1990 Château Haut-Bailly
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Tasting notes
A classy, regal wine that's drinking brilliantly right now, the 1990 Château Haut-Bailly is fully mature yet still lively, with a complex perfume of red and black fruits, spice, leafy tobacco, and loamy earth. I love its nuanced, complex, and just satisfying style. Medium-bodied on the palate, it has a supple, resolved mouthfeel, terrific focus and balance, and outstanding length. It's at peak today yet should continue to have an interesting evolution over the coming 10-15 years. Drink 2026-2036.
Critic scores
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
The 1990 Haut Bailly has always been a good rather than great wine for the vintage. Fully mature bouquet with smudged earthy, smoky aromas, maybe there is just a slight greenness in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with rustic tannins, a little chunky in the mouth, with a slightly animally/Rhône-like finish that just fades a little too quickly. I would drink this now rather than later. Tasted at the château.
The 1990 Haut Bailly has always been a good rather than great wine for the vintage, this predating the acquisition by Bob Wilmers, which was eight years later. It has a fully mature bouquet with smudged earthy, smoky aromas, maybe with just a slight greenness in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with rustic tannins, a little chunky in the mouth, animally with a slightly animally/Rhône-like finish that just fades a little too quickly. It's a rough sketch compared to the detailed portraits drawn by the estate these days, and as such, I would drink this now rather than later. Tasted March 2017.
Much fresher than many 1990s with polish and a minerally edge. Racy and very fresh. Refined. A really good 1990! Long and complex. (JR)
About the producer
Quality at this château, now one of Pessac-Léognan’s leading wine estates, has risen exponentially under the reign of Véronique Sanders, with the property known for crafting wines of elegance and poise.