Description
Just a stone’s throw away from the city of Bordeaux, Château Haut-Bailly, one of the most prestigious Cru Classé de Graves, sits majestically in a 30 hectare (74 acres) vineyard at the heart of the Graves region on the left bank of the river Garonne.
When tasted, the Château Haut-Bailly reveals a very important power but balanced by an exceptional finesse. It has all the qualities of Pessac-Léognan wines and is the reference.
The wines’ structure is characterized by a succulent texture and a very pure expression of ripe fruit. The Merlots are superb while the Cabernets are powerful but incredibly creamy: these are real thoroughbreds. It proves to be a perfect wine.
Blend: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc
Critical Acclaim
RP100
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
I have had this wine now four separate times since I wrote my official review after bottling of the 2009s. It goes from strength to strength, and it is not surprising that it is now one of the perfect wines of this great, great vintage – the finest vintage of Bordeaux that I have tasted in 37 years covering that epicenter for world-class quality in wine. Much of it is attributable to winemaker Véronique Sanders and her boss, Robert Wilmers. Their incredibly draconian selection process and their enormous investments in both the viticulture and the estate as well as the winemaking facility have paid off brilliantly over the last decade. The 2009, which has an opaque ruby/purple color, an extraordinary nose of high-quality unsmoked cigar tobacco, graphite, blackcurrants and spice, hits the palate with a medium to full-bodied, saturated and rich mouthfeel, but an elegant and ethereal quality that is difficult to articulate. It is rich, complex and tastes as if it were the vinous equivalent of a remarkable haute couture creation from the late Coco Chanel. It is full-bodied yet elegant, powerful yet delicate, and remarkably velvety-textured, sumptuous and loaded with upside potential. It can be approached now, as most 2009s tend to be, given their richness of fruit, low acidity and extraordinary concentration, but the great complexity that will emerge from this fabulous terroir is at least a decade away, and this wine is set for 50 or more years of longevity. Kudos to Haut-Bailly! -Robert M. Parker Jr.
JD100
Jeb Dunnuck
Deep ruby/purple-colored, with loads of red currants, smoked meats, dried flowers, Asian spices and hints of truffle-like aromatics, the 2009 Haut Bailly is full-bodied, ethereally textured, super elegant, and possesses a purity of fruit that’s off the charts. In addition to a wealth of fruit, this absolutely perfect wine glides across the palate and carries incredible intensity and richness without any sensation of weight or heaviness. It’s already impossible to resist, yet will keep for another two to three decades. This is the epitome of elegance and finesse in Bordeaux!
D98
Decanter
Right from the first moment you look at this wine you can see that it remains young, concentrated and full of life. Clear smoked caramel on the nose, the texture is supremely silky and seductive, creamy in a way that sits against the taut precision of most vintages of Haut-Bailly and yet still maintaining control and poise. The aromatics are young and seductive, and the terroir has not yet fully overtaken the vintage expression, but it will do in another five or six years. A huge success. Drinking Window 2020 – 2050
JS97
James Suckling
Aromas of blackberries, wet earth and mushrooms, follow through to a full body, with a solid core of fruit. Velvety and delicious, yet wonderfully structured. Muscular wine. Best ever? Try in 2018.
WE95
Wine Enthusiast
Smooth and opulent, this immediately appeals with its generous fruit and texture that feels like velvet. The structure sits under the seductive surface, with a chocolate wood flavor, fruit tannins and density. Age for over 10 years at least.
WS94
Wine Spectator
Offers a rich, very dense feel, but stays racy thanks to a strong graphite frame around the core of roasted fig, plum sauce and maduro tobacco. Muscular but defined on the finish, with a long tarry edge in reserve. This shows serious depth and is more backward than most of its peers. Should really stretch out nicely in the cellar. Best from 2017 through 2035.
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