Château Haut-Bailly 2015

Multi-layered with aromas of fresh berries and spices; superb tannins, precise craftsmanship, harmonious, with an intense, lingering finish. A magnificent, perfectly balanced wine of majestic structure, possessing charm and great class.

Fresh and pure, with cassis and cherry preserve notes streaming through, gently guided by hints of singed vanilla, tobacco and dried star anise. Roasted apple wood accents drape the finish for now, but the fruit should soak that up easily with cellaring. Shows some sneaky depth here, only obscured by the freshness. Better to wait this one out. Best from 2020 through 2040. 6,665 cases made.

The aromatic complexity of this wine strikes you from the very first moment—this has got to be one of the greatest Haut Baillys I have ever tasted. The 2015 includes a touch of Petit Verdot for the first time (not including the mixed fruit from the century-old vines that Haut Bailly always uses), from three-year-old vines. It has a balance and grip that lift the fruit, with incredibly precise tannins. Slate, pencil lead, and curls of tobacco drive the persistent waves of flavor, showing a lightness that deceives you until the layers begin to build deftly over the course of the tasting. This is utterly delicious, showing all the complexity you expect from a great wine, along with the supreme confidence that they don’t need to wow you with a push of oak (they use 50% new barrels).

This is an incredible young red with precision and focus that is second to almost none. Full body with a ultra-fine tannin drive that is seamless as it is endless. It ends with such power. Try in 2024 but already impressive to taste.

Once again, I am absolutely stunned by how vivid the 2015 Haut-Bailly is. Bright, red-toned fruit and floral overtones convey freshness. Deep and unctuous in the glass, with tremendous concentration, the 2015 has more than enough clout to age well for several decades. It will need at least a few years in bottle to be truly enjoyable.

A stunning example of what Haut Bailly does best! Full-bodied, intense, rich, balanced, fresh, and pure, there is a gorgeous vibrancy in the long, fruit-filled finish that lingers long after the wine has left the glass. Drink from 2023-2048.

Dark ruby, purple reflections, delicate bright rim. Fine dark berry fruit, spicy, hints of cassis and blackberry, an inviting bouquet. Substantial, very well-structured, elegant texture, very good aromatic depth, mineral and persistent, fine fruit, it has secure ageing potential.

Reminding me of the 2009, the 2015 Château Haut-Bailly has a riper, sunny, sexy style that nevertheless stays nicely grounded and elegant, with ample classic Haut-Bailly character. Sweet crème de cassis, smoked tobacco, loads of spicy, loamy earth, and cedar pencil, full-bodied richness, ripe, velvety tannins, and flawless balance all characterize this incredible wine. It actually already offers pleasure today given its texture, balance, and purity, but it’s going to evolve for 30+ years.

60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot. Deep purple-garnet with lilac glints at the rim. A floral, deeply spicy bouquet with black peppercorns, blackberries, and a hint of freshness in the background reminiscent of lilac. On the second nose, lavish noble oak, then it definitely digs deep with truffle, smoke, and tar notes. A magnificent palate with perfect astringency, blue to black berry fruit, yet taut and dry, showing a very classic profile. Not an early drinker: a baroque Haut-Bailly of the old school with today’s know-how. In the second wine, La Parde, you can clearly tell a ruthless selection was made. If you can’t wait, keep your hands off.

