1970 Haut Bailly

This, from my cellar, was too old to have the alcohol on the label and the Pessac-Léognan appellation wasn't created until 1987. In surprisingly good condition (including the cork, which the Durand extracted neatly). Pale ruby with, initially, acidity prominent but after half an hour or so it took on sweet flesh and was utterly delightful and still fresh. None of the tannin that dogged this vintage for the first few decades. Great fun and a good match for Christmas turkey etc. (JR)

Tasted blind, the 1970 Haut-Bailly shows a rustic character with prune, pencil lead and cedar, followed by a medium to full-bodied palate, a lean and taut structure with firm, rustic tannins and green pepper notes, concluding with an earthy and sous-bois finish.

The 1970 Haut-Bailly has a fragrant bouquet with scents of gravel and cedar on the nose. Nothing intense or powerful here, yet well defined and almost Saint-Julien-like in style. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and commendable balance. There remain vestiges of leafy red berry fruit intermingling with sous-bois and cedar, gently building to a composed finish, but never over-reaching itself. There is a sense of stylishness emanating from this Haut-Bailly, which is obviously not going to improve any further. Yet, under good storage conditions, this will continue to offer drinking pleasure over the next decade.