Critic Notes
This young wine shows such pinpoint precision with a full body, dense fruit and gorgeous intensity. Muscular yet toned and beautiful. It really builds on the finish. Very fine-grained. So long and beautiful. Sophisticated power. Oyster shell and iodine undertones. Traditional style yet with a modern interpretation. Savory. Mar 2017, www.jamessuckling.com
Score: 98-99 / 100James Suckling
The 2016 Haut-Bailly is medium to deep garnet-purple in color. The nose opens with beautiful floral notes of violets and lavender accented with earthy notions and sparks of crushed rocks over a core of kirsch, cassis and wild blueberries. Full-bodied, rich and seductive, it has layer upon layer of red, black and blue fruits intermingled with earth and mineral hints leading to a very long, perfumed finish. Nov 2018, www.robertparker.com
Score: 98 / 100Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate
Firm tannins cannot mask the fact that this aromatic wine is gorgeous, rich and fruity. It has a powerful structure to sustain the black plum and berry flavors. It is an impressive and concentrated wine, ready for the long haul. Apr 2017, Roger Voss, www.wineenthusiast.com
Score: 96-98 / 100Wine Enthusiast
The 2016 Haut Bailly is a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc picked between 26 September until 18 October. Coming in with 13.6% alcohol and an IPT of 81, which is quite close to 2010, this was quite closed at first and so I allowed my sample 15-20 minutes to open while discussing the vintage with Véronique Sanders and technical manager, Gabriel Vialard. It has a classic bouquet that is certainly less opulent and extravagant than recent vintages. This is more controlled and focused, beautifully delineated with blackberry, cedar and Earl Grey aromas that gently waft from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine-grain tannin, sappy with superb delineation and real weight and presence in the mouth. There is just the right amount of spice and salinity, the latter beckoning you back for another sip and there is a haunting pencil lead note that forms the closing credits on the aftertaste. What a brilliant Haut-Bailly, perhaps the best that I have tasted in almost 20 years of tasting at this estate. Apr 2017, www.robertparker.com, Drink: 2024-2060
Score: 96-98 / 100Neal MartinDrinking Window: 2024-2060
No. 6 in Top 10 Left Bank Bordeaux. This is an incredibly refined, elegant Haut-Bailly that has an enormous amount of detail, refinement and focus. There is gorgeous purity of flavors, wonderful depth and layers of dark berry fruit, fresh herbs and violets. Voluptuous without heaviness, a lightness on the palate despite the density and body. The wine is less than 14% alcohol, refined, elegant and classic Haut-Bailly. The blend is 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot and Cab Franc. Apr 2017, www.jeanniecholee.com
Score: 97 / 100Jeannie Cho Lee MW
Hugely successful, a wine where the architecture becomes clearer with every minute that it remains in your mouth. Each strand of those softly-spun tannins really stands out, giving effortless support to the cassis, charcoal, tobacco and slate. Over it all, the most appealing, gently curling woodsmoke comes right on up through the palate. The whole effect is of a soft, caressing texture that manages to also be hugely intense. A wonderfully complex layering of flavours, absolutely no doubt that this is going to age beautifully. Harvest lasted for 12 days but was spread out over four weeks. Alcohol levels are the same as last year because they had no blockages of ripening. The blend is 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc aged in 50% new oak. 3.7pH. Apr 2017, www.decanter.com, Drink: 2027-2050
Score: 97 / 100DecanterDrinking Window: 2027-2050
The 2016 Haut-Bailly is a huge, powerful wine that explodes in all directions. Black cherry, smoke, tobacco, licorice, menthol, incense and gravel are all pushed forward, but it is the wine's volume and pure intensity that stand out most. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2016 is likely to be a slow-maturing wine, but even today the phenomenal finish is a marvel. The 2016 is a great Haut-Bailly in the making. It will reward several decades of cellaring. Apr 2017, www.vinous.com
Score: 94-97 / 100Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Picked 26 September to 18 October. Rather floral nose. Ripe and broad. Quite chewy and structured. Cool and pretty dry. Pretty chewy! Lots of dynamism. Apr 2017, www.jancisrobinson.com, Drink: 2025-2040
Score: 17 / 20Jancis Robinson MWDrinking Window: 2025-2040
