Cory Gowan, JJ Buckley, March 2010

90% Merlot & 10% Cabernet Franc. Dark red core but still translucent, the 2009 Barde-Haut is fullly layered with delicious flavor. Soft red fruits and meld seamlessly with notes of cinnamon, vanilla, and red and blue flowers. Voluptuous and elegant, this has good tannic strength making it a perfect St. Emilion for the cellar from the 2009 vintage. I am a true fan of Cabernet Franc in my Right Bank blends, and Barde-Haut WAY over-delivers, regardless of price! I would expect this to land in the 92-95 point range.

94 points,

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, March 2012

Made from tiny yields of 18 hectoliters per hectare (May hail damage resulted in this small crop), the opaque purple-colored 2009 reveals an extraordinary nose of mulberries, black cherries, charcoal, barbecue smoke and forest floor. Rich, full-bodied and opulent with silky tannins as well as a broad, unctuous texture, this beauty can be enjoyed now and over the next 15+ years. It is fashioned from a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.

One of the super values in Bordeaux is proprietress Helene Garcin's Barde-Haut estate. (She has also done a magnificent job with several other Bordeaux properties, particularly Clos l'Eglise in Pomerol and Branon and Haut-Bergey in Pessac-Leognan, as well as in Argentina.)

93 points,

Stephen Tanzer's IWC, July 2012

Bright ruby-red. Ripe, slightly high-toned aromas of kirsch and smoky oak. At once dense and juicy, with terrific sappy concentration to its powerful but fine-grained dark fruit and sexy oak flavors. Has the sheer grip and energy to buffer its captivating sweetness. Finishes with serious building, dusty tannins and terrific chocolatey persistence. A superb vintage for this clay-over-chalk vineyard, and a lot of wine for the price.

93 points,

Wine Spectator, March 2012

This shows a lightly roasted edge, leading to coffee and warm blackberry confiture flavors followed by slightly jammy plum and black cherry cobbler notes. The lush finish picks up definition, though, with a nice singed apple wood note and solid drive. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2013 through 2025. -JM

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