Château Haut-Bailly Pessac-Léognan rouge 2020 - Grand Cru Classé

 

“With its distinctive and utterly charming style, this estate—acquired in 1998 by American banker Robert Wilmers—produces a wine of unique integrity and class. Véronique Sanders, the former owner’s granddaughter, carefully manages the day-to-day operations of this classified growth alongside the highly competent technical director, Gabriel Vialard. She produces a harmonious and supremely balanced red wine here, adhering to Bordeaux traditions without ever overdoing it in an attempt to overshadow the wines’ very natural profile. The terroir of gravel over iron-rich clay allows the wines to develop a highly seductive bouquet of morello cherries and a velvety texture unmatched in this part of Léognan. It is very difficult to find fault with a single vintage: all of them, with an inimitable, long, and refined style, achieve excellence. A word of caution to overly impatient enthusiasts: like any great wine worth its salt, Haut-Bailly can be austere in its youth. It truly reveals itself only after a few years of aging.”

This wine exudes incredible power and energy, with aromas of blackberry, black olive, and graphite. Full-bodied, it is both dynamic and agile, with silky yet powerful tannins. The overall impression is harmonious and balanced. An exceptional character. The cellar master describes it as a “diabolical beauty.” Production was reduced by 25% compared to the 2019 vintage. Blend: 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot.

Another wine I underestimated when it was first released, the 2020 Château Haut-Bailly borders on perfection. While the 2018 is closer in style to the 2009, this one is more understated and reminiscent of the 2010. Full-bodied, concentrated, and powerful, it nonetheless offers a precise and clean palate of incredible purity, with aromas and flavors of black fruit, smoked tobacco, cedar, and Asian spices. The quality of the tannins is exceptional, and this wine possesses all the qualities one would expect from a great wine. It will need another 4 to 6 years (or even more) to reach its peak, and it will continue to evolve for over 50 years.

While it possesses the charm of the previous vintage, its complexity is astonishing upon tasting. It comes across as denser, more concentrated, and more powerful. It has a lively character, crisp red cherry notes, and, above all, a fine-grained texture supported by subtle acidity. It exudes energy and class.

If 2020 has a challenge to face, it’s the fact that I’ve set a 100/100 target for its release in December 2022. So, in this scenario, there are two of us who have to rise to the challenge: Sieur Haut-Bailly and yours truly… Rest assured, he’s far less worried about it than I am. The bouquet is dazzling in its purity, depth, and subtlety. Everything is so perfectly in order that one wonders if it will ever go through a rebellious phase, like a mischievous child! And besides, it would be perfectly within its rights to do so. Nevertheless, it’s hard to put such greatness on the back burner. The bouquet heralds a brilliant wine, and the palate is eager to rise to the challenge; it smiles at the prospect, knowing full well that it’s here to carry on the legacy of that exceptional 2020 vintage. The palate combines depth, breadth, power, charm, subtlety, finesse, and persistence. The level of precision is such that I wonder where I could possibly find fault with this wine… well, if I say “find fault,” that’s a rather frustrating way of putting it… at least for the wine, because personally I believe that 100 points isn’t a maximum, but rather a limit (in this case, at least)! Thank you to this wine for supporting me on this journey designed to build my confidence. Haut-Bailly 2020 is one of the greatest 2020 vintages in Bordeaux. 2030–2070

On the nose, floral notes give way to aromas of cigar wrapper, spices, blackberry, blackcurrant, black cherry, smoke, and subtle hints of forest floor. Highly concentrated, vibrant, and refined, the palate offers a multitude of nuances of perfectly ripe red fruits, a fabulous sense of purity, silky, supple, and polished tannins, as well as a lovely liveliness on the finish, creating the ideal conditions for aging and development over several decades. Best enjoyed between 2027 and 2060.