The Château Haut-Bailly estate has really hit form in the last 5-7 years. Haut-Bailly was bought by the Sanders family in 1955 and was run by Jean Sanders until 1998 when Robert G. Wilmers, an American banker, purchased it. It is located in the commune of Léognan, which is usually more associated with white wine production.
Haut-Bailly has 28 hectares of vineyards which are very well sited on the high, gravelly ground just east of Léognan village. The wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (65%), Merlot (25%) and Cabernet Franc (10%). It is matured in small oak barriques (50% new) for 15 months and is bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Haut-Bailly is renowned for its smoothness and silkiness but, since the mid-1990s, the wines have a better depth of fruit as well as more grip, concentration and body. They are now amongst the top echelons of Pessac-Léognan wines.
97 Points Jane Anson
Cashmere tannins, brooding Cabernet Sauvignon cassis, crayon and gunsmoke character, finely boned and balanced. Hints of leather, cold ash, cassis, pepper, saffron as it settles into itself, all with an architecture that supports the fruit without getting in the way. Effortlessly complex. Harvest September 14 to October 11, 41hl/h yield. This wine has taken its time to reach the beginning of its drinking window, and will develop and deepen further over the next decade, and continue to impress for many decades after that.
96+ Points Wine Advocate
The 2005 Haut-Bailly, is dense purple with loads of graphite, earth, spice, blackberry and blueberry fruit, beautiful balance, medium to full body, and stunning purity, texture and length. Still incredibly young at age 10, this wine is set for 30 or more years of longevity. This is a great, great Haut-Bailly that will one day probably rival 2009 and 2010. Drink 2015-2045.