5th of 12, opened an hour then decanted an hour, perfect cork and level, delicious, balanced and graceful, earthy minerality prominent, but cassis and bramble evident, less obviously Graves than previous bottles (last Sept 20), complex, silky with an acidic lift which I like and is typical of 01, maybe not as full and concentrated as the 2000 but lovely nonetheless, some upside, 15+ years. F+ (18).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Double decanted 2-3 hrs prior but also had at a recent tasting pop and pour and was about equivalent. Deep garnet and tawny color. Cherry, raspberry, tobacco, mushroom, and slight menthol on the nose. Concordant on the palate with initial light tart cherry, earth, mushroom, and menthol with 35-38 sec finish. Well balanced and light. Seemed to have more acidity tonight with the decant compared to PNP tasting.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
12.5% alcohol. The cork is of medium length but of excellent quality and it shows no wine penetration at all. Decanted an hour ahead. Dark colour all the way to the rim. The nose is just superb with vivid blackcurrant mixed with some tertiary notes of tobacco, leather and incense; a subtle ink-like sensation develops over time. As classy as Bordeaux gets, and no direct oak. The mouth is even better because it adds a marvellous silky quality allied to great vitality. The Pessac smokey/ashy/hot brick character is in evidence too (but I have the benefit of knowing what I am drinking...). Menthol in the finish contributing to the overall feel of freshness. The tannins are resolved but there is no lack of grip. A very complete wine, intense but without anything forced about it; this is what Bordeaux is all about. Certainly the equal of the Poyferré 2002 that I had recently, and maybe even slightly above (and the present wine is much less evolved). Fine to drink now and for the next fifteen years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Coravin fun - Haut Bailly (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Blackcurrant, earthy, slight leather, brambles, cream, sweet spice, cedar. Medium plus intensity acidity, a splash of savoury black fruits, tannins are drying and slightly leathery, fruit persists with a touch of cream and cedar on the finish. Just showing a little tertiary. Yum
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From a magnum. Immediately approachable, with notable acidity complementing the graphite, sweet currant and dried tobacco notes. Tertiary elements began to emerge after a while. Good persistence, though the fruit seems to dry a bit on the finish. Not sure there is any upside at this point, but should keep for a long while, especially in larger formats.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nytt gjensyn med denne. Presis og deilig uttrykk for Pessac-Leognan. Røktone over edelt treverk og CS-orientert frukt. Fortsatt meget ung frukt. Nydelig balansert i munn
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Surprised by the lowish scores here because this was drinking so well. Dark in color and only the lighter rim belied it’s age. Intense on both the palate and the nose. Dark fruit, pencil lead and tobacco. Long finish. Love this vintage.
Quite massive and dark aromas, with some graphite, not unlike a St. Estephe. But also pine needles aromas, that led to Graves/Pessac. Rather light weighted.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
really enjoying with roast lamb , a perfect match. Surprising youthful colour with black/hint purple hue. Nose great , some cigar box, cassis , iron filings, plum pudding,{merlot for sure} , very endearing , indeed. Palate, balanced, no hard acid , or green unripe character. beautiful construction, absolutely surprised me. Sometimes you like the tough character of Bordeaux reds, because they are strong powerful wines, that make you admire the longevity , and appreciate their slow evolvement, but hey this is just a smashing wine, right on its drinking plateau , yipee
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Coravin fun - Haut Bailly (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Aromas of wild blackcurrant, plum, earth, a little meaty note here as well. Very slight leather and herbaceous underpin. Sweet spice. Gets more Autumnal with time in the glass. Savoury, meaty, wild blackcurrant and plum are here as well as some sweet spice. Tannins are drying but not combative, slight alcohol warmth on the finish helps carry all long. Yum. Feels like it might go very well with Venison and Juniper berry stew.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark Ruby with deep garnet on the rims. Cedar, Leather and Chocolate, such a beautiful nose with great intensity. Medium boby and medium (+) acidity. Really balanced, round and such a great structure. Silky tannins. Elegant. Medium (+) to long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
12.5% alcohol. The cork is not that long, but it perfectly elastic and it shows no wine penetration whatever; some modest tartrate deposits. Decanted an hour ahead. Dark colour with some fading but no bricking at the edge of the rim. Very good complex nose with fresh ripe dark berries; very fresh, yet mature and harmonious. The best thing about the mouth is its outstanding smoothness, including a creamy feel in the mid palate; not that the fruity flavours are lacking in any way. Classy and harmonious with very good grip; I don't get the smoky hot brick flavours that often come with Pessac, but so what. No direct perception of oak, although there is no doubting its influence in polishing the tannins. A gloriously elegant Bordeaux, and a superb companion to our lamb cutlets. Fine to drink now but capable of much longer ageing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
4th of 12, opened 80 minutes, perfect cork and level, little changed since last October's bottle, nice depth of fruit with tell tale acid lift of vintage, expect more layering to develop over next 10 years, still on upward trajectory! F+ (18).
