Château Haut-Bailly 2006

A superb success for the vintage, the 2006 exhibits a deep ruby/purple hue as well as a poised, classic bouquet of sweet black cherries, graphite, camphor, truffles, and a subtle hint of oak. Medium-bodied with a stunningly layered texture, impressive purity, and beautiful balance, this cuvee is haute couture in a glass. Although surprisingly approachable, it won’t hit its adolescent stage for 8-10 years, and will last for 25-30 years thereafter. Bravo! It is extraordinary to see what the American proprietor, a banker from Buffalo, NY, Robert Wilmers and Veronique Sanders, the granddaughter of the former proprietor, have accomplished at Haut-Bailly. Together they are pushing this outstanding terroir to first-growth quality levels. It is an amazing success story, and readers looking for a quintessentially elegant Bordeaux need look no further than Haut-Bailly.

Berries, mineral and violet on the nose follow through to a full body, with chewy tannins and a beautiful floral finish. Starts out earthy, but turns rich and beautiful. Evolves beautifully in the glass. Best after 2013. 6,665 cases made.

90—92 Barrel sample. High wood aromas, the palate dominated by wood. The fruit is diminished and hidden by all this toast, giving quite a bitter aftertaste. This is wine that needs aging.

A vintage that gets overlooked after the brilliance of the 2005, but that has a lot to offer in its structure and classicism. The fruit character here is dark, still knitted down, even moody, with plenty of aromatics and fresh acidities. The grip is evident, with tannins that are holding everything in place, not quite ready to let go, with earth and liquorice coming through as it opens in the glass.

Aromas of fresh herbs with some tobacco, lavender and black fruit. Earth, too. Medium to full body with tight, polished tannins. Long, firm and racy. Drink now.

Blackish crimson. Very fresh and crisp. Zesty. Very direct. Lots of fine tannins. Seems to have more volume and fruit than the 2005! (JR)

The smoky dark red fruits are the show here. Classic and classy, with firm tannins, good concentration and a lot of lift to the red berries in the rich, lengthy, fresh mouth-filling. Tannic and young, it takes about 4 hours to soften, or if you are patient, wait until 2026.

The 2006 Château Haut-Bailly is more forward and charming, but it's another seriously good wine. Dried flowers, currants, chocolate, sandalwood, cigar, and graphite all shine here, and it's one of those wines you could just smell all evening. With plenty of mid-palate depth, medium to full body, and ripe, integrated tannins, drink this beauty over the coming 10-12 years.

Superb color, plenty of fruit, incredible length. Very dark garnet with a purplish sheen. Stunningly complex, sweet bouquet of wild berries, violet, red cassis, coconut and white chocolate, the nose radiating complete harmony. Creamy, dense yet very fine on the palate, silky, well-shaped tannins, perfect astringency, showing convincing vinification; within the sweet, dense extract are fresh, ripe red cherries, and the finish ends with a wonderful milk-chocolate touch. The appellation leader and one of the absolute top wines of the 2006 vintage.

