| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pessac-Léognan |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
Typical of this estate, this restrained, polite, light to medium-bodied offering reveals attractive smoke, berry and currant aromas, little concentration, and a soft yet expanding finish. Offering charm, sweet tannin, and fine balance, it can be drunk through to the end of the decade.
Tasted at the château, the 1998 Haut-Bailly is a wine that exploits what was a fine vintage in Pessac-Léognan, and appears to slowly improve with age. Having not reached adulthood yet, it has a simmering, powerful bouquet with smoke and truffle accompanying the red berry fruit, perhaps a little mintier than previous bottles. The palate is complex and well balanced, harmonious with kirsch and bay leaf, you could say "modestly precocious" in style. The acidity cuts through nicely here, lending freshness on the finish that feels long and possesses the substance to suggest that it will easily bestow drinkers with another 15-20 years of pleasure. You could broach this now, but it possesses the concentration to mature over the next 20 years without problem. Tasted March 2016.
Aromatic - so fragrant! Luscious on the palate too. Great for now. Complete. Youthful
Great nose, exotic and spicy. Toasty oak and sweet ripe fruit. Good concentration. Impressive effort.
(FV 16) (WS 90-94)
This restrained, polite, light to medium-bodied offering reveals attractive smoke, berry, and currant aromas, medium body, little concentration, and a short finish. The wine does possess charm, sweet tannin, and fine balance, but there is not a lot to it. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2010.
This delicate, subtle wine is often difficult to evaluate young. However, Haut-Bailly's 1998 is a fruit-driven, soft, black currant and cherry-scented and flavored wine with undeniable elegance, but not much volume, depth, or length. If more richness emerges with barrel aging, this well-balanced and symmetrical 1998 will deserve a higher rating. Anticipated maturity: now-2010.
