96pts Jeb Dunnuck
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.
95pts Vinous
The 2020 Barde-Haut is just as compelling as it was from the barrel. Blueberry jam, crème de cassis, hard candy, spice, new leather and lavender infuse the 2020 with exotic beauty. Soft contours and silky tannins add to its immediacy. Bright acids lend vibrancy to play off all the natural opulence. The 2020 is a fine vintage of Barde-Haut, one of the best in recent memory. The intensely saline finish alone is a thing of beauty.
95pts James Suckling
Aromas of black and blue fruit, toasted spices, walnut and dark chocolate. Medium- to full-bodied with a juicy character and firm, polished tannins which build on the palate. Well-balanced, structured and compact with velvety texture and hints of spices and bark to close. Lingering finish. Try after 2027.
95pts The Wine Cellar Insider
The solid depth of color lets you know there is a lot going on here, and the striking perfume, with its display of dried flowers, black, red and blue fruit, espresso, cocoa, licorice and spices agrees. On the palate, the wine is rich, ripe, silky and pure, leaving you with waves of plums, cherries, blue fruits, chocolate, espresso and crushed stones in the lingering finish. Drink from 2025-2050.
94pts Decanter
A good drop of damson and black cherry fruits right up front, and holds its line while the more austere tannins come in towards the finish. Expertly extracted, self-contained right now, firm fruits that don't dip through the mid palate alongside a glossy wash of liquorice, black chocolate, sage and anis. This is clearly going to age well. 60% new oak for ageing. Owned by Hélène Garcin-Leveque, this is located right next to Troplong Mondot.
94pts The Wine Independent
The 2020 Barde Haut is deep garnet-purple in color. Notes of black cherry compote, plum preserves, and sandalwood waft from the glass, followed by suggestions of cast-iron pan, black truffles, and Indian spices. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers mouth filling notes of juicy plums and spicy accents, framed by plush tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing long and minerally.
93pts Vinous
The 2020 Barde-Haut has an intense bouquet with black cherries, wild strawberries, freshly pressed violets and light incense aromas, harmonious yet fairly backward. The palate has a very sensual opening: sweet blackberry, balsamic, white pepper and light graphite notes from the 20% Cabernet France. It feels linear and strict at the moment, which bodes well for the future. Very fine, but patience is necessary if you want to see this Saint-Émilion at its peak. - Neal Martin
93pts Wine Advocate
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).
Winemaker's Notes
The wine of Château Barde-Haut offer an admirably balanced dialogue between power and freshness, resulting in a product of rare elegance.
History
Chateau Barde Haut is a 17 hectare estate located at the extreme east of the village of Saint-Emilion. The vineyard forms an natural amphitheatre and is particularly well exposed to the south. The soil is very typical of Saint Emilion being mainly composed of clay which is found on a layer of chalk.
There has been significant investment in renovating the cellar so that all work is completely done by gravity to ensure that the precious grapes of the Chateau are well respected. The cellar is equiped with wooden vats, stainless steel tanks and concrete vats of 50 to 70 hl. A strict policy of selection to ensure the quality is undertaken and individual steps including pigeage are all carried out by hand. It is the combination of exceptional soil and the introduction of natural wine producing and winegrowing technologies combining tradition and modernity that have made CHATEAU BARDE-HAUT one of the rising stars of Saint Emilion.
