2021 Haut-Bailly II, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux
Critics reviews
The 2021 Haut-Bailly II was picked from September 27 to October 11, and this year it contains more Merlot, which was deselected from the Grand Vin. It is being matured in 30% new oak. The straightforward bouquet offers blackberry, clove and light tea leaf scents, very Pessac but relatively light compared to recent vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly tannic entry. Again, like the Le Pape, this is a delicate Pessac-Léognan that does not have high concentration and just tapers a little toward the finish. Drink over the next decade.
Drink 2026 - 2036
Neal Martin, vinous.com, (May 2022)
The 2021 Haut-Bailly II is soft, silky and super-expressive. Rose petal, spice, mint and red cherry fruit all grace this mid-weight second wine from Haut-Bailly. The aromatics are especially forward. The mid-weight structure of the vintage is very much on display. The 2021 is a real charmer.
Drink 2028 - 2041
Antonio Galloni, vinous.com (May 2022)
Easily one of the most successful 2nd wines in the vintage, with an effortless feel that no doubt took a huge amount of effort to craft. Finessed loganberry and raspberry fruits, saffron and sage spices, touches of white truffle with slate tannins. Harvest September 27 to October 11. First year in the new cellars. 19hl/h yield.
Drink 2024 - 2034
Jane Anson, janeanson.com (May 2022)
Red-berry aromas. Lively and fresh with crunchy fruit and grainy tannins on the finish. Juicy and appealing. A fun wine for earlier drinking with the possibility of medium-term ageing.
Drink 2025 - 2035
James Lawther, jancisrobinson.com (May 2022)
A blend dominated by 68% Merlot, the 2021 Haut-Bailly II exhibits aromas of plums, dark berries and raw cocoa, followed by a medium to full-bodied, lively and seamless palate. Underpinned by powdery tannins, it's an elegant, incipiently complex wine that contains all but one vat of the estate's best Merlot this year.
William Kelley, Wine Advocate (Apr 2022)
About this WINE
Chateau Haut-Bailly
Château Haut-Bailly is a Graves Cru Classé estate that has really hit form in the last 5-7 years. Haut-Bailly was bought by the Sanders family in 1955 and was run by Jean Sanders until 1998 when Robert G. Wilmers, an American banker, purchased it. It is located in the commune of Léognan, which is usually more associated with white wine production.
Haut-Bailly has 28 hectares of vineyards which are very well sited on high, gravelly ground just east of Léognan village. The wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (65%), Merlot (25%) and Cabernet Franc (10%). It is matured in small oak barriques (50% new) for 15 months and is bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Ch. Haut-Bailly makes small quantities of a rosé from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, preferring to use the single varietal to maintain freshness in the blend. The wine is fermented 1/3 in new oak barrels and 2/3 in stainless steel at 16°C.
Haut-Bailly is renowned for its smoothness and silkiness but, since the mid 1990s, the wines have better depth of fruit as well as more grip, concentration and body. They are now amongst the top echelons of Pessac-Léognan wines.
Pessac-Leognan
In 1986 a new communal district was created within Graves, in Bordeaux, based on the districts of Pessac and Léognan, the first of which lies within the suburbs of the city. Essentially this came about through pressure from Pessac-Léognan vignerons, who wished to disassociate themselves from growers with predominately sandy soils further south in Graves.
Pessac-Léognan has the best soils of the region, very similar to those of the Médoc, although the depth of gravel is more variable, and contains all the classed growths of the region. Some of its great names, including Ch. Haut-Brion, even sit serenely and resolutely in Bordeaux's southern urban sprawl.
The climate is milder than to the north of the city and the harvest can occur up to two weeks earlier. This gives the best wines a heady, rich and almost savoury character, laced with notes of tobacco, spice and leather. Further south, the soil is sandier with more clay, and the wines are lighter, fruity and suitable for earlier drinking.
Recommended Châteaux: Ch. Haut-Brion, Ch. la Mission Haut-Brion, Ch. Pape Clément, Ch Haut-Bailly, Domaine de Chevalier, Ch. Larrivet-Haut-Brion, Ch. Carmes Haut-Brion, Ch. La Garde, Villa Bel-Air.
Merlot/Cabernet Franc
Merlot and Cabernet Franc are grape varieties commonly used in Bordeaux-style blends, particularly in the Bordeaux region of France. When these two grapes are blended, they can create a wine that combines the best characteristics of each variety.
Merlot is known for its smoothness, soft tannins, and ripe fruit flavours. It often contributes black cherry, plum, and chocolate flavours to the blend. The grapes are relatively easy to grow and ripen earlier than other Bordeaux varieties, making them versatile for blending.
Cabernet Franc, on the other hand, adds structure, depth, and complexity to the blend. It typically brings aromas of red fruits such as raspberry and strawberry, along with herbal notes like bell pepper and tobacco. These grapes have thinner skins and can be more challenging to cultivate, requiring specific growing conditions to reach their full potential.
When Merlot and Cabernet Franc are combined, the result is a well-balanced wine with various flavours and aromas. The blend often exhibits a Bordeaux wine's medium to full body, along with a smooth texture and moderate tannins. The specific flavour profile can vary depending on the proportions of each grape in the blend and the terroir and winemaking techniques employed.
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Description
Merlot 70%, Cabernet Sauvignon 25%, Cabernet Franc 3%, Petit Verdot 2%
This is the recently rebranded second wine of Château Haut-Bailly. There’s rather more Merlot than usual, with much of that variety which would usually be taken by the grand vin incorporated this year. Compared to the more hedonistic examples that have been produced in very recent vintages, this is a more graceful, chiselled example. There is lots of lifted red-berry fruit and some pleasing earthier Graves notes to follow. The finish has a slightly grainy edge, but there is still enough weight to warrant some cellarage. Drink 2025-2035.
Our score: 16.5/20
Berry Bros. & Rudd, April 2022
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