Château Haut-Bailly - Pessac-Léognan

96 points - The Wine Advocate
98 points - The Wine Advocate
94 points - The Wine Advocate
94 points - The Wine Advocate
95 points - The Wine Advocate
95 points - The Wine Advocate
97 points - The Wine Advocate
95 points - The Wine Advocate
90 points - The Wine Advocate
91 points - The Wine Advocate
Château Haut-Bailly - Pessac-Léognan - 2015 - 75cl - Onshore Cellars

Château Haut-Bailly - Pessac-Léognan

96 points - The Wine Advocate
98 points - The Wine Advocate
94 points - The Wine Advocate
94 points - The Wine Advocate
95 points - The Wine Advocate
95 points - The Wine Advocate
97 points - The Wine Advocate
95 points - The Wine Advocate
90 points - The Wine Advocate
91 points - The Wine Advocate
Vintage
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A candidate for the -wine of the vintage,- the 2008 Haut-Bailly possesses incredible complexity. Tell-tale notes of lead pencil shavings, charcoal, damp earth, black cherries and black currants intermixed with a hint of subtle barbecue smoke are present in this classic, quintessential Graves. Medium-bodied with an emerging, precocious complexity, it is a super-pure, beautifully textured, long wine that can be drunk now or cellared for 20-25 years. Bravo!
The deep garnet-purple coloured 2015 Haut-Bailly offers up a tantalizingly savoury nose of smoked meats, chargrill, tapenade, unsmoked cigars, and black truffles with a core of black currants, black cherries, and wild blueberries plus wafts of iron ore and bouquet garni. Medium to full-bodied, very firm, and yet wonderfully plush with a powerful core of fruit—this vintage is truly an iron fist in a velvet glove. The finish goes on and on with persistent earthy/minerally notes and savoury/sweet fruit. Although it is tempting and indeed delicious right now, the wine still possesses many restrained layers and should handsomely reward the patient.
The 2014 Haut Bailly has a charming, quite intense bouquet with layers of blackberry, raspberry coulis, black olive and melted tar scents that soar from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, well-judged acidity, harmonious and focused with superb density and precision towards the finish. This is a classy number and alongside Domaine de Chevalier, it is one of the standouts from the appellation in this vintage.
The 2012 Haut Bailly is a brilliant wine for the vintage. It has a very intense bouquet with scents of blackberry, bilberry, cedar and a touch of pencil lead. This is very well defined and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with quite firm tannin, certainly one of the most structured Pessac-Léognan wines that I have encountered, yet it is struck through with wonderful balance and focus. It tightens up a little on the finish, a 2012 built for long-term drinking pleasure, and as such, I would afford it five or six more years in bottle if wishing to experience this in full flight. Tasted March 2017.
The saturated ruby/purple-hued 2011 Haut-Bailly exhibits a glorious, subtle, noble set of aromatics consisting of red and black currants, sweet cherries, graphite, truffles and a faint hint of wood spice. The wine hits the palate with the profound elegance and purity that have become so much a characteristic under Wilmers and Sanders. Still youthful, with good acidity and freshness, this brilliant, medium-bodied 2011 needs another 4-5 years of bottle age, and should evolve effortlessly for 20-25 years.
The 2010 Haut Bailly has consistently been a fantastic wine, and at seven years of age I have no reason to alter that view. It has a mixture of red and black fruit on the nose, wet stone, black olive and a light marine influence. It is still backward compared to other vintages, but it has not relinquished one iota of its intensity. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin. This is a voluminous Haut Bailly, one that is beginning to stretch its muscles, with a gentle grip in the mouth with a wonderful saline finish. There is huge potential locked into this wine, but patience is needed.
Medium to deep garnet colored, the 2009 Haut-Bailly hits the ground running with bold black fruit preserves, Morello cherries, baked blueberries and tilled earth scents with nuances of fried herbs, chargrilled meat and a ferrous waft plus a touch of menthol. Medium to full-bodied, the taut palate has a firm, grainy texture with a lively line lifting the core of muscular fruit, finishing long and earthy.
The 2005 Haut Bailly is rapidly turning into a glorious wine. You instantly fall in love with the purity on the nose, luscious red cherries, wild strawberry and blueberry. This is still youthful and beautifully defined. The palate is medium-bodied with quite a structured opening like many in this vintage. It exerts a gentle grip in the mouth, quite tensile and linear and perhaps just tightening up a tad toward the finish. It is biding its time, but it will repay those who cellar this outstanding 2005 for another four or five years.
An elegant, dark ruby/purple-tinged effort displaying notes of tobacco smoke intermixed with sweet currant, cherry, and some toast, this medium-bodied wine has the hallmark purity married graciously with nicely concentrated fruit. The tannins are sweet but present and give definition to this well-made Pessac-Leognan.
Now at 17 years of age it does not quite deliver the authority and the pedigree of the 2005 or 2010, moving into secondary notes with cedar wood, smoke and a touch of undergrowth, though it has lost a little cohesion. The palate is medium-bodied with a very well balanced opening. Hints of clove and black pepper infuse the black fruit, and it exerts a gentle grip in the mouth with quite a persistent finish. You can broach this now although it should continue to drink well for another 15-20 years.
Type:
Red
Country:
France
Region:
Bordeaux
Appellation:
Pessac-Léognan
Producer:
Chateau Haut Bailly
Grapes/Blend:
Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
ABV:
14.5%

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Behind the bottle

Château Haut Bailly

Chateau Haut Bailly

Château Haut Bailly is a renowned wine producer located in the Pessac-Léognan appellation of Bordeaux, France. The estate has a long and rich history dating back to the...

