Region | |
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Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pessac-Léognan |
Colour | Red |
Type | Still |
View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château Haut-Bailly
Every bit as good yet in a dramatically different style, the 2010 Château Haut-Bailly has a more chiseled, focused, inward style to go with the essence of Haut-Bailly-like aromatics of sweet red and black fruit, smoked tobacco, graphite, and crushed stone, with just a hint of background minty herbs. It's full-bodied, perfectly balanced, has flawless tannins, and a rare mix of power, elegance, and purity. It blossoms with air, and while certainly mature, it has another 2-3 decades of overall longevity ahead of it.
This vintage is a similar inky purple color, with subtle notes of licorice, barbecue smoke, creme de cassis, a bit more blackberry and slightly more formidable tannic structure, but again, the tannins are well-integrated and the wine constructed in a velvety, seamless (haute couture) way by Véronique Sanders. The wine coats the palate in a viscosity and richness, but there's a freshness and precision that is further indication of just how profound this wine will turn out. The wine needs another 5 to10 years and is not as "open for business" as the 2009 will probably always be, but wow, what a spectacular wine! I suspect these are the two greatest back-to-back Haut-Baillys ever made in the long, celebrated history of this small estate in Pessac-Leognan.
Great aromas of crushed blackberries with flowers and stones that follow through to a full body, with super silky tannins and a long, long finish. It fills your mouth with beautiful fruit and velvety tannins yet shows tension and form. This lasts for minutes on the palate. Structured and superb. Don't touch until 2020.
Blackish crimson. Really savoury, well integrated, interesting-already nose. Then a bit inky on the palate at the moment. Medium bodied and very Cabernet. Needs lots of time. A dry wine, be warned. Classical stuff.
Great depth of slightly earthy fruit, a lifted fragrance over great vineyard concentration, more backward than usual with a superb future, a magnified Haut-Bailly. Drink 2015-35.
Deep plum/purple, Haut-Bailly's 2010 required some coaxing to appreciate its subtle notes of barbecue smoke, lead pencil shavings and creme de cassis as well as its touches of pomegranate and forest floor. The oak is pushed far into the background and the tannins are extremely silky, but the intensity of the wine is profound and the finish lingers for close to 55 seconds. This wine is ripe yet delicate, powerful yet stylish, and essentially resembles a remarkable fashion design from a house of haute couture. This wine needs a good 7-8 years of bottle age and should keep for 40-50+ years.
This quintessential example of pure finesse, elegance, harmony and delicacy is combined into a wine that lingers intensely with near-perfect poise and character. Haut-Bailly's ethereal character is virtually unmatched in Bordeaux. Normally, winemaker/winemaker Veronique Sanders fashions a blend that approximates 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc. That was the exact blend of her 2009, and I doubt the 2010 deviates significantly from that.
The 2010 Haut Bailly has consistently been a fantastic wine, and at seven years of age I have no reason to alter that view. It has a mixture of red and black fruit on the nose, wet stone, black olive and a light marine influence. It is still backward compared to other vintages, but it has not relinquished one iota of its intensity. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin. This is a voluminous Haut Bailly, one that is beginning to stretch its muscles, with a gentle grip in the mouth with a wonderful saline finish. There is huge potential locked into this wine, but patience is needed. Tasted March 2017. Drink Date 2020-2050