Voilà: dit is alles in één. "Soyeux, majesté, touché de tannin, fraîcheur." Wat een fenomenale opbouw in sensaties... De kwaliteit van de tannine maakt hier echt wel het verschil. 2016 brengt opnieuw een succulente Haut Bailly.
IN DE PERS
97 Neal Martin – vinous.com (Januari 2019)
The 2016 Haut-Bailly was mightily impressive when tasted from barrel. Now, matured in 50% new oak and bottled at the end of April 2018 (they prefer to bottle before spring here), it has a very well defined bouquet of black fruit, graphite, crushed stone and light rose petal aromas that gain intensity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with quite grippy tannin. This Haut-Bailly feels pure and classic in style, offering well-judged acidity and a sophisticated, quite tensile finish that lingers long in the mouth. I suspect this might close down in a year or two and deserves perhaps 8 to 10 years in bottle to show what it can really do. The best Haut-Bailly in the modern era? For certain. Drink 2026-2050.
96-98 Neal Martin – The Wine Advocate Issue #230 - robertparker.com (April 2017)
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. Drink: 2024-2060.
97 Antonio Galloni – vinous.com (Januari 2019)
A big, vertical wine, the 2016 Haut-Bailly explodes onto the palate with tremendous depth and intensity. Readers should be in no rush to drink the 2016, as it won't be close to ready to drink for at least a decade, and I say that as an eternal optimist. Black cherry, smoke, tobacco, cedar, gravel and incense add to the wine's decidedly somber personality. Drink 2028-2056.
94-97 Antonio Galloni – vinous.com (April 2017)
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.
98 Lisa Perrotti-Brown - robertparker.com (December 2018)
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.
98 James Suckling – jamessuckling.com (Februari 2019)
98-99 James Suckling – jamessuckling.com (Maart 2017)
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.
97 Jane Anson – decanter.com (April 2017)
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. Drink: 2027-2050.
97 Jeannie Cho Lee – jeanniecholee.com (April 2017)
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.
17/20 Jancis Robinson – jancisrobinson.com (April 2017)
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. Drink: 2025-2040.
95 Tim Atkin – timatkin.com (April 2017)
Winemaker Gabriel Vialard puts the freshness of his wine down to the cold nights during the growing season, especially in September. Whatever the reason, this is an excellent Haut-Bailly with remarkable focus, precision and balance, stylish, scented oak and a long, satisfying finish. 2026-36.
96-98 Roger Voss – wineenthusiast.com (April 2017)
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.
96-97 Bettane & Desseauve (April 2017)
19-20/20 Revue des Vins de France (April 2017)
96/20 Jean-Marc Quarin – quarin.com (April 2017)
17/20 Jacques Dupont – Le Point (April 2017)
18-19/20 Gault & Millau (April 2017)
19/20 Le Figaro Vin (April 2017)
Haut BaillyHaut Bailly is een “essentiële” Pessac Léognan. Zijn wijnen markeren de proever volgens “l’esthétique à la française” die door dichter André Gide beschreven wordt als “rien de trop”. Omwille van dit classicisme herinnert Haut Bailly meer aan Haut Brion of La Mission dan aan Pape Clément of Smith Haut Lafitte. De wijngaard is een homogeen geheel van 30 hectare te Léognan, tien kilometer ten Zuiden van Bordeaux. Hij is beplant met 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot en 6% Cabernet Franc. Jaarlijks worden er zo’n 160.000 flessen geproduceerd.
Voorgaande eigenaars waren Firmin le Bailly, Laurent de Lafaurie, baron de Monbadon, Alcide Bellot des Minières en Jean Sanders. Haut Bailly was Belgisch tussen 1955 en 1998. Sindsdien behoort het toe aan Robert G. Wilmers die de M&T Bank dirigeert in Buffalo, New York. Zijn echtgenote Elisabeth is een française.
In de recentere wijnjaren 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009 en 2010, herkennen we de gebruikelijke elegantie, finesse en aromatische complexiteit maar het gebalder en intenser karakter is nieuw. We danken deze “tour de force” aan een meer beheerst rendement en het plukken op optimale rijpheid. Reeds sinds 1967 is er een tweede wijn, la Parde de Haut Bailly, en sinds 1987 zelfs een derde, een generieke Pessac Léognan. Die strengere selectie maakt van La Parde een even elegante en complexe wijn als de Haut Bailly van twintig jaar terug. SandersRobert G. Wilmers bracht de kwaliteitswijnen van Haut Bailly op een hoger echelon. Véronique Sanders van Beek, de kleindochter van de vorige eigenaar, is hier in grote mate voor verantwoordelijk samen met de getalenteerde Gabriël Vialard. | 
