2022 Barde-Haut (St-Emilion)

The 2022 Barde-Haut needs time in the glass. It’s quite floral in style, with touches of blackberry and cassis, iris flower and violet. It has fine delineation. Again, the palate at first seems a little tannic, but it just requires five minutes to "loosen up" for the tannins to reveal their finer side. Graphite and crushed stone lend complexity toward the finish. It’s excellent, though again, such is the concentration that it needs time to really show what it is capable of. 94 points

The 2022 Barde-Haut is stellar. A rich, heady wine, the 2022 offers up copious blue/purplish fruit, licorice, lavender, chocolate and incense. Layered and beautifully resonant in the glass, Barde-Haut exudes class and personality. 96 points

Inky colour, clear floral aromatics, this is charming and enticiting, with polish and finesse. Love the confident grip of the tannins, that hold the fruit but know just when to let go and let the creamy blueberry and damson fruits expand through the plate. 55% new oak, a reduction from levels in the past, and the subtle smoked cedar character is well judged. 95 points

Unwinding in the glass with aromas of plums, wild berries, dark chocolate and creamy new oak, the 2022 Barde-Haut is medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with a taut, youthfully structured profile and youthfully firm tannins. Exhibiting attractive purity of fruit and tension, gentler extraction would have seen it score higher. 91-93 points