2016 BWE WINE OF THE YEAR: 2012 CHATEAU BARDE-HAUT

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JimHow
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2016 BWE WINE OF THE YEAR: 2012 CHATEAU BARDE-HAUT

Post by JimHow »

In 2016 BWE makes history: The 2012 Chateau Barde-Haut is the Wine of the Year, our first selection from the right bank.

This St. Emilion property has been making outstanding wines for the better part of the new century. The 2005 Barde-Haut is really coming into its own right now, with seductive secondary chocolate and cherry flavors and a lovely perfume. The 2009 and 2010 are major efforts from those two great vintages.

I love the 2012 Barde-Haut. From what I can see this is a beautiful vintage on the right bank, with fresh, elegant efforts but just enough structure to bring them to the next level. This wine has great fruit and a stunning deep, opaque purple color, with violets on the nose. In the mouth it is rich, with licorice, cocoa chocolate, black cherries. A beautiful wine. The wine-maker, Sylviane Garcin-Cathiard has been getting rave reviews from the critics for the upgrades at the property and bringing out the best in the terroir. I enjoyed Jeff Leve's guide to the property on his website:

http://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/bor ... arde-haut/

I seriously considered adding Ms. Garcin-Cathiard's 2012 Haut Bergey as a co-wine of the year to recognize her efforts. This is another wine that combines top notch modern wine making while preserving the integrity of its terroir, at a very reasonable price.

Chateau Barde-Haut is a seductive, flowery, chocolatey, distinctive right banker that drinks well young and with some age on it. It always seems to be finished off quickly when I bring it to family or other social gatherings. Jeff Leve described it as "fun" in one of his notes and I think that's a good descriptor, although that by no means should be considered an insult: This is a serious wine. And the price, usually under $30 ($26.99 right now at www.bassins.com), is VERY reasonable.

Thank you to all for your suggestions, I also gave serious consideration to the 2012 Haut Bergey, 2011 Calon Segur, 2008 Leoville Barton, and 2011 d'Yquem.

Bravo to the 2012 Chateau Barde-Haut, the 2016 BWE Wine of the Year! It joins the great pantheon of excellence that defines past wines of the year of Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts, the greatest wine web site on the internet:

2000: 1996 Sociando-Mallet
2001: 1989 Lynch-Bages
2002: 1995 d'Yquem
2003: 1999 Haut Brion Blanc
2004: 2000 Pichon Baron and 2000 du Tertre
2005: 2000 Margaux
2006: 2003 Pontet-Canet
2007: 2002 Leoville Poyferre
2008: 2005 Burgundy vintage (protest vote)
2009: 1989 Lafite Rothschild
2010: 2005 Cantemerle
2011: 2008 Leoville Poyferre
2012: 2009 Giscours
2013: 2004 Smith Haut Lafitte
2014: 2010 Chasse Spleen
2015: 2012 Leoville Las Cases
2016: 2012 Barde-Haut

Happy New Year to everyone, and I look forward to a great 2017 with all of you!

JimHow
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William P
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Re: 2016 BWE WINE OF THE YEAR: 2012 CHATEAU BARDE-HAUT

Post by William P »

No complaints here.
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AKR
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Re: 2016 BWE WINE OF THE YEAR: 2012 CHATEAU BARDE-HAUT

Post by AKR »

As we often say "Right Bank is Best Bank!"

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Racer Chris
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Re: 2016 BWE WINE OF THE YEAR: 2012 CHATEAU BARDE-HAUT

Post by Racer Chris »

Good choice!
If I don't feel like waiting, I can get a single bottle for around $40 locally.
And when my 2017 budget becomes active I'll make a bigger purchase at Macarthurs.
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AKR
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Re: 2016 BWE WINE OF THE YEAR: 2012 CHATEAU BARDE-HAUT

Post by AKR »

"Don't forget my other estates - Haut Bergey, Clos d'Elise, Poesia, Branon!"

