Haut Bailly 1990

While excellent, nearly outstanding, the 1990 Haut Bailly is not up to the quality level of recent vintages produced under the new ownership of American Robert Wilmers and his winemaker, Veronique Sanders. The complex 1990 offers up subtle yet persistent aromas of red currants, tobacco leaf, spice box, and smoke. This medium-bodied, fully mature wine exhibits sweetness as well as lushness, and is capable of lasting another decade.

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. Drink 2017-2022