A juicy and fruity wine with a pretty center palate and hints of ripe fruit and minerals. Medium-bodied but delicious. Lovely polish and finesse.

Poesia is terrific in 2018. An exotic mélange of dark red cherry, plum, spice, leather and cedar envelops the palate. A wine of density, power and textural resonance, the 2018 is shaping up to be one of the under the radar gems of the vintage. Quite frankly, I am blown away by the wine's balance at this admittedly very early stage. The 2018 might be the best Poesia yet. The blend is 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc.

Vibrant, featuring racy raspberry and cassis notes, flecked with violet and mineral accents. Long and very pure. Don't sleep on this one.

Pourpre violacé. Bouquet intense, révélant des notes de réglisse et de baies noires. Touche crayeuse. Attaque friande et fruitée. Au palais, le vin est onctueux, élégant et doté de tannins qui se révèlent lentement pour atteindre leur expression maximale en fin de bouche. Ils sont de pair avec la tension qui confère race et fraîcheur. Un vin qui doit encore gagner en éclat aromatique en fin de bouche mais qui est doté d’une très belle base

More red fruits emerge from the 2018 Poesia, which has beautiful limestone character in its black raspberry and cassis fruit, graphite, and spring flower aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied, incredibly elegant, yet also powerful and concentrated, it's going to evolve positively for 4-5 years and keep for two decades or more.

La robe est noire et nez discret avant d’exploser de fruits noirs. Le vin est souple et suave, petite dureté tannique, léger creux en milieu de bouche qui devrait se combler avec l’élevage. Le vin est élaboré avec 70 % merlot et 30 % cabernet-franc.

This is a final blend composed of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, with the Merlot harvested October 3-8 and the Cabernet Franc harvested on October 9. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Poesia opens with notes of baked black cherries, mocha, spice cake, redcurrant jelly and black raspberries with nuances of dried roses, aniseed, candied violets and Christmas cake plus a waft of molten licorice. Full-bodied, rich and packed with red and black fruit layers, it has a solid structure of firm, finely grained tannins and compelling freshness, finishing very long and layered

Ma meilleure note donnée à ce cru en primeur. Couleur sombre, intense et belle. Nez d'intensité moyenne, plutôt fin, au fruité pur, mûr et subtil. Moelleux et dense dès l'attaque, le vin évolue juteux et très savoureux. Il glisse en finale puissant, sur des tannins enrobés, avec beaucoup de goût. C'est très bon. Encore une victoire des sols calcaires dans ce millésime. Assemblage : 80 % merlot, 20 % cabernet franc.

Inky in color, the wine is loaded with dark, sweet, plush, rich, fruits, licorice, smoke and chocolate. There is depth and harmony here. The fruit shows purity, freshness, length and volume with velvety textures.

Red plums mix well with some attractive, toasty oak on the nose. The palate has a smooth delivery of blue-fruit flavors and supple, juicy tannins. Drink or hold.

A juicy and fruity wine with a pretty center palate and hints of ripe fruit and minerals. Medium-bodied but delicious. Lovely polish and finesse.

The 2017 Poesia is gorgeous. Dark, ample and inviting, the 2017 Poesia exudes richness and concentration from the very first taste. Inky dark red/purplish fruit, spice, new leather, tobacco and menthol are beautifully delineated. Succulent and yet also pulsating with energy, the 2017 possesses terrific balance. This is a gorgeous wine in the making.

It has a perfumed bouquet with blackberry and raspberry fruit, quite “cool” in style. There is a touch more floral notes (iris) than the 2016 with a little more red fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, crisp acidity with fine detail. It is silky smooth in texture, suggesting a potentially very approachable Saint-Émilion with fine precision.

Fresh cassis and boysenberry preserve flavors are framed by bright anise and floral notes. Very polished in feel, with good inner purity.

Bouquet de bonne intensité révélant des notes épicées avec du poivre noir et de la fraîcheur. Le fruit apparait après un peu d’aération au travers de notes de baies noires. Attaque friande, même un peu suave. Poesia est doté d’une belle tension et de tannins bien intégrés. Un vin fin, équilibré, sapide et juteux.

The 2017 Poesia is more than a little impressive and comes from Hélène Garcin-Lévêque at Barde-Haute. Mostly Merlot with roughly 30% Cabernet Franc, aging in 80% new barrels, it boasts lovely aromatics of kirsch and black cherry fruits to go with a medium-bodied, silky, elegant style on the palate. It has bright acidity, ultra-fine tannin, and a charming, soft, plush style that’s incredibly attractive. Drink this fabulous effort over the coming decade.

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Poesia—a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc—gives up intense notes of crushed black cherries, mulberries and preserved plums with hints of baking spices, violets and licorice. Medium to full-bodied and very elegant and soft in the mouth with wonderfully ripe, plush tannins, it's spicy and refreshing on the finish.

