2021 Chateau Haut Bailly - Grand Cru Classe Pessac-Leognan

Decanter.com – 95 pts – GH: *Seductive blackcurrant and juniper with purple floral touches on the nose. Smooth texture with high acidity giving sharp strawberry fruit balanced by both savoury and mineral touches - slate, crushed stone, smoke, violets and dark chocolate - very much in the style of the vintage with no harshness or overt opulence but instead gives a pure sense of classicism, restraint and refinement. Elegant and well structured with a long determined finish - this will continue to deliver pleasure for a long time. 10% press wine. No chaptalisation. 30% grand vin. 3.9pH. 3% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. Yield 19hl/ha. First year in the new cellar.* - 04/2022

Falstaff Magazin – 94 pts – PM: *Dunkles Rubingranat, tiefer Kern, violette Reflexe, dezente Randaufhellung. Schwarze Kirschen und Cassis, feine Würze, zartes Nougat, kandierte Orangenzesten. Saftig, reife Kirschen, ein Hauch von Pflaumen, seidige, reife Tannine, salziger Touch, gute Frische, bleibt haften, ein facettenreicher Speisenbegleiter, sehr pure Stilistik, sicheres Reifepotenzial. Très chic!* - 05/2022

Vinum Magazin – 19/20 pts: *Sehr zurückhaltende, aber edle, ungemein reintönige Aromatik; unglaublicher Fruchtausdruck schon im Ansatz, entwickelt gemächlich Dichte, Rasse und Fülle dank erstklassigem Tannin, grosse Länge; unglaublicher Wein, der lange reifen kann, aber auch schon recht jung Freude bereiten wird.*

WeinWisser – 19/20pts – GL, TW: *65 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 22 % Merlot, 10 % Petit Verdot, 3 % Cabernet Franc, 19 hl/ha. Ergreifendes Parfüm, frischgepflückte Johannisbeeren, Himbeergelee, getrockneter Thymian, heller Tabak und Hibiskus. Am komplexen Gaumen mit seidiger Textur, balancierter Rasse und engmaschigem Tanningerüst – ein Modellathlet. Im konzentrierten, energiegeladenen Finale mit edler roter Cassiswürze, weißem Pfeffer und langem Rückaroma! Den Jahrgang beschreibt Véronique Sanders kurz und knapp: „Very chic“!* – 04/2022

Thewinecellarinsider.com – (94-96) pts – JL: *Initially you notice the blackberries, black plums, and black currants before moving on to the tobacco, flowers, spice, and smoke in the aromatic profile. Supple, refined, and elegant, perhaps the best way to describe the wine is modern chic, or modern classic if you prefer. The tannins are soft and polished, and the fruit is pure, clean, and fresh, with a salty, mildly-chalky, supple endnote. Although it is going to probably always be a bit reticent in character, you will be able to approach and enjoy this wine in its youth, as well as age it for more complexity. The wine blends 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. The blend represents the highest percentage of Petit Verdot in the history of the estate. 13% ABV, pH 3.9. The harvest took place September 27 to October 11. The Grand Vin was produced from 50% of the harvest. 2021 is the first vintage produced in their new, state-of-the-art cellars. Drink from 2025-2055.* - 05/2022