A very elegant red. Crushed berries, some spices and earthy tones as well. It’s full-bodied and structured with a balanced, velvety texture and firm tannins. Long, flavorful finale. A blend of 65% merlot and 35% cabernet sauvignon. Try after 2023.\n Producer Information\n Château Haut-Bailly is a historic wine estate located in Pessac-Léognan on the left bank of the Gironde. Half a century ago, the Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant wine frequently commanded the same prices as the first growth wines and, in the 1959 Graves Classification, the château was given Grand Cru Classé status. Its wines remain well-regarded and often critically well received. The estate boasts 30 hectares (74 acres) of vineyard on a high, sandy ridge with lots of sandstone and fossils. Cabernet Sauvignon makes up the majority of the vineyards covering 60 percent of the total area, but Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot are also planted here. Traditionally, these were interplanted, and a four-hectare (10-acre) plot is maintained in this way. Following fermentation, the Château Haut-Bailly grand vin is aged in cask for 16 to 18 months, with the proportion of new oak depending on the vintage. As well as the top wine, the château makes a second wine, La Parde de Haut-Bailly, and a rosé. Unusually, perhaps, for a Pessac-Léognan estate, no white wines are produced. The foundations of the vineyard date back to the 16th Century when the estate was under the proprietorship of the Goyaneche and Daitze families. It was then sold to the Bailly and Lauvarde families in 1630, who invested in the building of a manor house as well as the cultivation of the land surrounding the estate. Before his death in 1655, Bailly gave his name to the wines that were produced at the château. The château is now owned by American banker Robert Wilmers although for many critics and aficionados the face of the estate is managing director, Veronique Sanders. An extensive redevelopment program of the château buildings and winery was begun in 2020. Production averages 80,000 bottles annually.