Couleur sombre, intense et belle. Nez fin, au fruité mûr. Bouche immédiatement juteuse et suave, se développant très fruitée avec beaucoup d’énergie et une note de fruits noirs en milieu de bouche. Cette nuance est remarquable. Finale grasse rappelant le goût de la Syrah. C’est très bon !

Licorice, espresso, plum and dark chocolate open on the nose. There is a cleanness with soft tannins, thirst-quenching red plums and cassis in the finish. The wine is smooth, polished, elongated and quite fresh. Made from blending 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc.

Réduit et iris, cerise, fruits noirs pour un nez racé. Moelleux et rond, une belle acidité en son milieu, de la générosité dans son ensemble. Une finale aérienne.

Subtle aromas of mint, bay leaf and dark berries follow through to a full body with chewy and polished tannins and a tight, structured finish. Extremely long and firm. Give this at least another four or five years to soften and come together.

A solid and linear wine with blueberry, blackberry and chalk character. Full to medium body, silky tannins and a citrusy finish. Balance and finesse here.

The 2016 Poesia is a plush, deep Saint-Émilion endowed with quite a bit of textural richness. Dark raspberry jam, cloves, menthol, plum and rose petal all flesh out in a sumptuous, open-knit Saint-Émilion that will drink well right out of the gate. The 2016 is not especially complex, but it is quite delicious and easy to like.

The 2016 Poesia has a very pure, sensual bouquet of macerated small black cherries, blueberry and touches of crushed violet. The 70% new oak is nicely integrated. The lively, medium-bodied palate displays a fine bead of acidity that cuts through sweet black fruit laced with graphite, to the point where it could almost pass as a Left Bank. There is good length here. Quite vibrant and one to watch.

The 2016 Poesia is a rich, deep wine. Stylistically, Poesia is riper and bigger than the wine Hélène Garcin and her husband, Patrice Leveque, make at Barde-Haut. Black cherry, smoke, licorice, plum and sweet French oak infuse a deep, rich Saint Émilion built on lushness and textural breadth. The 2016 tastes like it was picked on the riper side of things, especially within the context of the vintage. There is no shortage of intensity, but I feel this wine could be more finessed.

Fresh and direct, with a polished, moderately weighted beam of raspberry and cherry preserve flavors, flecked with red licorice and rooibos tea notes through the finish. Pure and charming.

Au fil des millésimes, on affine le style de ce grand cru à la fois enrobant, frais et épicé avec un fruité juteux et épicé. Le vin rayonne bien en bouche. 

A blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Château Poesia is more open and showy compared to the Barde Haut, offering fabulous limestone-like character in its kirsch and currant fruits and notes of dried herbs, white truffle, and dried flowers. Possessing medium to full body, ripe, present tannins, terrific concentration, and a great finish, it's another incredibly classy Saint Emilion from the Garcin-Lévêque family.

Made from a similar blend to the 2015, the 2016 Poesia is another beautiful wine from the Garçin-Léveque family and is well worth your time and money. Ripe black raspberries, cassis, spring flowers, and hints of crushed rock all emerge from this medium to full-bodied, seamless 2016 that has rocking purity of fruit and fine tannin. It's going to drink nicely in its youth but also has the balance to age.

Deuxième année de production de l’ex-château Haut-Villet racheté par la famille Garcin-Lévèque de Barde-Haut. Le vin est souple, suave, chocolat noir, d’une belle densité. Il a été élaboré avec 70 % de merlot et 30 % de cabernet franc. 3-8 ans.

Réduit et iris, cerise, fruits noirs pour un nez racé. Moelleux et rond, une belle acidité en son milieu, de la générosité dans son ensemble. Une finale aérienne.

The 2016 Poesia is a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple, the nose delivers vibrant black forest cake, red currants and Morello cherries notes with touches of cinnamon stick, rose hip tea, pencil shavings, tobacco and milk chocolate. The medium-bodied palate charges out of the gate with bright red berries layers and loads of herbal sparks, framed by rock-solid, ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing very long. It should offer very good ageing potential.

It clearly has a richer and more intense bouquet than the 2016 Barde-Haut at this early juncture, adorned with scents of blackberry, boysenberry, Earl Grey and crushed violets that blossom in the glass, well defined and exuberant. The palate is medium-bodied with dense tannin on the entry. This is a Poesia with weight and girth, the fruit profile darker than the Barde-Haut, more concentrated on the finish, though personally I prefer the tension and detail expressed by its Saint-Emilion sibling. Still, this is a very fine contribution to the vintage, and I suspect that it will gain a little more nerve by the time of bottling.