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Mature color. Big vibrant, prune nose. First sip, Dirt, iodine, and smoke dominate the palate, just a tiny bit of fruit left. Still quite a bit of tannin. After an hour the wine settles down nicely. Sherry, tobacco and more prominent cherry. Nothing exceptional but in its drinking window
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
12.5% alcohol. Cork of medium length but of good density, showing no wine penetration; some tartrate deposits. Decanted 75mn ahead. Very good colour with hardly any sign of ageing, even at the rim. Very intense fruity nose of dark berries, perfectly ripe but not over-ripe. The mouth is just as good, with an excellent balance between fruit, alcohol, grip and acidity. Some unresolved tannins, but these do not kick in until the aftertaste. Fulfilling, classy and with a backbone too, maybe too much so for some. A superb Pessac just entering its window of drinkability. Will improve over the next five years and drink well for another fifteen years, I would venture.
A few years past prime and from an okay vintage, but still quite lovely. I’ve missed my French Bordeaux’s these past few weeks! Wine was decanted for 45+ minutes. Dark red color. Nose of stewed meat and licorice. Wine has meaty flavors with some rust and earth. Medium minus finish that was a tad bit tart. Definitely thinner than hoping for in its advanced age. I have the ‘02 and ‘03 on the drink soon list.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From Coravin. Red berries especially raspberry, brambles, a little bit of funkiness, a certain gamey quality, a little forest floor, leather, cigar box, savoury spice. With time rich blackcurrant, earth, cedar; lots on the nose. Savoury, juicy, spicy and leathery on the palate with brambly fruit and tight, slightly chalky tannins, long, Nice.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Well developed, showing secondary notes of gravel and smoke along with the currant and tart red berry flavors, but the wine hollows out and an astringency emerges on the after-palate. Not sure that improves with time.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
3rd of 12, decanted an hour, perfect cork and level, singing at last and exceeding expectations based on my last bottle in Feb 16, no trace of green flavours, authentic grave earth and brick notes to add to usual cassis, bramble and tobacco flavours, beautiful balance and grace, early maturity and should develop well over next 10 years plus. F+ (18).
