Haut Bailly - Pessac-Léognan 2006

Wine Advocate

93 / 100

byNeal Martinthe5/31/2016

Tasted at Bordeaux Index's annual 10-Year On tasting in London. The 2006 Château Haut-Bailly has a refined and pure bouquet with hints of dark chocolate infusing the precise red berry fruit. I love the way this seductively unfurls in the glass, as if a finger is beckoning you. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a keen line of acidity, quite grippy and backward towards the finish, suggesting that this will benefit from another year or two in bottle. Elegance and power here, a Haut-Bailly cruising at a high level. Tasted January 2016.

Jancis Robinson

16.50 / 20

byJancis Robinsonthe1/27/2010

Malty and juicy nose. A little austere. But pretty succulent and with lots of fruit. Drink 2016-2030

Wine Spectator

92 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe3/31/2009

Berries, mineral and violet on the nose follow through to a full body, with chewy tannins and a beautiful floral finish. Starts out earthy, but turns rich and beautiful. Evolves beautifully in the glass. Best after 2013.

Wine Advocate

95 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe2/1/2009

A superb success for the vintage, the 2006 exhibits a deep ruby/purple hue as well as a poised, classic bouquet of sweet black cherries, graphite, camphor, truffles, and a subtle hint of oak. Medium-bodied with a stunningly layered texture, impressive purity, and beautiful balance, this cuvee is haute couture in a glass. Although surprisingly approachable, it won’t hit its adolescent stage for 8-10 years, and will last for 25-30 years thereafter. Bravo! It is extraordinary to see what the American proprietor, a banker from Buffalo, NY, Robert Wilmers and Veronique Sanders, the granddaughter of the former proprietor, have accomplished at Haut-Bailly. Together they are pushing this outstanding terroir to first-growth quality levels. It is an amazing success story, and readers looking for a quintessentially elegant Bordeaux need look no further than Haut-Bailly.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

90 / 100

byStephen Tanzerthe6/30/2008

(bottled ten days prior to my visit) Good bright ruby. Roasted plum, licorice, menthol and nuts on the nose; this smells serious! Sweet on entry, then tight and youthfully medicinal in the middle, with hints of camphor and bitter chocolate. Boasts an exhilarating sugar/acid balance and a very firm tannic spine but is difficult to taste today. Finishes juicy and bright, with a crunchy texture and noteworthy precision. This will require at least five or six years of bottle aging. 90(+?)

La Revue du Vin de France

16,5-17,5 / 20

the7/5/2007

Le fruit est mûr et la structure du vin en impose, avec une matière riche et dense mais qui ne manque pas de distinction. Il faudra qu'il se fonde. Grand potentiel.

Decanter Magazine

17.50 / 20

the6/30/2007

Dense purple. Nose floral, fragrant, Palate has sweet, juicy, fine fruit under a firm tannic structure. Needs time. Tannins pretty hard at present. Good length. 2015-27

Le Point

16.50 / 20

byJacques Dupontthe5/24/2007

Un peu réducteur, fruits noirs à l'aération, bouche souple, vanillée, petits tanins soyeux, crémeux même, bonne longueur, bien fait.

Falstaff

88-90 / 100

the5/24/2007

Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, fast schwarzer Kern, violette Reflexe, In der Nase feiner Honigtouch, einladendes Brombeerkonfit, süße Gewürznote. Am Gaumen elegant, mittelgewichtige Textur, frisch strukturiert, präsente Tannine, trotz seiner Leichfüßigkeit, gut anhaftend, mittleres Entwicklungspotenzial.

Wein Wisser

19 / 20

byRené Gabrielthe5/7/2007

2014-2035

Wine Advocate

91-94 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe5/3/2007

This is historically one of the most ethereal and elegant wines of Bordeaux, and under the new proprietor, American banker, Robert Wilmers, backed up by Veronique Sanders, the granddaughter of the former proprietor, Daniel Sanders, Haut-Bailly is making its finest wines in nearly three decades. The 2006 boasts a dark ruby color along with a stunning bouquet of charcoal embers intermixed with sweet black cherry and black currant fruit, beautifully integrated, subtle oak, medium body, and a gorgeous texture. Despite impressive fruit intensity and impeccable length, it remains light on its feet. This classic Graves tastes like the Cheval Blanc of Pessac-Leognan. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2030.

Wine Advocate

93-95 / 100

byNeal Martinthe5/1/2007

Tasted at a negotiant and in London. A very pure nose of blackberry, blueberries and raspberry although it is lacking just a little delineation at this primordial stage. Touch of fresh tobacco developing in the glass. The palate is impressive with ripe black fruits, toasty tannins, superb balance and focus. Great persistency, this is an absolute joy even at this stage. Clean, crisp finish with superb persistency. Black cherries, blueberries, a lot of vanillary oak but balanced by the intensity of fruit. Bravo!

TAST

17,5 / 20

the4/30/2007

Encore un modèle de classicisme bordelais, très puissant mais pur et raffiné dans sa texture et son tannin, un peu plus discret, certes, que d’autres, mais finissant sur des tannins très expressifs et racés. Dans la ligne de ce qu’on attend.

Vinum

17 / 20

the4/30/2007

Rauchig und fruchtig; ungemein dichtes Tannin, leckeres, frisches Finale; hervorragend für das Jahr. 2012 bis 2020

Jancis Robinson

16.50 / 20

byJancis Robinsonthe4/17/2007

A bit overripe and lolly-like on the nose, although the Graves freshness shines through too. Very slightly dull and lacking vivacity on the palate. Drying finish. A little stodgy even if worthy – gripping tannins. Very dry. A bit more solid than usual. Another tasting revealed it as pretty sweet and succulent – then very dry tannins. A disjunction between the please-all start and the drying finish for the moment.

Wine Enthusiast

90-92 / 100

the4/15/2007

High wood aromas, the palate dominated by wood. The fruit is diminished and hidden by all this toast, giving quite a bitter aftertaste. This is wine that needs aging. —R.V.