Château Haut Bailly is a renowned wine producer located in the Pessac-Léognan appellation of Bordeaux, France. The estate has a long and rich history dating back to the 16th century when it was owned by the Goyanèche family. In the 19th century, the property was acquired by Alcide Bellot des Minières, who transformed it into a world-class wine estate.

Today, Château Haut Bailly is owned by the Wilmers family, who have continued the tradition of producing exceptional wines. The estate covers 30 hectares of vineyards, planted with a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. The vineyards are situated on a gravelly soil, which is ideal for producing high-quality wines.

The style of production at Château Haut Bailly is traditional, with a focus on producing wines that reflect the terroir of the estate. The grapes are hand-harvested and sorted before being fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. The wine is then aged in oak barrels for 18-20 months, depending on the vintage.

Château Haut Bailly produces two main wines: the Grand Vin and the second wine, La Parde de Haut Bailly. The Grand Vin is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, with a small percentage of Petit Verdot. It is a full-bodied wine with a deep ruby color and aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry, and cedar. On the palate, it is rich and complex, with firm tannins and a long finish.

La Parde de Haut Bailly is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. It is a lighter wine than the Grand Vin, with a ruby color and aromas of red fruit and spice. On the palate, it is elegant and well-balanced, with soft tannins and a smooth finish.

Overall, Château Haut Bailly is a producer of exceptional wines that reflect the terroir of the estate. Their traditional style of production and focus on quality have earned them a reputation as one of the top wine producers in Bordeaux.

Chateau Haut Bailly
Bordeaux - Onshore Cellars

Bordeaux

Bordeaux, in the southwest of France, needs little introduction as one of the world's most famous, prestigious and prolific wine regions. The majority of Bordeaux wines (nearly 90...
Bordeaux, in the southwest of France, needs little introduction as one of the world's most famous, prestigious and prolific wine regions. The majority of Bordeaux wines (nearly 90 percent of production volume) are the dry, medium- and full-bodied red Bordeaux Blends that established its reputation.

The finest (and most expensive) of these are the wines from the great châteaux of the Haut-Médoc and the Right Bank appellations Saint-Émilion and Pomerol. The former is focused (at the top level) on Cabernet Sauvignon, the latter pair on on Merlot.

The legendary reds are complemented by high-quality white wines based on Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. These range from dry whites to challenge the best from the Burgundy region (Pessac-Léognan is particularly renowned) to the sweet, botrytized nectars of Sauternes.
Explore Bordeaux
Pessac-Léognan

Pessac-Léognan

Established in 1987, the Pessac-Léognan appellation is relatively young compared to other Bordeaux appellations. However, its history is deeply rooted in the ancient vineyards of the Graves region,...

Established in 1987, the Pessac-Léognan appellation is relatively young compared to other Bordeaux appellations. However, its history is deeply rooted in the ancient vineyards of the Graves region, which have been producing wine since Roman times. The Pessac-Léognan appellation lies just south of the city of Bordeaux, and its terroir is characterised by gravelly soils, providing excellent drainage and heat retention, which are essential for producing the region's highly-regarded wines.

The production methods used in Pessac-Léognan reflect the region's dedication to quality, innovation, and tradition. Winemakers here employ a combination of traditional and modern techniques, including hand harvesting, meticulous grape selection, and temperature-controlled fermentation. The use of oak barrels for ageing is common, imparting complexity and elegance to the wines. The region is best known for its red wines, which are typically a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, with smaller amounts of Petit Verdot and Malbec. However, Pessac-Léognan also produces exceptional white wines, made primarily from Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon grapes, often with a touch of Muscadelle.

One of the most iconic wine producers in Pessac-Léognan is Château Haut-Brion, a First Growth estate with a history dating back to the 16th century. Haut-Brion is known for its robust, full-bodied red wines, which exude elegance and complexity with layers of dark fruit, graphite, and earthy undertones. The estate is also renowned for its dry white wines, crafted from a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, displaying notes of citrus, honeysuckle, and mineral complexity.

Another celebrated producer in the Pessac-Léognan appellation is Château La Mission Haut-Brion, a historic estate dating back to the 17th century. La Mission Haut-Brion produces exceptional red wines with a reputation for intensity, depth, and longevity. These wines are characterised by their opulent fruit flavours, integrated tannins, and notes of tobacco, leather, and truffle.

Domaine de Chevalier is a highly-regarded producer of both red and white wines in Pessac-Léognan. Established in the 19th century, Domaine de Chevalier is committed to sustainable viticulture practices and a deep respect for its terroir. The estate's red wines are known for their elegance and finesse, with a focus on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, while its white wines showcase the complex interplay between Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, offering notes of citrus, pear, and subtle oak influence.

Château Smith Haut Lafitte, another prominent producer in the Pessac-Léognan appellation, boasts a history spanning over 800 years. Smith Haut Lafitte is dedicated to organic and biodynamic farming practices and is known for its refined red wines, which display a harmonious balance of fruit, tannins, and acidity, with notes of blackcurrant, cedar, and spice. The estate's white wines are equally impressive, offering a vibrant expression of Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and Sauvignon Gris, with hints of citrus, white flowers, and minerality.

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