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
In general, I am a big fan of Haut-Bailly but I could not get as excited as others when tasting this vintage. On the nose, it was quite subtle but complex (cassis, earthiness, and gravel). On the palate, it was balanced but not as concentrated as I was expecting. This is, in general, a very subtle wine but even correcting for that I found it lacked power and concentration. Absolutely a very good Pessac-Leognan but did not live up to my expectations this time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I think this is drinking beautifully at the moment. Classic Bordeaux flavors of dark fruit, leather, earth. Moderately long finish. Tannins faded but still present to cut into the Bearnaise sauce that smothered the ribeye from 67 Pall Mall.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Last of a case of six and I think I have left this one too long. Has lost that charm of a few years back and now seems a bit dull and heavy. Losing its fruit. Fine on day one but falling apart on day two. Drink up.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
12.5% alcohol. CS 65%, M 33%, CF 2%. Cork of reasonable length and good density. Decanted an hour ahead. The colour is fairly dark with no sign of ageing. Superlative nose of perfectly ripe dark berries and just a remnant of oak. The mouth is just as good, with excellent balance and a silky mouthfeel while remaining on the elegant side on the opulence scale. Very long aftertaste. Ready to drink, and should remain on that plateau for a good ten years. It is hard to beat Bordeaux when it is at its most harmonious, as this bottle is. My best Bordeaux of the year so far, and a repeat purchase in principle (depending on price, which seems to have escalated steeply since I purchased this bottle).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Brilliant once again, with beautiful Bordeaux aromatics full of herbs and turned earth. But what distinguishes the wine to me is its satiny texture, which just gives it a litheness and elegance I find in none of its peers. In a great spot but no rush, as it has the goods to stay at this lovely plateau for many years to come.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very nice wine from HB. Had out of Magnum at High Museum Wine Auction Dinner. Decanted for 2 hours prior to drinking. Very soft tannins and starting to show signs of leather and shedding the fruit. Drink now through 2025 in my opinion.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
During a Chateau Haut Bailly dinner with the Commanderie de Bordeaux. From Magnum. Nose of dark fruit, pine, earth. This has very soft tannins for a 2001, nice, medium-light mid mouth for a Bordeaux, typical for a 2001. Good but not great.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Another fine showing. A very elegant, restrained expression of Bordeaux with all the classic Graves flavours - savoury tobacco, gravelly, and smoky notes - framing bright red and dark berried fruit. It opens up nicely with some time in the decanter, but it's still rather youthful right now and I'll leave my last bottle alone for several more years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose of red and black fruit, cedar, and just a bit of the expected smoky elements. Comes across ever so slightly on the bigger, more modern side (I just got crap for saying that). Approachable but present tannin, with several years of life ahead of it. Very nice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Haut Bailly Dinner (Medlar, Chelsea): Dark, ripe, smoky black fruit, vanilla, aromatically quite youthful with a slightly "modern" feel. Medium/full bodied on the palate, ripe black fruits, quite plush and generous with soft tannins and attractive, lightly minerally, black fruit and a good length. An attractive 2001 which, like so many, is ready to go. ****
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Haut Bailly (Medlar, London): A touch of vanilla and some licorice. Big and brooding but certainly more approachable than the 04. Young but reasonably open. A touch exotic. ***(*)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very fruity aromas with some tobacco notes in this rather modern styled wine. But I cannot help I like this forward and seductive style. Plenty of oak, which is swallowed well by the fruit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cellar raiding at Jeff's: Beautiful wine, albeit still very youthful with years ahead of it. There's a core of very fresh dark berried fruit here, framed by savoury cedar, graphite, tobacco leaf, and those classic Graves smoky and gravelly elements. It's still quite fruit forward on the palate with plenty of tannin beneath, but I'm glad I have a few of these in the cellar for the long haul.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pas encore de notes tertiaires, un peu de poivron au nez mais pas en bouche, encore assez de tannins pour une garde de 3-5 ans à mon avis. Très bien en l'état.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Started out a bit oaky and lactic, but snapped into form with just an hour in the decanter. Good smoky and earth tones on the nose, with a hint of green, but nothing obtrusive. Incredibly silky and lithe on the palate, with a grace that belies the Bordeaux archetype, while still delivering the earth and tobacco you'd expect. A really excellent showing from an unheralded vintage.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Graves and Sauternes Dinner (RSJ, Southwark, London): Opaque ruby, no discernible rim. Youthful nose - blackcurrant, vanilla, touch of cedar. A touch closed. Medium/full bodied, primary black fruit, tannin a touch furry on the finish. Needs time ***(*)?
