This 17-hectare amphitheater of a vineyard has produced a successful 2021 Barde-Haut, offering up aromas of sweet berries, cherries and plums framed by a creamy patina of new oak. Medium to full-bodied, rich and layered, with tangy acids and a generous endowment of powdery structuring tannins, it`s a blend of more or less 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc (the latter increasingly deriving from massale selections taken at Clos l`Eglise). 91-93 points

The 2021 Barde-Haut is a bit bashful on the nose and needed coaxing from the glass, eventually revealing brambly red fruit mingled with loamy scents and light marine aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy red fruit and gentle grip. A much more linear and vertical Barde-Haut compared to recent vintages, ending in a lightly spiced finish. Give this very commendable Saint-Émilion three or four years in bottle. 91-93 points

The 2021 Barde-Haut is a relatively soft wine for this site in Saint-Émilion`s Saint Christophe des Bardes sector, but there`s good depth and plenty of resonance. Rose petal, lavender and spice meld into a core of red/purplish berry fruit. All the elements are very nicely balanced. Specifically, the oak imprint is not as present as in previous years, and that`s a good thing. The 2021 is beautifully done from start to finish. It`s a terrific effort from Hélène Garcin and Patrice Lévêque. 92-94 points