Château Haut-Bailly: Tasting & Drinking
As suggested in my account of recent appointments and investment, the wines of Château Haut-Bailly are in my opinion currently on a high. During the 1990s I was a regular buyer, seeking out in particular the 1995, 1996 and 1998 vintages, the latter a much under-rated vintage for the region. The 1997 was one of the better wines of the vintage that I have encountered. Even mature examples such as the 1981, 1983 and 1985, that predate recent investments, remain very good today. But it is the very recent years that have seen the biggest change in both quality and character of the wines. For some time the wines also remained fabulous value, although prices inevitably began to reflect the quality more closely, perhaps starting with the stunning 2005 vintage, although to be fair prices for 2005 Bordeaux were high across the board. This was even more true with the 2009 and 2010 vintages, superb wines but now highly priced.
The 2003 was also excellent, sampled on several occasions in recent years. For those on a tighter budget, the 2002 may be worth considering. Tasted at the domaine in early 2008 during the 2007 primeurs (when a number of properties showed other vintages alongside the 2007, although more commonly the 2006 rather than the 2002), in the company of Véronique Sanders and a number of tasting colleagues, this lighter vintage has yielded an elegant, perfumed example.
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