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nez un peu fumé, avec prunes, mine de crayon, de la viande sanguine et des nuances épicées. La bouche est droite, avec une bonne profondeur, un style austère, un bel exemple de classicisme, qui commence à peine à arriver à maturité. Il sera peut-être meilleur dans 3 à 5 ans en développant davantage de complexité. Très bien, sans toutefois qu'il possède l'éclat des millésimes plus récents du domaine. 90-91 pts
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened together with what remained of a bottle 04 Leoville Barton from the previous night. Not as good as my last bottle in Feb, and not much between this and the Barton quality wise. A bit more sweet leather here and a bit less fresh fruit than the earthier and oakier Barton
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
1st of 12, decanted an hour - deepish garnet, purply and spritzy initially; primary nose of fresh blackcurrant and plum suffused with earth over hot brick; medium, long, decent balance and persistence, hint of layering, properly ripe fruit, early days but well made and with more stuffing than some 01s, held up well on second night. Fine (17.5/20).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Leo's Blind Tasting Group - May '15 edition (The Kitchen at Grove): I'm stunned at how well this is drinking right now, and thrilled I have a couple in the cellar. The fruit's still incredibly youthful and sappy, with great intensity and richness on the palate, yet it's already showing a lot of those classic Graves smoke, gravel, and tobacco flavours around the fruit with a really polished, graceful palate presence. Powerful but without ever feeling overbearing or heavy, and I can only imagine how good this will be with more time in the cellar.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
CNY dinner at home: Decanted about 1h and this was showing exceptionally well and much improved from my last bottle 4 years ago. Have rarely felt having caught a wine at it's absolute peak as was the case here. Forest floor and dark berries on the nose, beautiful juicy fruit with great delineation on the attack, then tobacco and leather which carries into a medium finish. Towards the end of the bottle the tannins became a little more pronounced, so would probably only decant 45 min next time or drink relatively quickly once opened, which is not a problem really... Drink now if you have them
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
MASTER AIS BORDEAUX; 10/22/2014-11/30/2014 (HOTEL WESTIN PALACE MILANO): Degustato alla cieca. 65% Cabernet sauvignon - 35% merlot. 50% legno nuovo. Spezie pepate e balsamiche, selvaggina salmastra e aringhe affumicate, ma tutto molto delicato e affascinante. Ancora molto giocato sul frutto cremoso e sobriamente sotto spirito, con una coerenza rispetto al profilo giovanile. Con i minuti e l' aerazione diventa più caramellato, quasi più "moderno". Tenuto conto del naso, ci si sarebbe aspettati piu complessità e in bocca è ancora un pò giovane. Rotondità dichiarata e massa tannica limata che fa da volume più che da frizione, non manca l' allungo acido e salato che lo aiuta a distendersi, ma il frutto sul finale si fa un pò troppo cremoso e la poca persistenza crea un profilo finale di un vino piuttosto diluito che si assottiglia invece che espandersi.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Aromas of sweet red currant and cherry immediately greet the nose, followed by dusty minerality, cigar, cedar, touch of leather. Medium body with silky texture, sweet soft tannins that finely integrate with the wine after about 2 hours of air (no decanting required). Flavor in the mouth is of red fruit and pepper; lingering finish that begs for a fine cut of steak. Drink now or within two years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Outstanding, classic Pauillac character. This has improved considerably over the past 3 years. I would like to see a bit more fruit out of this, and would decant the next bottle. On par, very balanced and enjoyable, with nice weight, dark berry, tobacco, cigar box and soft tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opens with deep concentrated fruit and quite soft tannins. Really nice. Unfortunately, after an hour or so, it seems to dry out and the tannins becomes rather tough and stringy. 89p for the first hour.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Maybe a bit of a disappointment this evening based on my prior experience. Overall a pleasure to drink but maybe just a bit light or short on its finish to have met my expectations tonight. Characteristic musty nose. Maybe I didn't decant long enough, maybe I almost picked a Syrah so I was expecting more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Elegant: balanced, soft tannins, medium intensity, nice fruit. Probably still has 5-10 years of life ahead of it, but I am not expecting it to improve further. OK to drink just 15 minutes after opening, and then continued to improve through the next 2 hours
