2017 Ch Haut-Bailly, Pessac-Léognan

The wine was made from 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. The wine reached 13.6% alcohol.

Blackberry, walnut, iodine, and sandalwood aromas follow through to a full body, round and juicy tannins and an intense, flavorful finish. This shows richness with structure. Excellent 2017. Try after 2023.

95 points James Suckling
 
A smoky bar around the time of the Third French Republic, alive with the scent of tar, tobacco, the essence of cassis and blackberry aperitifs and other herbal elixirs. Hints of flowers create the complex set of aromatics that bring us to this imaginary Café De La Paix, 1900. On the palate, the wine has polish, softness, energy and a lot of lift. Bright but not flashy, this is a classically styled vintage for the estate which will show well early, yet possess the ability to age as well. The wine was made from 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc, reaching 13.2% alcohol with a pH of 3.74. The Grand Vin was produced from 50% of the harvest, which took place from September 13 to September 29. Unfortunately, Haut Bailly lost 30% of the crop due to the spring frost.

95 points Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

The 2017 Haut-Bailly is an understated beauty. Nothing in particular stands out rather it is the wine's balance that impresses most. All the classic Haut-Bailly signatures come through in a mid-weight, super-finessed wine that hits all the right notes. Dark red and blue stone fruits, graphite, smoke, licorice and incense are all laced into the super-expressive finish. The 2017 emerges from the estate's central, most historic parcels, as those vineyards were not affected by the April frost that took with it 30% of the production.

93-96 points Antonio Galloni Vinous

Few estates in Bordeaux embody quiet refinement like Château Haut-Bailly. Situated on one of Pessac Léognan's finest gravel ridges, the estate has been crafting exceptional wines for more than four centuries. Under the stewardship of the Wilmers family and the direction of Véronique Sanders, Château Haut-Bailly has earned worldwide acclaim for producing Cabernet Sauvignon led wines that combine remarkable elegance, precision and longevity, making it one of the Left Bank's true benchmarks.

The 2017 vintage rewarded meticulous vineyard management and the estate's exceptional terroir, producing a wine of outstanding purity, freshness and balance. The deep gravel soils delivered beautifully concentrated fruit with remarkable aromatic definition, while careful élevage has shaped a wine of effortless harmony that reflects the classical style for which Haut-Bailly is renowned.

Deep garnet with youthful ruby highlights, the bouquet unfolds with aromas of cassis, blackberry and black cherry layered with cedar, graphite and cigar box. As the wine evolves, notes of violets, tobacco leaf, truffle and subtle spice emerge, adding remarkable complexity. The palate is refined and beautifully proportioned, combining concentrated black fruits with cashmere fine tannins, vibrant freshness and a seamlessly integrated mineral backbone. Long, graceful and impeccably balanced, the finish lingers with savoury spice, floral perfume and unmistakable Pessac Léognan finesse.

A magnificent companion for Chateaubriand, roast lamb, venison, duck with black truffle or mature Comté. Already superb with extended decanting, this distinguished Bordeaux has the pedigree and structure to evolve beautifully for decades.

Cellaring: Drink now to 2050.