Haut Bailly - Pessac-Léognan 2010

Jeb DUNNUCK

100

byJeb Dunnuckthe10/19/2023

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.

Decanter.com

100

byJane Ansonthe7/30/2020

As ever when tasting the two together, the striking thing is the difference in character rather than quality between 2009 and 2010. This is tighter, more structured in its concentration, more broad shouldered, but still intensely impressive and full of pleasure. Neither are ready to go yet, but this feels like it will last longer, and feels extremely Haut-Bailly in spirit, with an elegant but complex personality, and a grip that doesn't make a big deal of its power but refuses to give up. Blackberry, bilberry, black chocolate and pencil. Harvest September 22 to October 14.

Drinking Window 2020 - 2045

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

94

byStephen Tanzerthe8/31/2013

Good deep ruby-red.  Musky aromas of black raspberry, plum, mocha, smoke, minerals, earth and sexy oak.  Then penetrating, dry and classic in the mouth, with outstanding sap and grip to its powerful, savory flavors of strawberry, raspberry, smoke, dark chocolate and spices.  Impeccably balanced wine with outstanding depth and extract; really spreads out horizontally to saturate the palate.  Finishes with extremely fine-grained tannins and great subtlety of fruit.  I look forward to watching this outstanding Haut-Bailly unwind over the next 20 years. 94 (+?) points

Wine Spectator

95

byJames Molesworththe3/31/2013

Chewy and brambly, but integrated, this carries a very hefty core of espresso, ganache, mulled plum and blackberry fruit. The purity starts to shine through on the finish, which drips with cassis and is threaded with a long warm paving stone note. Tight and backward today, this extremely well-built wine will need substantial cellaring. Best from 2018 through 2035. –JM

Wine Advocate

98

byRobert Parkerthe3/1/2013

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.

Wine Advocate

95

byNeal Martinthe2/11/2013

Tasted at the Union de Grand Cru and at the estate. The Haut-Bailly 2010 has a sophisticated bouquet with ripe small dark cherries, bilberry, cedar and lots of lush dark plums, all with fine delineation. The palate is full bodied with a rounded smooth spicy entry. The layers of plush fruit somewhat obscure the backbone here, whilst the finish is imbued with great tension and depth. It is a mass of wine at the moment, spherical in the mouth and will need a decade to find its personality and express its terroir. Tasted November 2012

Jamessuckling.com

98

byJames Sucklingthe2/3/2013

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

Wine Advocate

95-97

byRobert Parkerthe5/31/2011

2010: Proprietor Robert Wilmers and general manager/winemaker Veronique Sanders have done an extraordinary job at this estate, which has now become one of the superstars of Bordeaux as recent vintages have admirably demonstrated. An opulently styled effort, the blue/purple-hued 2010 offers a sweet kiss of graphite, charcoal, black cherries, black currants and compelling forest floor-like notes. A seamless integration of acidity, tannin, alcohol and oak is found in this full-bodied yet delicate, precise 2010. There is plenty of tannin but it is well-hidden behind the extravagant quantity of fruit. Give it 5-7 years and drink it over the following 35-40 years. Drink 2016-2056

Decanter Magazine

18,5

bySteven Spurrierthe5/31/2011

Great depth of earthy fruit. More backward than usual. Super future. A magnified Haut-Bailly. 2015-2035

WeinWisser

19

byTjark Witzgallthe5/31/2011

Dichtes Purpur mit schwarzem und violettem Schimmer. Nobles, floral parfümiertes Bouquet, von reifem, fast cremigem Cabernet geprägt, dazu Veilchen und Cassis, tolle Tabak-/Terroir-Würze. Komplexer Gaumen, extrem dicht und doch schon angenehm stoffig, Tabak und Trüffel im Untergrund. Tiefschürfender Haut-Bailly mit Charakter und enormen Potenzial für garantiert 50 Jahre. 2020-2060

Asian Palate

90-92

byJeannie Cho Lee MWthe5/24/2011

The 2010 Haut-Bailly is fairly deep ruby in colour, its aromas of cedar, violets, blackberries, blackcurrant, cedar and spices, faintly echoed in the subtle and charming but densely packed flavours. Haut-Bailly often doesn’t show well en primeur and these flavours are restrained to the point of being stoic, suggesting this wine will need at least 5-8 years in bottle before a true picture of the wine emerges. I would like to re-taste this wine in 6 months time.

Le Point

17,5

byJacques Dupontthe5/12/2011

Fruits noirs, cassis, violette, bouche ronde, moelleuse, souple, gourmande, fraîche, nerveuse, bien fruitée ; très pur. O=2018 G=20 ans

Jamessuckling.com

95-96

byJames Sucklingthe4/30/2011

Wow. What a superb nose of blackberries, flowers and licorice. Full bodied, with a powerful palate of super rich fruit yet bright tannins and loads of blackberries and ctirus on the finish. This is really structural with amazing purity of fruit. It is so direct and powerful. Chic brick house of a wine. 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc.

TAST

18-19

by Bettane & Desseauvethe4/30/2011

Boisé vanillé flatteur, grande ampleur de corps et de texture, alcool généreux, mûr, tannin ferme, de la matière et du style, et d'immenses promesses pour le long vieillissement.

Jean-Marc QUARIN

17,75-18

byJean-Marc Quarinthe4/30/2011

C'est une des plus belles émotions de cette campagne primeurs et le meilleur Haut Bailly que je goûte depuis 1964. C'est en bouche que tout se passe! Magnifique entrée pulpeuse, de suite subtilement tramée et éclatante de fruits. Le vin se développe extrêmement aromatique, ample en milieu, avec du gras et un velouté sans pareil. Le mélange entre la pulpe et la fraîcheur du fruit évoque les plus grands terroirs de Bordeaux et le meilleur de son style. Un vin formidable, sans flatterie, mais avec beaucoup de charme et de profondeur. Bravo! Sera-t-il élévé en 100^% fût neuf?

Vinum

18

byMarkus Del Monegothe4/30/2011

Diskret, um nicht zu schreiben verschlossen; satt und saftig, temperamentvoll, frisch, einmalige Tanninqualität, wuchtiges Finale; grosser, majestätischer Wein, der lange, lange reifen muss. 2025 bis 2050.

The Wine Cellar Insider

95-97

byJeff Levethe4/25/2011

Haut Bailly From 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, a blend similar to what they used in 2009, the 2010 vintage is the product of low yields. For a comparison, 2009 was 46 hectoliters per hectare. In 2010, due to the draught and problems with the Merlot flowering, yields were reduced to 37 hectares per hectoliter. Low yields and weather allowed the wine to reach 13.9 % alcohol, which is slightly higher than the 13.75 the property enjoyed in 2009. . Inky purple in color, with pungent aromas of smoke, licorice, truffle, spice, ash, tobacco and blackberry liqueur, the wine is concentrated, deep, rich and opulent in texture. With palate staining fruit, layers of ripe, velvety tannins and a long, pure, cassis and blackberry finish, this wine offers strong competition for the 2009. Veronique Sanders thinks the 2010 is a better wine. I am not sure I agree. But I do know, it’s going to be a lot of comparing 2010 with 2009, 2008, 2006 and 2005 over the next few decades. 95-97 Pts

Jancis Robinson

17

byJancis Robinsonthe4/12/2011

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. Drink 2022-2032

Wine Enthusiast

93-95

byRoger Vossthe4/5/2011

A very concentrated wine, although its tannins are well integrated into the fresh berry fruits and bright acidity. That gives the wine a style that brings out a more open character. Very promising future.-R.V.