Tasting Notes

98
Inside Bordeaux Jane Anson - 11 Jun 25
Supple tannins, fleshy blackberry and cassis fruits, lives up to the high expectations surrounding this wine and yet maintains the quiet confidence and reserve that is a signature of Haut-Bailly. A magical bottle that is still at the very beginning of its drinking window, you can keep for decades. Denis Dubourdieu consultant, Gabriel Vialard winemaker, Véronique Sanders director, 55% new oak for ageing.
Drinking Date: 2025 - 2040
94
Vinous Neal Martin - 26 Jan 23
The 2009 Haut-Bailly remains a glorious example from this Pessac-Léognan estate and confirms my recent encounters. Blueberries and cassis scents soon join black cherries, blood orange and iris flower notes on the nose. It skillfully translates the precocity of the growing season, though there is just a touch of alcohol that blurs the edges compared to more recent vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with a sensual, creamy, velvety texture. It is laden with black fruit and just a hint of liquorice, more primal than the bottle opened at the vertical the previous year. Drinking perfectly now if you like a bit of hedonism, otherwise, leave it four to five more years. Tasted at the château.
Drinking Date: 2022 - 2045
Pessac-Léognan Fine Wine

Pessac-Leognan

Pessac-Léognan, an esteemed Bordeaux appellation in the Graves region, is renowned for both red and white wines. The reds are elegant and complex, with earthy notes, blackcurrant, plum, tobacco, and graphite, supported by refined tannins and excellent ageing potential. The whites, primarily from Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, are fresh, aromatic, and balanced, with citrus, tropical fruit, and floral notes, plus a creamy texture from barrel ageing. Top producers include Château Haut-Brion, Château La Mission Haut-Brion, Château Smith Haut Lafitte, and Château Pape Clément.