HAUT-BAILLY II Grand Vin Pessac-Leognan 2023 Bottle

Description

IN BRIEF
2023 Haut-Bailly II marries ripe Pessac-Léognan power with elegant poise: deep ruby with a bright garnet rim, blackcurrant and black cherry opening to plum compote and violet, underpinned by graphite, bay and tobacco. Judicious French oak adds cedar, clove and a faint mocha note. Medium–full, generous and polished, with bright acidity, fine-grained tannins and a saline mineral thread. Mid-palate spice of black pepper and liquorice adds drive, finishing persistent and refined. Drink 2026–2038 with roast sirloin, confit duck or mushroom risotto. Critics: Dunell’s 95 (“refined”), Decanter 93 (“floral”), Vinous 90–93 (“pretty”). Smooth, balanced and cellarworthy—an alluring second wine that offers both immediate charm and ageing potential. Lovely now, it will repay patient cellaring with greater complexity and spice, indeed.

ABOUT THIS WINE
The 2023 growing season in Pessac Léognan was warm and dry with some well timed rain which produced ripe, concentrated fruit while preserving fresh acidity where yields were managed carefully. Haut Bailly II Grand Vin 2023 is typically blended from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and a touch of Cabernet Franc, a mix that brings both dark fruit concentration and aromatic lift. Fermentation is carried out with precise temperature control and gentle extraction to favour polished tannins. Elevage takes place in French oak, a proportion of which is new, used judiciously to add spice, cedar and a subtle toast that frames rather than masks the fruit. A short period on fine lees and careful racking contribute mid palate richness and textural polish.

The wine pours a deep ruby with a bright garnet rim. The nose opens with blackcurrant and black cherry, then unfurls plum compote, cranberry brightness and a floral note of violet. Beneath the fruit sits a mineral graphite seam and savoury elements of bay leaf and tobacco leaf. Oak adds cedar, a touch of clove and a faint mocha note that lends depth to the aromatics.

On the palate the 2023 is medium to full bodied and immediately generous. Ripe black fruit and dark cherry lead the attack while a lively thread of acidity keeps the profile fresh and focused. Tannins are fine grained and well integrated, providing structure and length without austerity. Mid palate spice of black pepper and a hint of liquorice appears alongside a saline mineral line that carries through to a persistent finish. The texture is smooth and the progression through the palate is confident, revealing layers of savoury complexity as the wine breathes.

Suggested drinking window 2026 to 2038. Serve slightly below room temperature around 16 to 18 degrees Celsius. Food pairings include roast sirloin of beef with thyme and anchovy butter, confit duck leg, chargrilled ribeye, venison loin with juniper and red wine jus, mushroom and truffle risotto, or a platter of mature comté and cured meats. Overall this Haut Bailly II is refined, balanced and offers both immediate pleasure and genuine cellaring potential.

DUNELL'S 95 points
Reviewed by Neil Pinel
Deep ruby with a bright garnet rim. Smells of blackcurrant, black cherry and plum compote with violet and cranberry lift. Savoury graphite, bay and tobacco sit under the fruit while oak brings cedar, clove and a touch of mocha. Medium to full bodied, generous and polished, with ripe dark fruit, lively acidity and fine tannins. Spicy mid palate and a saline thread carry to a long finish. Refined, balanced and ready to cellar 2026 to 2038.

DECANTER 93 points
Tasted by: Georgina Hindle (at Bordeaux, 11 Apr 2024)
Drinking Window: 2027 - 2038
Fragrant nose, really quite floral - rose, violets and peonies on the nose with raspberry and red cherry. Soft and suave, this has a silky elegance to it. Tannins are a little powdery, giving some structure, and just take over the fruit, bit this has ripe fruit and a minty, fresh undercurrent which keeps the lift all the way through. Plus this feels like it has depth. A great second wine, more body than some, a chew and soft sweetness that is nice. It’s a little light overall, but very Haut-Bailly esque, elegant with some wood spice, cedar and bitter liquorice on the finish. 3.75pH. Ageing 12 months, 30% new oak.

VINOUS 90-93 points
Drinking window: 2028 - 2043
The 2023 Haut-Bailly II is soft, open-knit and very pretty. I am almost shocked by how accessible the II is today. Then again, I tasted it on a warm, very sunny day, ideal conditions for tasting wines from barrel. Crushed flowers, spice, mint, dried herbs and rose petal are all very nicely lifted. Silky tannins add to the wine's considerable charm.
Antonio Galloni. Tasting date: April 2024

THE WINE ADVOCATE (90-92) points
Reviewed by: Yohan Castaing
Drink Date: 2025 - 2035
Aromas of cassis, mulberries, violet and dark wild berries characterized this elegant, gourmand and fresh 2023 Haut-Bailly II. This is a blend of 64% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc matured 30% in new oak and the rest in one- to two-year-old barrels.
Published: Apr 26, 2024

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ABOUT CHATEAU HAUT-BAILLY
Château Haut Bailly is a flagship estate of Pessac Léognan known for producing profoundly elegant, terroir driven wines that combine aromatic precision with structural depth. The vineyard sits on a prominent gravel ridge above the Garonne where deep, well drained gravels over fossil rich subsoils give the wines a lifted floral perfume and a saline mineral thread. Plantings are dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, producing blends that marry purity of fruit with fine tannic architecture.

The estate has been owned by the Wilmers family since 1998 and remains under their stewardship. Robert G. Wilmers instigated major investments in the vineyards and cellar and his son Christopher Wilmers has continued that commitment to long term quality. Management is overseen by Véronique Sanders who acts as managing director and a public face for the property, maintaining a balance of family continuity and professional oversight.

Technical direction and winemaking are led by Gabriel Vialard who has modernized cellar operations while preserving a classical approach. Vinification is parcel by parcel with strict selection in the vineyard and at reception. Grapes are carefully handled to preserve aromatic lift and varietal character. Fermentations are temperature controlled with attentive extraction regimes to achieve ripe tannin without harshness. The estate’s gravity fed cellar allows gentler movement of grapes and must, reducing mechanical stress. Ageing takes place in French oak barrels with the proportion of new oak adapted to vintage character and the needs of each cuvée, yielding wines where oak supports texture rather than overpowers fruit.

Recent vintages have reinforced Haut Bailly’s reputation for both early charm and long term potential. Critics have consistently praised the estate for its balance of perfume and backbone and for wines that evolve gracefully in bottle. Tasting notes commonly highlight peony and violet on the nose, black cherry and graphite on the palate, fine grain tannins and a long saline finish. Haut Bailly remains a benchmark of Pessac Léognan where meticulous vineyard work, thoughtful cellar technique and steady ownership produce wines that reward both near term enjoyment and patient cellaring.