This beautiful estate is located on the eastern side of the appellation, and they consistently turn out brilliant wines. The 2019 Château Barde-Haut reveals a deep purple hue to go with classic limestone-influenced aromas and flavors of ripe black cherries, chalky minerality, chocolate, and white truffle. More medium to full-bodied and elegant than overtly powerful, its balance is spot on, it has beautiful tannins, and a great finish. It shows the vintage style perfectly and will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age, and cruise for over two decades in cold cellars.

Juicy and ripe, offering a slightly burly-edged mix of plum, boysenberry and blackberry compote flavors laced with hints of licorice root and alder. Grippy, with adequate energy to the tar-lined finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2024 through 2037. 6,000 cases made.

The 2019 Barde-Haut has a very precise and focused bouquet, wonderfully integrated oak, very characterful and a little retro in style. The palate is medium-bodied, cool and fresh and fine tannins. A brisk saline finish has the sappiness to urge another sip. Very fine. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.