Château Haut-Bailly 2018

The 2018 Haut-Bailly is blended of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc, and it has 14.4% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs a little coaxing to unlock a powerhouse of black fruit preserves, offering notes of blackberry pie, crème de cassis and black cherry compote, giving way to nuances of Chinese five spice, camphor, chocolate box and licorice with a touch of crushed rocks. The medium to full-bodied palate is jam-packed with plush textured, rich black fruits, supported by a lively backbone and finishing long and spicy. It is decadently tempting to drink now, but give it 5 years in bottle to begin to see its full glory, while it should continue to transform for a further 20 years or more in cellar.

Packed with steeped plum, blackberry and cassis flavors, this also sports licorice root, applewood and tar notes. Dense and shows a chewy edge, but it's seriously long, energetic and vibrant, so just cellar to let it unfurl. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2038. 5,000 cases made.

First vintage under Chris Wilmers, succeeding his father Bob. A brilliant Haut-Bailly, living up to its En Primeur promise, packed with ripe, rippling black and red berry fruit and a wonderful velvety texture. Still extremely young, more closed than it was during En Primeur, but packed with layers of brilliance, saline quality on the finish, with a tight slate grip slowing everything down. 5% Cabernet Franc completes the blend, co-fermented with Petit Verdot. A yield of 21 hl/ha.

Complex and expressive nose, offering red and dark fruit, spices and pepper with wood and mushroom undertones. Fresh mussel shell and a hint of ink, too. Full-bodied with a fine texture and great balance between the acidity and the controlled, tannic structure. Very long finish. Goes on and on. Tiny production, 21 hectoliters per hectare. Try after 2025.

The 2018 Haut-Bailly soars out of the glass, showing magnificent poise that only grows with time. Sweet, perfumed aromatics, silky tannins and mid-weight structure add to its considerable allure. Ripe red berry fruit, spice, blood orange, licorice, cedar, tobacco and menthol are all woven together in an effortless, classy Haut-Bailly that delivers the goods. I suppose the 2018 doesn't quite have the explosive energy of the very best years, but it more than makes up for that with its sensual, seductive personality.

The nose is off the charts with its cornucopia of black and red fruits, smoke, wet earth, spice box and Cuban cigar profile. On the palate the wine offers almost unequaled depth of flavor, concentration, richness, silky tannins and wave after wave of perfectly ripe, fresh, pure black and red fruits. The seamless finish seems almost endless as it builds and expands. Haut Bailly is not a flashy wine. It often shows much better with cellaring. Give this at least 10 years before pulling a cork. The wine was made from 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc. 2018 was produced from some of the lowest yields in the history of the estate at 21 hectoliters per hectare, cutting the production in half. If this is your style of wine, you might want to grab a few bottles.

Dark ruby, deep core, purple reflections, delicate edge brightening. Ripe dark berry fruit, delicate notes of fig and candied orange zest, subtle hints of leather and nougat, multi-faceted and inviting. Juicy, fruit-driven and elegant, fine cherry fruit, silky, well-integrated tannins, mineral-salty finish, already very well developed, finesse-rich aftertaste, sure ageing potential. (2020-2060).

I seriously considered adding one more point to the 2018 Château Haut-Bailly, and for all practical purposes, it’s as good as it gets. Based on 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, it has a majestic, full-bodied, multi-dimensional profile as well as a blockbuster bouquet of currants, chocolate-covered cherries, iron, tapenade, and smoked tobacco. It has a sunny, exuberant, uber-sexy style, yet it’s not over the top, and it has perfect ripeness (not overripe or underripe), beautiful tannins, and flawless overall balance. It’s approachable today yet should hit maturity in another 4–5 years and have a broad 30–40-year prime drinking window.

Kunz barrel sample 19: (55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot, 21 hl/ha, 60% Grand Vin) Concentrated, complex, mineral, powerful bouquet, plums, fine damsons, black cassis, smoke, graphite, dark noble woods, Black Currant. Tightly woven, multi-layered, powerful, elegant palate with plenty of fine tannin, a concentrated, finely muscular structure, varied, dense, dark aromatics, very long, dense, aromatic finish with many lingering flavors. (19/20). 21: RenLé Gabriel; Very dark, deep wine-red with violet reflections. Dense, concentrated bouquet, lots of cassis, elderberry and Black Currant pastilles, licorice, tar and vanilla bean. On the second approach, black cherry compote and pumpernickel bread. On the nose it seems much denser than earlier great Haut-Bailly vintages in their youth. On the palate it shows regal finesse yet power. Thanks to its generous extract, it feels extremely persistent in the highly aromatic finish. Bravo! 19/20 awaiting

Silky, dense, dark, complex, fresh, deep bouquet: plums, cassis, subtle dried fruit, coal, licorice, tobacco. Concentrated, tightly knit, velvety palate with powerful, dark, fresh fruit, plenty of fine tannins, a creamy, finely muscular structure, dense, dark aromatics, and a very long, dense, powerful finish. Can improve further. 19/20 2025 - 2060

Young, dense and deftly constructed, layered with dark blackberry pastille fruits, edges of mint leaf, graphite and griotte cherry, with balanced tannins. A deft handling of a vintage that saw some extremes of heat, and it will age extremely well. First vintage under Chris Wilmers, succeeding his father Bob Wilmers. Harvest from September 17 to October 8. Axel Marchal and Valérie Lavigne as consultants, Gabriel Vialard winemaker.

The 2018 Haut-Bailly has a deep garnet-purple color. It bursts with notes of plum preserves, baked blackberries, and crème de cassis, plus hints of Chinese five spice, potpourri, unsmoked cigars, and clove oil. Full-bodied, rich, and decadent, the palate has firm, grainy tannins and lovely freshness, finishing long and spicy. (Tasted twice, at Southwold and at the Chateau.)

The nose is highly refined, delicately powerful, with stony notes of small black fruits. A majestic concentration on the palate, with notes of black fruits and chocolate, and a kitten-tongue texture. A delectably noble wine.

Beyond the usual vineyard work, the 2018 vintage gave the teams plenty of trouble when it came to fighting downy mildew. Once in bottle, the wine hardly betrays the teams’ fierce efforts, across all estates, to support the vines in those difficult moments. The 2018 bouquet chiefly reveals finesse, perhaps a touch of fragility—but that’s because I know it’s 2018. Inviting notes of cocoa bean, blackcurrant, and black pepper. So far, so good. On the palate, the wine faithfully conveys the finesse announced on the nose. It is elegant, harmonious, and supported by fine-grained tannins with good reserves. I think it is in a phase “

Dark color with good intensity. Slightly reserved nose with ripe fruit. Supple on entry, flavorful mid-palate with depth and a silky body; the wine gathers pace on the finish, ending long with a deep flavor and very well-coated tannins. Alcohol by volume: 14.5%.

95–97. Barrel Sample. This wine initially seems easy and just packed with fruit. As you delve behind the black fruits, the tannins come into play. The considerable structure shows concentration with a dense side that has power and a lighter side that has fresh fruit. The wine should age impressively.