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
One of the few vintages produced with no Cabernet Franc, using 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot. This mediuml bodied wine is filled with smoke, cloves, earth, cassis and spice. The wine finished with a crème de cassis, spice and olive sensation. This is already starting to drink very well. Do not expect it to make old bones. I’d finish mine within the next 10-12 years before the fruit begins to fade.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ian S's Haut Bailly Offline (The Ledbury, London): Similar nose, a bit less concentrated. Slightly medicinal edge too. Soft attack, drops away in the middle though finishes a bit more positively. A more mineral and tobacco finish, less ripe fruit. More classic but a weaker example. ***
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Eindrucksvolle Nase mit vollen Kirsch- und Cassisaromen; am Gaumen fruchtig, allerdings etwas vom scharfen Tannin dominiert; leicht erdige Noten, ordentlicher Abgang; mittlere Statur, elegant
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for an hour, served w/ tenderloin. Really complemented the food, a bit astringent on its own. Really complex, deep jammy fruit flavors, smoky finish. Still enough chops to last longer.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
14th Oct 2010: half bottle, decanted for 20mins. Nose was pleasant and initial taste was very dry. allowed wine the breathe another 10mins and it became more balanced, somewhat elegant and enjoyable. Dee's impression: yummy!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank over 2 hours after 30 min. decant. Very pretty nose immediately after opening, medium body, on the palate it takes about 1.5h for the tannins to soften and integrate nicely. Good balance and various fruit come through but am missing some of those mineral / metallic notes one can often find in good bdx from graves. Medium to long finish. Overall a very elegant bordeaux and good value (bought for USD55 a few weeks ago) relative to recent en primeur pricing. Nevertheless was secretely hoping for even more given some of the other tasting notes
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
30 min air but it opened fully only after 2+ hours. Intense black current nose and (sorry for that) vegetable soup !? Intense ruby colour and almost full bodied cherry bomb with later some spices and long finish. Great chewiness – great wine. Ready to drink or maybe keep for another 2-3 years. My mistake no to have the HB with a steak!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
There is no Bordeaux from either Bank as elegant and finessed as a good vintage of Haut-Bailly and here is a great example to prove the point. The silky tannins and slender mouthfeel make this a Bordeaux for Burgundy drinkers but the flavors are classic claret. Maybe not so much typical Graves in that there is none of the expected scorched-earth smokiness, instead it's an incredibly sophisticated amalgamation of tertiary flavors that I can't even begin to deconstruct, much less describe, but if you can indulge a flight of synaesthesia the imagery it brings to mind is this total swirl of seasonings, herbs, and savory elements you might toss into a porridge. And so drinkable 750ml is a serving portion for one. From a pure comfort-wine perspective this is even better than my note indicates.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened & poured, no decant. Deep garnet and dense, inviting nose of barnyard and dark fruit. Well balanced on the palate, with good follow through, blackberry, currant, and spice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine had it going on tonight. Maybe because my expectations were low but it was a pleasant surprise nonetheless. Brick red in color, subtle and musty on the nose. My wife guessed "old" and our guests thought "very good". This wine lacked the velvet center and finish to be great but was a pleasure to consume tonight.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A flight of bord 01s and others: Smelly ass and perfumed dark indian flowers but the nose goes off too quickly. Frontal assault of half ripe berries. Grippy acidity. Lively.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
deep purple core with little orangy rim appealing nose of sweet blackberry, smoke and spice medium bodied, refined, simple but good concentration and grip, long chocolaty finish but still slightly tannic.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Purple flowers, lavendar and lilac, just float out of the glass, along with some dark plum and plum skins. On the palate the same flowers take center stage. There is fruit there, too, but it is hidden behind strong tannins that scream out for more years in the cellar. Plums, nee plum skins, are the primary fruit, but more will surely come out of hiding on Night Two. I hope you will join me to see if my prediction comes true.
