2018 Haut Bailly
By Chateau Haut Bailly
2018 Haut Bailly from Chateau Haut Bailly, Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux
The 2018 vintage from Chateau Haut Bailly captures the essence of a year that was defined by its trial and triumph. The Bordeaux region faced its fair share of challenges in 2018, but for those who harnessed the unique conditions, the rewards are pressed into each bottle, as is evident in this exquisite offering.
A Vintage Defined by Harmony and Vigour
Within the cloistered vineyards of Pessac-Leognan, an alchemy of climatic stress and enological prowess birthed a vintage of remarkable depth. It's no secret that 2018 was a bastion for the reds in Bordeaux, and Haut Bailly seized the year with resolute hands. The estate's interpretation of this vintage results in a wine that manages to balance severity with poise—a composition punctuated by ripened tannins and an eloquent structure.
Investing in Elegance and Exuberance
For connoisseurs looking to expand their portfolio with a wine reflecting both subtlety and strength, the 2018 Haut Bailly emerges as a singular choice. Investors have long held a penchant for Bordeaux classics, buoyed by their ageing potential and enduring allure. This wine entwines immediate gratification with the promise of futures; a textured narrative woven into its very roots which speaks volumes to those poised at the subtle art of vinous investment.
The wine's profile flourishes with dark fruits, enshrined within a lattice of minerality that beams like graphite under pressure. Delicate floral notes pirouette on the palate, reminding us that elegance is not sacrificed at the altar of power. It's a flavour tapestry befitting Pessac-Leognan's storied earth, coaxed into existence by a year where nature doled out hardships only to reward resilience.
In summary, the passage of time will likely augment the 2018 Haut Bailly’s breadth and complexity—an opus created from a year when nature proved both a formidable adversary and an indomitable muse. For admirers seeking investment-grade wines that also promise remarkable drinking experiences, this vintage stands proudly among peers—an embodiment of Chateau Haut Bailly's unwavering commitment to excellence despite the odds.
Market price (USD)
$1,098.72
12x75cl
Highest score
98
POP score
50
Scores and tasting notes
This is a serious 2018, structured, layered and full of Haut-Bailly signature. The texture is striking, with the silkiness emphasised by a pH of 3.87 and a relatively high alcohol that is effortlessly integrated into the body of the wine. The complexity builds slowly through the palate but the persisting feeling is of menthol, a lifting off and peeling back of the intensity, revealing the fresher more nuanced notes underneath. There's a lot of the 2015 character here, in terms of its enjoyable structure and generous fruit, but it's more like 2016 in its serious finish, and there's no question that this will age well. The IPT is 86, more than the 84 measured in the 2010, but you don't feel it in the same way here. 5% Cabernet Franc completes the blend, co-fermented with Petit Verdot because they like the balance that it gives. 21hl/ha yield.
Jane Anson - Decanter - April 2019
Incredible depth of fruit to this with a center palate that shows superb character and texture. I love the hazelnut and coffee-bean undertones to the beautiful fruit, which shows great finesse. Full-bodied yet compact and tight, giving a sense of agility and flight to the wine. Extremely tight and polished tannins.
James Suckling - jamessuckling.com - April 2019
The 2018 Haut-Bailly is blended of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Grapes were harvested September 17 to October 9, and the wine has 14.4% alcohol. Deep purple-black in color, it opens slowly with profound notions of Black Forest cake, crème de cassis, roasted nuts and black olives, unfurling to reveal notions of menthol, crushed rocks, molten licorice and chargrilled meat plus a hint of lilacs. Full-bodied, rich and densely laden with layer upon layer of vibrant black fruits and mineral nuances, it has a solid backbone of firm, velvety tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long with compelling restraint and exciting energy.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Advocate, 23rd April 2019
The 2018 Haut-Bailly speaks with real authority and class. Deeply spiced notes lead into a core of red/purplish berry fruit, lavender, licorice, new leather, menthol and tobacco. Vivid and dramatic in bearing, the 2018 possesses striking resonance from start to finish. There is plenty of tannin as well, but it is pretty much buried by the sheer luxuriousness of the fruit, while the mid-palate and saline-infused finish show terrific freshness as well as purity. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot.
Antonio Galloni - Vinous - April 2019