Véronique Sanders: “Shortly before harvest, we were expecting a maximum of 35 hectolitres per hectare and extremely concentrated wines. After the rain, the grapes were still perfectly ripe, but there was ‘a bit’ more juice in them, meaning the final yield came in at around 50 hectolitres per hectare. The advantage of rain—something no grower ever wants just before harvest—is that the rounded, hilly shape of our vineyards provides very good drainage, and because of the loose soil structure the vine roots cannot immediately soak everything up. As a result, we ran little risk of rot and were able to wait quite a long time to gain even more ripeness in the tannins. At first we thought the Merlots delivered the best lots and began blending with a lot of Merlot and little Cabernet. But the more Cabernet Sauvignon we added, the better the potential Haut-Bailly 2006 became.” Superb colour, plenty of fruit, an incredible length. Very dark garnet with a purple sheen. Stunningly complex, sweet bouquet: wild berries, violet, red cassis, coconut and white chocolate; the nose radiates complete harmony. Creamy, dense yet very fine on the palate, with silky, well-shaped tannins, perfect astringency, showing convincing winemaking; within the sweet, dense extract are fresh, ripe red cherries, and the finish ends with a wonderful milk-chocolate touch. Proof that the Léognan wines are among the best red wines of the vintage this year; this is even the appellation leader, and indeed one of the absolute top wines of the 2006 vintage. (19/20). 13: At a lunch at Haut-Bailly. According to cellar master Gabrial Vialard, it’s the first time one has the feeling it is now slowly opening up. It was indeed somewhat open, but everything is still playing out on a palate that is developing slowly. So there is a guarantee of a good 30 years here. (19/20). 19: At a lunch with friends at the Brandenberg in Zug. At first it was a little too cool, which compressed it and made it even more serious. A classic, straight, top-class Léognan. I would wait a bit longer, or decant it for about three hours. (19/20). 20: At Urs Rathschiller’s. I decanted it and we didn’t drink it until three hours later. Yet the wine was still closed. Its greatness is clear, but it still feels introverted. So better to wait than to decant. (19/20). 21: Fairly deep, dark garnet with minimal purple reflections at the rim. Particularly spicy, dense bouquet. It shows an impressive concentration, but is no longer as unapproachable as it used to be and documents an exciting depth. This comes through in an appealing truffle note which, from beneath, accompanies the sweet-fruited notes above in the aromatic profile. The palate is fleshy, still with accompanying tannins that give length and potential. A masculine Haut-Bailly for soon, but also for the day after tomorrow. Decanting is an idea. Waiting is the even better option if one wants to do it justice. (19/20)

Cool blue and black fruits, well balanced, soft campfire smoke, blackberry and pomegranate, supple and welcoming even though this was a cooler-than-average year, with soft hints of mint leaf, grilled sandalwood and liquorice. A wine with finesse and clarity of expression. 50% new oak. Harvest September 13 to October 15. 41hl/h yield, Denis Dubourdieu consultant. 50% new oak.

A feminine nose, subtly opulent and perfumed, very floral with notes of terracotta and flower pollen. Lively on the palate, concentrated and caressing, with a powerful, long finish.

A dry spring and a scorching start to summer encouraged the development of fine clusters with small berries and allowed the vines to stop growing at just the right time. Cooler temperatures in August prevented ripening from stalling, maintained a good level of acidity and preserved the grapes’ aromatic potential. Bleeding, carried out on the Cabernet Sauvignons, made it possible, on the one hand, to achieve beautiful natural concentration and, on the other, to produce a bright, appealing rosé. Harvest took place from 13 September to 15 October. Like 2004, this vintage is a great classic. I like the way Haut-Bailly makes things clear right from the outset, through its quiet strength. It knows what it wants and what it can achieve. The bouquet is complex and multifaceted, showing fruity notes of blueberries and blackberries, along with aromas of liquorice wood and a touch of Sichuan pepper. The ageing is also nicely highlighted in a complementary way. On the palate, the wine is dense and fruity, with compact, fine-grained tannins that are in perfect harmony with the pedigree of the structure. The latter gives it pedigree and supports the aromatic expression through to the finish. What balance in this wine, where breadth and freshness harmonize brilliantly. A very fine success.

The nose is elegant and powerful, with a certain finesse. It reveals notes of blackberry, blackcurrant and plum, paired with hints of forest floor, truffle, and a subtle touch of toasted oak. The palate is fruity, well-balanced, harmonious and tightly knit, offering lovely substance, a fine racy minerality (terroir), a silky texture, fleshy fruit, a touch of juiciness and a nicely fresh backbone. On the palate, the wine expresses notes of blackcurrant, blackberry jam and damson plum, along with delicate hints of strawberry, a discreet touch of raspberry and licorice. The tannins are fine and elegant. Good length.

This is a great success for Haut-Bailly, superior to the 2005. Dark, intense colour with slight development. A superb, silky and subtle nose. The palate is creamy, aromatic, savoury and well-balanced, unfolding into a noble, mellow power, with outstanding tannin quality on the finish. Blend: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot.