Château Haut-Bailly Grand Cru Classé Pessac-Léognan 2018
Château Haut-Bailly
Haut-Bailly has always been one of Pessac-Léognan's most restrained estates, and the 2018 vintage — warm and generous in Bordeaux — could have easily pushed this wine into overripeness. Instead, the gravelly soils and Véronique Sanders' meticulous stewardship held everything in check. The result is a wine that already shows remarkable harmony but will reward another decade of cellar patience.
Nose
Blackcurrant and cherry dominate, with cedar and violet adding complexity. A subtle graphite minerality and hint of toasted oak round out the aromatics.
Palate
Precise and medium-full, with blackcurrant and cherry fruit framed by fine-grained tannins. The mid-palate reveals cedar, mint, and a discreet vanilla sweetness from the oak aging. There is an effortless quality to the balance here.
Finish
Very long, with cedar, blackcurrant, and a persistent mineral note that invites another sip.
- Varietal
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Blend
- 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot
- Vineyards
- 30 hectares of gravelly soils in the Pessac-Léognan appellation
- Alcohol
- 14.5%
- Organic / Biodynamic
- No
Food Pairing
Rack of lamb with rosemary jus
Produced at Château Haut-Bailly in the gravelly soils of Pessac-Léognan, where the estate's managing director Véronique Sanders has continued a tradition of understated elegance dating to the seventeenth century.
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