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Haut Bailly 2006

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pessac-Léognan
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyCabernet Sauvignon/Merlot

View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château Haut-Bailly

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Tasting Notes

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.

95
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (181), February 2009

Gorgeous nose, with fantastic aromas of minerals, berries and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, with supersilky tannins and lots of gorgeous fruit. Very long and refined. Very close to the 2005. This shows wonderful finesse and length for the vintage.

92/94
James Suckling, WineSpectator.com, March 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.

16.5
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2007

Full ruby-red. Sappy aromas of black and blue fruits, licorice pastille and menthol lifted by a floral topnote. Then tight, dry and classic on the palate, with terrific energy and an impression of weightlessness to the youthfully imploded flavors of black fruits, minerals, camphor, cedar and tobacco. As smooth as it is, it's also quite serious and uncompromising. Showing better than a sample I tasted last year right after the bottling, but still an infant. Offers impressive cellaring potential.

91+
Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, May 2009
Read more tasting notes...

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.

91/94
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (170), April 2007

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.

93
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, May 2016

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! Tasted April 2007.

93/95
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, April 2007
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.