TN: 2006 Château Haut-Bailly (France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan)

[JimHow]

• 2006 Château Haut-Bailly - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (8/7/2010)
  I'll upgrade this wine by a point from the last time I had it, which was about a year ago. Like the 2006 Duhart-Milon, you really get the sense that Bordeaux has fine-tuned everything, that they are producing the best wines that a particular vintage has to offer. Whether these techniques are good or not so good is for another discussion. I would have given this wine an extra couple points if it was more representative of its appellation. It had *some* of the scorched earth and gravel and smokiness that we expect from that region, but not that extra "wow" factor that I get from other wines in that neighborhod, other estates that are also taking full advantage of modern techniques and technology like, say, Smith Haut Lafitte. Still, having said all that, this should not be interpreted as a negative review. This wine was a stunner on both the nose and palate. A beautiful deep purple, pure and smooth, with no rough edges. It offered up luscious cassis and black cherry, with a good chunk of oak in evidence that should go away with time. Still very young, obviously. I really liked the wine and I don't think it would be fair to go so far as to call it "modernized." It is just not what I would describe as very representative of Pessac-Leognan. (93 pts.)

[William P]

I believe is was Ralph the bordeaux buyer at K&L who opined that Haut Bailly does not begin to show its stuff until age 10. I don't have enough experience with HB to know.

[stefan]

Depends on the vintage, Bill. The '99 was ready and rarin' to go younger. The '98 showed great promise the last time I drank it a couple of years ago. Since I have a case+ of it I am tempted to try one this year or next.

[PappaDoc]

Jacques opened a 1990 Haut Bailly, it was served with two other great 90s ,not certain but they may have been Lynch Bages and Robs STUNNING 90 Beausejour. At that moment the most complete/ready wine of the three was the Haut Bailly. It just had everything in phase, perfect equilibrium, a complete wine that was subtle and emphatic. While the more famed two were Wagner, the Haut Bailly was Brahams.

[JimHow]

Nic brought a 1990 Haut-Bailly to Chicago '01, I had only a very small taste of it but I recall a beautiful, supple, light on its feet Graves at the eleven-year mark.