Château Haut-Bailly 2000

A classic effort, the 2000 Haut-Bailly exhibits notes of lead pencil shavings, raspberries, black currants, and loamy soil. Subtle hints of earth and smoke are also present in this medium-bodied, stylish, well-balanced, pure wine that emphasizes restraint and graciousness over power and blockbuster intensity. It has entered its plateau of maturity, where it should remain for another fifteen years.

Wonderful finesse and length to this wine. Loads of plum and berry, with hints of raspberry. Full-bodied, with a solid, velvety core of ripe fruit and tannins. Long finish. One of the few Pessacs better in 2000 than 1998. American-owned. Best after 2010. 6,665 cases made.

A gorgeous wine that is still flexing its muscles, showing controlled brilliance, barely putting a step out of line. The tannins are perfectly integrated but full of life, and the fruit is savoury with autumnal berries of blackberry and bilberry, set against grilled cedar, cool ash and careful flicks of black pepper spice. The overall character remains concentrated, barely a hint of tertiary flavours, still well bedded down with a long life ahead of it. A stretched-out harvest from September 13 to October 11, giving plenty of time to pick at full ripeness.

Still very youthful but starting to show its wonderful depth, structure and complexity. It’s full-bodied with silky tannins and a pretty fruit character that goes from currants to sweet earth. A wine to enjoy now and in the future.

(roughly a 50/50 blend of merlot and cabernet sauvignon) Good bright ruby-red. Deep, smoky aromas of plum syrup, raspberry, tobacco, iron and roasted nuts. Lush, silky and sweet, with insidious vinosity keeping the lush plum and tobacco flavors fresh and delineated. The suave merlot tannins spread out to cover the entire palate. Much more a merlot-dominated wine than the 2001, which is 65% cabernet sauvignon.

Coming around nicely, this is close to ready for prime-time drinking. Elegantly textured, the freshness in the fruits stand out here. The tannins are silky and the smoke, tobacco and cigar box nuances add to the overall experience. A few more years in the cellar will add even more secondary notes and addition levels of softness in the finish.

The 2000 Château Haut-Bailly is a clear step up over the 1998 and 1999, offering medium to full-bodied richness as well as wonderful purity in its darker currants, tobacco, chocolate, and graphite-like aromas and flavors. It’s concentrated and powerful, yet most of the baby fat has fallen away, and this is a classic Haut-Bailly (despite being a more Merlot-shifted blend) that has ripe, polished tannins, a seamless mouthfeel, and a great finish.

Very dark ruby-purple color. Fresh, spicy, floral bouquet with an inky spiciness and notes of prune. Full-bodied, with rich, dense extract; again lots of spice, plus licorice, tobacco, black cherries, and a lingering astringency that’s still gently gripy. Great potential.

01: Very dark ruby-purple. Fresh, spicy floral bouquet, inky spice, stewed prunes. Full, dense extract, again plenty of spice, liquorice, tobacco, black cherries, persistent astringency—still gently abrasive, yet showing great potential. The path to success seems to be back on track. (18/20). 13: Very dark, still showing few mature notes. This is Bordeaux! Fantastic nose, very profound: black plums and truffle, clearly expressing great terroir. On the palate you feel the warmth, in other words the Cabernet ripeness of the vintage—still young, but now ushering in a truly wonderful first drinking window. It may even improve further. (18/20). 20: From a magnum in Bad Homburg. Still quite firm in terms of tannins. The palate is, however, medium-bodied. Now fully mature and among the rather great 1982s—even if there are still better ones. (18/20). 21: Medium wine-red with first signs of maturity. Open, delicately spicy bouquet. Not particularly powerful, but very elegant. This allows the wine to reveal many layers, with a multifaceted аромат. Earthy, nutty, cedar and other noble woods. On the second pass, discreetly lactic, which gives it a gentle fullness. On the palate it also shows fine maturity; the fruit seems slightly sweet, with nuances of raisins and prunes. I would like a bit more initial drive. It feels very easy-going and is also very good. Unfortunately, it can’t quite keep up with the top wines of this vintage. (18/20).

Powerful, dark, velvety, fruity bouquet with notes of plum, mint, herbs, tobacco and blackcurrant. Balanced, dense, powerful yet elegant palate with a multi-layered, finely muscular structure, plenty of fine tannins, a diverse dark aromatic profile, and a very long, aromatic finish. 19/20 drink – 2045

The ruby colour retains a vibrant core, aromatics flirting with tertiary, softened raspberry and brambled blackberry fruits, campfire and grilled cedar smoke, this is balanced and effortless while building in concentration through the glass, layering up with pulses of black pepper, rosemary, oyster shell, pomegranate and mandarin. The 2000 vintage took its time but it is now seriously in its stride. Harvest September 13 to October 11. Denis Dubourdieu consultant, Véronique Sanders director and CEO as of this vintage. 50% new oak.

Still slightly reserved, with a palate that feels dense and deep, and beautifully ripe fruit. Very long and refined.

A fresh, expansive nose combining menthol and spicy notes with aromas of fresh tobacco. A fine presence on the palate with a magical, spellbinding freshness.

The 2000 vintage enjoyed generous weather conditions, with temperatures 2°C above average and nine days of extreme heat that proved decisive for the grapes’ development. Thick skins and good berry concentration characterized the fruit in this vintage. Harvest took place between September 13 and October 11. It began on September 13 with a plot of young Merlot vines, but Cabernet was not picked until October 3. On the nose, Haut-Bailly 2000 offers a fine aromatic balance in which every component is showcased—terroir, grape varieties and ageing alike. It shows lovely complexity, with notes of graphite and blackcurrant, as well as prune and, finally, eucalyptus. On the palate, the wine is in fine form. It has a dependable, well-structured frame, carried by a perfect interplay between tannins and acidity. The aromatic expression is intense, from the attack through to the finish. A wine of character that has certainly reached its peak, yet still has plenty of time ahead of it.

Logo on the cork: AL Dark colour, moderately intense, youthful and attractive. An intense, fruity nose, slightly reductive, with a hint of honey. Supple on the attack, then full on the mid-palate, the wine develops with both tannic structure and richness. It finishes powerful, long and a little firm.