2019 Château Haut-Bailly, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux

56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot. Barrel sample.

Well within itself, but complex, compelling, and racy. Cool, fresh, and reserved on the nose but with a density of dark fruit apparent. Lively, vibrant palate. The fruit is juicy, pure, and substantial, and the abundant tannins are lithe and long. Dry, clean, minerally finish. Good persistence and drive. 

Drink 2027 - 2045

The 2019 Haut-Bailly unwinds in the glass with complex aromas of dark berries, bay leaf, loamy soil and cigar wrapper, framed by a discreet patina of new oak. Full-bodied, velvety and elegantly muscular, it's powerful and concentrated, with lively acids and an abundance of ripe but youthfully assertive structuring tannin that will demand some patience.

Drink 209 - 2065

The 2019 Haut-Bailly is a huge, powerful wine. This warm vintage has plenty of richness, but there is a ton of tannin, too. In most warmer years, Haut-Bailly can be a real charmer upfront, but in 2019, it's all about somber dark fruit, tannin, and structure. A wine of breadth and power, Haut-Bailly will need many years in the cellar to truly blossom. It's unquestionably a big wine with a brilliant future. Bright aromatics lend freshness as the 2019 continues to open with air.

Drink 2029 - 2059

The 2019 Château Haut-Bailly is more restrained and elegant, which is the vintage. Still vivid purple-hued with pure and vibrant notes of red and black fruit, sandalwood, minty herbs, and flowers, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a seamless, layered, elegant mouthfeel, undeniable minerality, and a gorgeous finish. This classy, utterly classic Haut-Bailly will continue to evolve gracefully for another 30+ years.

Drink 2023 - 2054

A floral bouquet on the nose, soft but deep with such clarity and such a beautiful vivid pink-red colour in the glass, too. The texture here is striking, smooth and mouth filling with intensity but so well presented, precise, fine and amazingly detailed. The word for 2019 is energy, which has it in abundance; it’s vibrant and alive in the mouth with such brightness. Mouthwatering acidity is set against a chalky texture, so you get a full mouthfeel without any heaviness—great structure and balance. You could almost drink this now to enjoy the immediate enjoyment but a recent tasting of the 2009 suggests this has a very long life ahead. A wine you can fall in love with!

Drink 2024 - 2047

Harvest September 23 to October 10.

I love the depth of the palate. This is delicious with a scrape of tannins that are ripe and powerful without straying over the line into heavy. I love the balance of this 2019, sculpted cassis and bilberry fruits, appealingly finessed and full of estate signature.

Drink 2026 - 2045

Tasted at the Haut-Bailly vertical at the château.

The 2019 Haut-Bailly had just been bottled before my visit. This is better than the 2018 with brilliant delineation on the nose and newfound purity. The palate is silky smooth with enormous depth, wonderful concentration and outstanding precision towards the finish with layers of lightly spiced black fruit. This is Fabulous with a capital "F".

Drink 2027 - 2065

56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot.

Extremely aromatic, with incredible wet-earth, bark, stone and graphite notes on the nose, then changing to violets, blackberries and blackcurrants. Full-bodied, yet so linear and fine, with titanium tannins that go on so long. It builds and builds, then just rolls around the palate through the endless finish. Real Bordeaux here. Exceptional.

Better after 2029