1990 Haut Bailly - Pessac Léognan Graves, Bordeaux, France

1990 Chateau Haut-Bailly
Opened for one hour. Not decanted.
At the opening, the color of Haut-Bailly 1990 looks youthful with few signs of ageing. The initial nose is quite reticent but evolves positively during the dinner from initially ripe red fruits, to more virile leather, tobacco, wet grass and cold smoke aromas. At the end of the evening, the aromatic definition becomes more refined with nice floral notes.
The structure on the palate opens progressively to a beautiful ripe fruit. Curiously, as time passes, 1990 High Bailly becomes more tannic and the end of the bottle reveals even a sort of astringency on the finish. Good but not exceptional persistence. 1990 Haut-Bailly is a very nice wine which desserves a couple of hours to reveal its potential, but I acknowledge that I had better memories of my previous bottle a couple of years ago. 1990 Haut Bailly currently seems to be in the middle of an evolution phase. It's no more on the fruit phase and has not quite reached the complex tertiary teritory yet. 89/100.   

2000 Haut Bailly - Pessac Léognan Graves, Bordeaux, France

50% Merlot - 50% Cabernet Sauvignon
2000 Haut Bailly : has an attractive berry-scented nose with hints of rosemary and menthol. A well made Haut Bailly, perfectly balanced and round. Classical finish of great elegance and lovely finesse. 2000 Haut Bailly is a success of the Pessac Leognan appellation. 89/100  

2004 Haut Bailly - Pessac Léognan Graves, Bordeaux, France

07/2007- Relatively pale color. Slightly roasted aromas with cedar, red fruit, and menthol nuances.
Svelte and characterful on the palate with elegant tannin. Slight dip on the middle palate with a touch of bitterness. However, the aftertaste is better-balanced and more flavorful. While this wine would certainly not stand out in a blind tasting, many wine lovers are sure to find it charming and attractive.

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