Château Haut-Bailly 2022

An aroma that leaves you speechless; deep, floral, immensely complex, quiet yet present; straight on the palate, very compact, precise, with excellent tannin quality, delicate fruit; a finish of sublime length. A truly great Haut-Bailly.

Wonderful scents of sweet red berries – wild strawberries with perfumed floral notes – an expressive and appealing nose. Sumptuous and smooth, it leans into the vintage in terms of depth and richness of body, but the tannins are beautifully fine and there’s a streamlined core of very cool, fresh blueberries and plums with cola and wet stone accents. It’s very controlled and elegant – supremely finessed with each element harmonised to the others. Still a little quiet in terms of acidity, less openly vibrant and uplifting than some, with flashes of heat and menthol spice on the finish. The texture is brilliant, it’s just still a little potent.

The aromas of blueberry, blackberry and sandalwood come through so clearly that they entice you before you taste. In the mouth, it has such an intensity of silky tannins caressing every inch of your palate. Very classy and extremely long, it goes on and on. 56% cabernet sauvignon, 37% merlot, 5% petit verdot and 2% cabernet franc. Needs four to five years of bottle age. Best after 2029.

The 2022 Haut-Bailly was the second vintage made in the new cellar. It was bottled at the end of March, a little earlier than some other wines in this vintage, as Gabrielle prefers an earlier settling in barrel. This spent the last two months in tank at a cold temperature at the end of the élevage. It has a captivating nose that's so clean and precise, featuring bilberry fruit, crushed stone, light sea spray and estuarine scents. The palate is medium-bodied and very fresh, with crunchy blackberry fruit tones and plenty of sapidity. This has real tension and minerality from start to finish, yet it is imbued with a sense of weightlessness that distinguishes it from its peers. It is outstanding.

Elegant, sophisticated, lively, and long, the wine opens with an aromatic display of flowers, cigar box, blackberries, currants, smoke, cherries, and espresso. On the palate, the wine shows levels of finesse coupled with concentration that are difficult to achieve. The finish perfectly expresses its elegant character, layers of perfectly ripe, vibrant fruits, and a fabulous sense of purity, setting the stage to age and evolve for decades. The blend is 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. As this evolves, it could score higher, as Haut Bailly is a wine that does not always reveal everything it has to offer in its youth. Drink from 2030–2060.

Deep ruby in colour with purple reflections, and a subtle ochre rim. On the nose, a multi-faceted bouquet of ripe cherry, blackberry confit, a hint of cassis, and a touch of cranberry and tobacco. The palate is full-bodied, with a fine structure, ripe, supporting tannins, red cherry fruit and a saline, mineral finish, very fresh. Already a very fine food wine, with definite ageing potential. (01/2025, PM).

56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 30 hl/ha. Densely interwoven bouquet, sublime in style, delicate, with red-berry contours, seductive iris perfume, black peppercorns, dark minerality and licorice. On the sublime palate with a silky texture, cocoa-like tannin framework, balanced drive, saline extract and a perfectly shaped body. In the concentrated, long-lasting finish, black-berry contours, coriander, verbena and a noble astringency. A pure package of finesse with high ageing potential. WOW – this is the best wine from Léognan.

Maintains the estate’s signature, with silky, velvety tannins, a moment of quiet amid the exuberance of the vintage. Crushed rose petals, dark fruits, slate and pencil, with fennel, incense, finessed tannins, a reflection of the vintage without straying into exuberance. Great winemaking on display. 50% new oak for ageing, harvest September 7 to 27. Veronique Sanders estate director, Gabriel Vialard winemaker.

An enchanting yet elegant bouquet, it captivates with a harmonious interplay of indulgent cocoa, dark fruits, and a hint of refined sapidity. The palate reveals a vibrant acidity and an exhilarating salinity. The fruit, rich and ample, coats the mouth with sumptuous generosity and a velvety texture.

Deep, intense colour. Very aromatic nose with ripe fruit, deep and complex. Very delicate on the attack, with a graceful texture, the wine develops depth while maintaining this great delicacy. It finishes complex, rich, refined and noble, with a long, sappy finish. Thrilling! The best ever, along with the 2016.

Second vintage vinified in the fabulous chai and the 25th for the Wilmers family. It’s a monument of finesse—in a word, pure class. Carried by feather‑fine tannins, the supple, slender texture delivers a complex bouquet with notes of cedar and fresh spices uplifted by raspberry flavors. Everything is seamless, poised, and remarkably elegant.

A youthfully reticent bouquet of licorice, pencil lead, spices and dark berries prefaces the 2022 Haut-Bailly, a medium to full-bodied, layered and structured wine with a concentrated core of lively fruit framed by youthfully firm tannins. Concluding with a long, energetic and pencil lead-inflected finish, the 2022 has gained in elegance and integration during élevage, yet it will require time to fully mellow and realize its full potential.