Le meilleur jamais fait. Couleur sombre, intense et belle. Nez fruité et très mûr. Moelleux à l’attaque, très fruité au développement, très dynamique et savoureux, le vin évolue riche vers une longue finale à la tannicité enrobée.

Aromas of currants, dried black tea and some cigar box. Full body, round and velvety tannins and a flavorful finish. Wet earth and dark fruits on the finish. A dense and long wine. Fascinating really.

Fresh and engaging, with an ebullient mix of blueberry, raspberry and damson plum fruit inlaid with gently singed cedar and light briar hints. The open-knit finish has a light chalky perfume.

It’s an elegant, vibrant, medium-bodied wine that has a beautiful bouquet of kirsch, black cherries, chocolate, and hints of graphite. It shows more salty minerality with time in the glass and its oak component is perfectly integrated into the wine. While it has the flamboyant fruit of the 2015 vintage, it stays elegant and seamless and is a gorgeous 2015 that can be drunk today or cellared for two decades.

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Poesia opens with gorgeous kirsch, black cherry compote and baked plums notes with hints of blueberry pie and spice box plus a touch of rose hip tea. Full-bodied, the palate delivers lovely savory layers that are well-framed by chewy tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing long and layered.

The 2015 Château Poesia is a blend of 30% Cabernet Franc and 70% Merlot picked from 2 until 7 October, around a week later than the Château Barde-Haut. Matured in around 50% new oak, it has a multi-layered bouquet with intense black fruit tinged with seaweed and iodine that lends character. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe, silky smooth tannin, very harmonious in the mouth with a fine thread of acidity, the finish perhaps demonstrating more complexity than the Barde-Haut at the moment. This is a very impressive, very finessed follow up to Hélène Garçin-Léveque's 2014 debut - tasted twice with consistent notes.

Couleur sombre, intense et belle. Nez fruité, frais, mûr et puissant. Bouche juteuse, savoureuse au corps moelleux s’achevant sur une bonne finale à peine tannique et bien enrobée. Bonne longueur. Pour mémoire, ce cru est situé sur les terres de l’ex château Haut Villet, bien connu pour sa cuvée Pomone dans les années 1990. Il appartient depuis septembre 2013 à la famille Garcin-Lévêque qui l’a rebaptisé avec le même nom que leur cru fameux en Argentine.

Floral and aromatic with currant and wet-earth undertones. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a lightly bitter-chocolate aftertaste. Drink now.

The 2014 Poesia is a powerful wine with serious density and richness. Black cherry, plum, spice and leather emerge with great reluctance. This packed, structured Saint-Émilion is going to need at least a few years to fully unwind. Even so, it is both impressive and promising.

The 2014 Poesia has a slightly muffled bouquet compared to previous bottles with wet clay-tinged red berry fruit, a hint of black truffle in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with fleshy ripe, red berry fruit on the entry, nicely judged acidity with a cohesive, quite poised finish. I like the focus and energy of this recently debuted Saint-Émilion and it should age well. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

Ripe, with a slightly compact core of raspberry and blackberry pâte de fruit flavors. A brambly note underneath adds energy and enough freshness and floral charm to let this stretch out in the short term.

Round and fresh up front, with friendly blueberry and plum fruit kept honest by a note of dried anise. A slight twinge of plum skin on the finish hints at extraction, but there’s some pretty fruit here as well.

The 2014 Chateau Poesia has a very well-defined bouquet with plenty of red and black fruit, crushed rose petals and just a touch of smoke. I love the detail here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, crisp and very tensile with superb focus. There is a sense of nascent energy, the 30% Cabernet Franc lending complexity towards the animated, saline finish. Superb—this surpasses my expectations and comes highly recommended.

It has a very concentrated, intense nose with black cherries, crème de cassis and vanilla scented bouquet that just bursts from the glass. The palate is more controlled than the nose with fine tannin and a keen line of acidity (pH 3.50) that is neatly interwoven into the fabric of this wine. It feels persuasively harmonious in the mouth, though I would like to see a little more complexity and personality develop right on the finish that feels quite linear at the moment.

Hélène Garcin et Patrice Lévêque qui s’appliquent à Barde Haut viennent de reprendre le château Haut-Villet. Il y a fort à faire pour revaloriser le lieu désormais rebaptisé Poésia. Voici le second millésime élaboré à partir des vignes existantes. Le lieu se situe à l’est de l’appellation vers Castillon en haut du plateau calcaire. Il surplombe Fleur Cardinale d’un côté et Faugères de l’autre. Couleur sombre, intense et belle. Nez fruité de type mûr. Bouche ronde, juteuse, ample, énergique avec un goût de cerise. Bonne longueur savoureuse à la tannicité enrobée. C’est bon !