Château Barde-Haut 2011

Still extremely closed, but softens after a few minutes and stretches out to a tingling finish that suggests high limestone, high minerality, and a long life ahead. Gourmet dark chocolate notes and an excellent showing for the second year under the ownership of the Lévêques.

A beautiful effort from Helene Garcin, the 2011 Barde-Haut is dominated by Merlot blended with Cabernet Franc. It boasts an impressively saturated plum/purple color as well as an attractive bouquet of creme de cassis, sweet cherries and bluer, mountain-like fruit. With good crunchiness, vibrant acidity, a sweet core of red and black fruits and medium body, this sleeper of the vintage should drink well for a decade or more. Normally this is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.