Image

I actually just picked up one of her Argentine cuvees.
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Re: 2016 BWE WINE OF THE YEAR: 2012 CHATEAU BARDE-HAUT

Post by jckba »

Based strictly off the right side of the above picture, this wine gets my vote too ;) but seriously this certainly is an interesting selection and will surely provoke an interesting discussion. While I can not comment on the 2012 Barde Haut as I have not tasted it, I have had other vintages and to me this wine falls in the modernist side of the spectrum. Now I do not have anything against estates that are pushing the limits with riper, higher alcohol, heavy handed oak treatments as after all I do drink California wines ;) but there are a number of other modernist Right Bank estates that I would probably look to anoint with WOTY honors before Barde Haut ... time to locate a btl and give this a trial run.
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tim
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Re: 2016 BWE WINE OF THE YEAR: 2012 CHATEAU BARDE-HAUT

Post by tim »

I haven't had it yet but will pick some up.
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Nicklasss
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Re: 2016 BWE WINE OF THE YEAR: 2012 CHATEAU BARDE-HAUT

Post by Nicklasss »

Wild Is The Wind"

Love me, love me, love me, say you do
Let me fly away with you
For my love is like the wind
And wild is the wind

Give me more than one caress
Satisfy this hungriness
Let the wind blow through your heart
For wild is the wind

You touch me
I hear the sound of mandolins
You kiss me
With your kiss my life begins
You're spring to me
All things to me

Don't you know you're life itself
Like a leaf clings to a tree
Oh my darling, cling to me
For we're creatures of the wind
And wild is the wind
So wild is the wind

You touch me
I hear the sound of mandolins
You kiss me
With your kiss my life begins
Dady, you're spring to me
All things to me

Don't you know you're life itself
Like a leaf clings to a tree
Oh my darling, cling to me
For we're creatures of the wind
And wild is the wind
So wild is the wind

Wild is the wind
Wild is the wind
Wild is the wind
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JimHow
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Re: 2016 BWE WINE OF THE YEAR: 2012 CHATEAU BARDE-HAUT

Post by JimHow »

There's got to be a morning after
If we can hold on through the night
We have a chance to find the sunshine
Let's keep on looking for the light

Oh, can't you see the morning after?
It's waiting right outside the storm
Why don't we cross the bridge together
And find a place that's safe and warm?

It's not too late, we should be giving
Only with love can we climb
It's not too late, not while we're living
Let's put our hands out in time

There's got to be a morning after
We're moving closer to the shore
I know we'll be there by tomorrow
And we'll escape the darkness
We won't be searching anymore

There's got to be a morning after
(There's got to be a morning after)
There's got to be a morning after
(There's got to be a morning after)
There's got to be a morning after
(There's got to be a morning after)
There's got to be a morning after
(There's got to be a morning after)
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Nicklasss
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Re: 2016 BWE WINE OF THE YEAR: 2012 CHATEAU BARDE-HAUT

Post by Nicklasss »

Congratulations to the 2012 Chateau Barde-Haut.

I trust our BD! And with the comments I read here on the 2009-2010-2012, seems it is deserved.

Nic
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AKR
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Re: 2016 BWE WINE OF THE YEAR: 2012 CHATEAU BARDE-HAUT

Post by AKR »

Older years of Barde Haut keep and develop well too. I had not realized they only make 3500 cases / year.
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Winona Chief
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Re: 2016 BWE WINE OF THE YEAR: 2012 CHATEAU BARDE-HAUT

Post by Winona Chief »

We had a very nice bottle of 2012 Barde-Haute tonight with my own special tomato sauce and pasta. I liked it a lot. Much more Merlot than the average St. Emilion. Marjorie said "This is GOOD"

I am a big fan of 2012 Bordeaux (as well as Burgundy, Rhone, etc.). It is an excellent vintage. Had an interesting discussion with Mark Wessels at MacArthur about the 2012 vintage in Bordeaux. He thinks it's a very good year where the grapes got ripe but didn't get too ripe. The modernists producers ended up making rich wines that are not over-the-top. A very good thing in my book.

Chris Bublitz
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Jay Winton
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Re: 2016 BWE WINE OF THE YEAR: 2012 CHATEAU BARDE-HAUT

Post by Jay Winton »

I'm guess I miss this one as I opened a 375 of 2012 Barde Haut last night and thought it average and kind of blah. It might improve a bit or not. I will stick to the left bank.
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AKR
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Re: 2016 BWE WINE OF THE YEAR: 2012 CHATEAU BARDE-HAUT

Post by AKR »

I threw back the better half bottle of the 98 Barde Haute, while making the kids salmon cakes for an afternoon snack, which they gobbled up. https://photos.app.goo.gl/Wxi1G9gCSgVjknmK7

It's amazing how well this St Emilion has kept -- rich & fruity, yet with balance & poise. I know everyone likes to drink these young since they are delicious in their youth. But they have held way better than I'd think, lots better than peer estates from this year, and I've had just a ton of 98 right banks over the years.
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