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Haut Bailly 2015

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

Label

Tasting Notes

This is an incredible young red with precision and focus that is second to almost none. Full body with a ultra-fine tannin drive that is seamless as it is endless. It ends with such power. Try in 2024 but already impressive to taste.

98
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, February 2018

Composed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Haut-Bailly offers up a tantalizingly savory nose of smoked meats, chargrill, tapenade, unsmoked cigars and black truffles with a core of black currants, black cherries and wild blueberries plus wafts of iron ore and bouquet garni. Medium to full-bodied, very firm and yet wonderfully plush with a powerful core of fruit—this vintage is truly an iron fist in a velvet glove. The finish goes on and on with persistent earthy/minerally notes and savory/sweet fruit. Although it is tempting and indeed delicious right now, the wine still possesses many restrained layers and should handsomely reward the patient. 2024 - 2050

97+
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (Interim Fe), February 2018

Tasted blind. Round and mellow in texture. The sandpaper tannins make an impact only quite late on, but they do dry the mouth out.
Drink 2026-2038

16.5
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, February 2019

Mid crimson. Delicately leafy dark fruit, immediate impression of elegance and purity. Scented on the palate too. Harmonious and refined, with everything in place for a long life and already finely balanced between the restrained dark fruit, the super-fine tannins and a long fresh finish. (JH)
13.5%
Drink 2025-2038

17.5
Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, November 2017

Reminding me of the 2009, the 2015 Château Haut-Bailly has a riper, sunny, sexy style that nevertheless stays nicely grounded and elegant, with ample classic Haut-Bailly character. Sweet crème de cassis, smoked tobacco, loads of spicy, loamy earth, and cedar pencil, full-bodied richness, ripe, velvety tannins, and flawless balance all characterize this incredible wine. It actually already offers pleasure today given its texture, balance, and purity, but it’s going to evolve for 30+ years.

98
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com, October 2023

The nose has a mix of sweet black fruits and the start of the palate is rich and ripe with dark chocolate. Mid flesh, supple with fine tannins and although there is freshness at the back stylish the finish is sweet ripe with depth of flavour.

94/96
Derek Smedley MW, DerekSmedleyMW.co.uk, April 2016

In a very good vintage for Pessac-Léognan, Haut-Bailly really stands out for its quality,
confirming the ongoing improvements here. Intense, brooding and given extra structure by
the use of Petit Verdot for the first time, this is complex, saline and focused with delightful
oak integration and a long, stylish finish. Drink: 2025-35

96
Tim Atkin MW, timatkin.com, April 2016
Read more tasting notes...

The 2015 Haut Bailly is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot (Véronique Sanders told me that the latter was planted three years ago.) My sample included 80% new oak, but there will be 50% in the final blend. Deep in color, the bouquet is very intense with multilayered blackberry, blueberry, crème de cassis and subtle black olive aromas, introverted at first but soon racing out of the blocks with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe, quite firm tannin. This is an Haut-Bailly with real backbone, real sense of purpose. It could have tipped over into being overpowering due to that intense Merlot, but the acidity keeps everything in check and the finish demonstrates wonderful tension. In particular, the aftertaste is incredibly long in the mouth. This Haut Bailly is up there with the 2009 and 2010 - a bravura Pessac-Léognan destined for long-term ageing. Do yourself (and the wine) a favor and cellar it for 12 years, drinking the 2012 or 2013 before reaching for this.

95/97
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate (224), April 2016

This is a vivid and powerful red with lots of bright fruit and spice character. Full body, chewy tannins and loads of fruit on the finish. Firm and focused tannins. Lots of energy and vibrance. Spice and violet leaf undertone. Pure fruit. Pure structure.

98/99
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, March 2016

Very dark, luscious colour - one of the most distinctive colours of all! Savoury and not forced but awfully attractive. Round and fresh. Very nicely assembled. Definitely Graves. Long and very 'cashmere'! Real lift yet intensely ripe fruit too. Very neat! 13.6%
Drink 2025-2045

18
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2016
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.