassis, plum reduction and cherry preserve flavors coursing through atop a well-imbedded graphite spine, all while black tea, chalky minerality and subtle herb nuances play out through a long finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2035. 6,650 cases made. — JM"

WINEADVOCATE: "The 2018 Barde-Haut is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it takes a little swirling to unlock the beautifully expressive notes of warm black plums, wild blueberries and black raspberries, plus hints of roses, underbrush, ground cloves and fertile loam. The full-bodied palate delivers a lively backbone and wonderfully ripe, satiny tannins supporting the generous black and red fruits, finishing long and fragrant."

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, dezente Randaufhellung. Frische Herzkirschen, ein Hauch von rotem Beerenkonfit, etwas Velours und Nougat, tabakige Würze im Hintergrund. Kraftvoll, saftig, wieder nach Herzkirschen, straffe tragende Tannine, mineralisch, gute Frische, verfügt über Länge und Reifepotenzial."