Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Ripe black cherries, darker currants, smoky earth, truffle, and smoke tobacco-like nuances all emerge from the 2010 Château Barde-Haut, a quintessential Saint-Emilion that brings considerable elegance and purity, as well as the richness and depth of the vintage.
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Wine Spectator
Still a bit compact, with blueberry coulis, fig and blackberry paste notes tightly wound, backed by tangy black licorice, singed apple wood and tar on the finish, which features a very sleek structure and a buried iron note. This has good vivacity and should unwind nicely in the cellar. Best from 2015 through 2030.
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James Suckling
This is very concentrated, with a treacle tart and chocolate character. Almost raisiny. Full and velvety. Intense.
Barrel Sample: 91-92 Points -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Loads of blueberry, black cherry and dusty, loamy soil notes as well as hints of herbs, licorice and incense jump from the glass of this well-endowed, supple wine. Tannins are sweet and the acidity sufficient to give delineation to the wine. Full-bodied and impressively endowed, it should drink well over the next 10-15 years.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Marked by its historic fortified village—perhaps the prettiest in all of Bordeaux, the St-Émilion appellation, along with its neighboring village of Pomerol, are leaders in quality on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. These Merlot-dominant red wines (complemented by various amounts of Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon) remain some of the most admired and collected wines of the world.
St-Émilion has the longest history in wine production in Bordeaux—longer than the Left Bank—dating back to an 8th century monk named Saint Émilion who became a hermit in one of the many limestone caves scattered throughout the area.
Today St-Émilion is made up of hundreds of independent farmers dedicated to the same thing: growing Merlot and Cabernet Franc (and tiny amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon). While always roughly the same blend, the wines of St-Émilion vary considerably depending on the soil upon which they are grown—and the soils do vary considerably throughout the region.
The chateaux with the highest classification (Premier Grand Cru Classés) are on gravel-rich soils or steep, clay-limestone hillsides. There are only four given the highest rank, called Premier Grand Cru Classés A (Chateau Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Angélus, Pavie) and 14 are Premier Grand Cru Classés B. Much of the rest of the vineyards in the appellation are on flatter land where the soils are a mix of gravel, sand and alluvial matter.
Great wines from St-Émilion will be deep in color, and might have characteristics of blackberry liqueur, black raspberry, licorice, chocolate, grilled meat, earth or truffles. They will be bold, layered and lush.