LATE BUD BREAK – EARLY HARVEST It was only around April 15 that the vines in the Haut-Bailly vineyards emerged from their winter dormancy. Thanks to the hot summer and ideal weather conditions, harvest could have started as early as September 15 with fully ripe Merlot. The last Cabernet was brought in on October 8. “In terms of volume, the Merlot harvest was very good, but for the Cabernet we had only about 35 hectoliters per hectare,” Veronique Sanders told us during our visit. With nearly 100,000 bottles of total production, the 2015 vintage was terrific both quantitatively and qualitatively. “The summer was actually too dry, but in August the rain made up for everything. Otherwise the vintage might even have been a fiasco.” 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot. Deep purple‑garnet, dense at the core, violet rim. Floral, deeply spicy bouquet, black peppercorns, blackberries, with something fresh coming through as lilac nuances. On the second nose, lavish noble oak, then it definitely reaches into the depths with truffle, smoke and tar notes. Magnificent palate with perfect astringency, blue to black‑fruited yet also taut and dry, very classical in style. Not an early charmer: a baroque Haut‑Bailly of the almost old school with today’s know‑how. We also tasted the second wine, La Parde, where it was clear that there had been a ruthless separation of not‑fully‑ripe tannins and the Cabernet Franc that needed diluting. If you can’t wait, keep your hands off it. 21: Deep purple, dense core. Intense, slightly sweet fruit bouquet—everything is there: from red to blue to black berries; noble‑wood perfume; fine layers building in aromatic complexity. Over time it shows minimal lactic hints. It remains discreet and regal on the attack. Plush, dense palate; the harmonious tannins already seem to be rounding off a bit and point to a very positive bottle evolution; bundled, aromatic finish. At the moment, a superb young‑fruit experience. 19/20 pending

Dense, velvety, powerful, dark bouquet; black berries, black currant, dark tobacco, nougat. Dense, multi-layered, velvety, dark palate with powerful dark fruit, a velvety, finely muscled structure, diverse, intense aromatics, very long, fresh finish. 19/20 2024 - 2045

Griotte cherry, deeply fruited, blackberry and raspberry, hints of pomegranate, tobacco leaf, rosemary, cigar box and cedar, with a core of spiced sage and rosemary. The first modern vintage to include Petit Verdot in meaningful quantity (there has always been a handful from the library plot of century-old vines, but in volumes too small to record as part of the blend). Harvest from September 15 to October 8. Denis Dubourdieu consultant, Gabriel Vialard winemaker.

Sumptuous nose with incredible aromatic density: pure fruit, violet, menthol, resinous notes, tobacco. Deep, chiselled palate with a huge yet very refined tannic frame, magnificent length, freshness and energy. A monumental, racy Haut-Bailly.

Monumental in distinction and power, the 2015 is a “refined behemoth,” all muscle and restraint for now. Forget this legendary wine in your cellar for at least a decade.

The nose, velvety and captivating, reveals red-fruit aromas. On the palate, the wine is built around intense, vibrant, taut fruit. It still needs time to fully blossom.

Spring is warm and dry. Budbreak—the year’s first driver of uniformity—is quick and even. Flowering takes place under ideal conditions in June. Then drought sets in and moderate water stress beneficially halts growth. At the end of July, a spell of rain triggers a rapid, concentrated veraison. From August through the end of harvest, the vines are beautiful and healthy. A rather cool August preserves the grapes’ aromatic potential. The sanitary condition is impeccable. The harvest is superb; it spans nine full days and six half-days of work over four weeks. The uniform quality across plots reflects a very fine vintage. The Merlots have structure, fruit, color, and concentration. The Cabernets are powerful, racy, and silky. The bouquet of the 2015 is highly paradoxical, highlighting freshness and fruit first before revealing the vintage’s warmth. It also shows notes of prunes and blackberries. On the palate, the wine manages to combine breadth and freshness very well. It certainly delivers, but not in a thunderous or overwhelming way. It underscores its need—its desire—to take its time, a notion that must be championed in an era that always pushes for speed. The wine stands apart from that logic, yet has the wisdom to regularly offer vintages that are approachable sooner. For 2015, however, patience will be required. The tannins are broad, suave, and in perfect harmony with the acidic framework that backs up the finish.

Dark, intense, and beautiful color. Very aromatic nose, delicate, fruity, ripe, with a slightly sun-kissed touch. The palate has a dense structure and a caressing texture, unfolding with power, flavor, and depth that linger. It’s long and very good.