Night Two
Floral aromas once again lead the nose on Night Two, but the additional time with some air brought out black fruit, more blackberry than blackcurrant, but both were there. The palate has more to offer than on Night One, but the overall impression is that this could use more time. Pencil lead, cassis, and tart plum skins are slowly wrapped in firm tannins as it moves from initial attack to mid-palate, where a hint of unsweetened chocolate makes a quick appearance. Acids and tannins are both pwoerful, but well-balanced. The finish is long.
This is good but still young. The sense of it is that it is just waking up now, just starting to come out of a closed phase. It might well be much better in as little as a year or two. There is plenty of backbone, acid and tannins, to give it time to grow and knit together.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
21st August 2008: the colour was deep purple and the nose was quite alcoholic. I expected the wine to be more balanced, perhaps it is still a little young, it felt like the wine was still trying to find its personality. The taste was still a little tannic-like...perhaps needs more time to cellar though i had a 375ml bottle instead of the 750ml therefore i expected this wine to age faster.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for 2 hours, Black fruit, licorice, old leather and tar nose, still tight on the nose. Lots going on the palate, very concentrated and complex. Explosion on the tongue, lead pencil, cassis and little austere, good structure, vanilla notes, acidic mouth fill, good lengthy finish. Needs more time to develop, but still my WOTN on the palate. 91pts
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nice dark color when poured, decanted for abt an hour. It definitely does not look like a 01 wine suggesting this wine was way too young. The nose was quite expressive initially but seem to shut down a lot more after an hour of decanting. But the palate is wonderful with dark chocolate, gravy feel with fine tannin. Wait for another 3-5 years it's should be an outstanding wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Really lovely, lead pencil, tobacco, some current. Tannins are definitely present, but fine and don't obscure the fruit, which has good depth and density.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Haut-Bailly & Pape Clément (Compass): I am sort of torn about whether this is a sleeper of a wine or just an everyday drinker. It is pretty much textbook Leognan with deep cassis, smoke and earth. It's slightly on the thin side of medium-bodied and doesn't have much architecture, but it is wide open and impeccably balanced. A wine with an amiable, easygoing demeaner that will neither disappoint or set the world on fire. A nice wine to drink while you're waiting for your other vintages of Haut Bailly to age.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Quite rich; seems a little unfocused; slightly cheesy nose. Colour shows its relative youth. Tannic. Quite thick. Good. RJ's, London. Grand Vin in weak year v Second wine in good year offline.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
a lovely deep garnet purple color. Aromas of blueberrys, cobler, hints of cheries and leather. The wine is a little lighter than you might guess, but I think is showing nicely. Nice, silky tannins with a nice acidty, but by no means tart. Smoke and lead flavors blend nicely with light fruit. I am hoping it will wake up a little, as it was a much bigger wine in its youth before shutting down for the past year. Looking forward to watching this bottle and the rest of the case evolve.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
2001 Claret Tasting (Vintners' Hall, London): Quite muted nose, ever so slightly honied! Dense midpalate, a stuffing of blackcurrant and lighter red fruit, great intense tannin, very tight
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I've been wanted to check the status of these. It may be shut down and therefore not showing as well as it did even a year ago. Hoping it will make a comeback.
Deep blood ruby color, ligher around the rim. I swear the bubbles when poured are pink. Immediatel;y after opening the nose is quite closed. A little heat and some dark red fruits. Immediately out of the bottle the wine is bright and tart with some underripe currants, berries and then the tannins take hold. Not overpowering, but the fruit is more dormant than at first tasting. After two hours in the decanter, the wine softens nicely and shows some mellow flavors. The tannins become velvety and refined, but not as full bodied or complex as last year. Again, hoping it is closed for a little rest and will re-emerge.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
4/27/2024 - popopdrops Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ikke dekantert. Herlig flaske, balanse, lavmælt, nyderlig frukt, 12,5 % alkohol, nesten ikke til å tro. Jakt på mer.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/13/2023 - popopdrops wrote: 88 Points
ikke dekantert. Virker noe over toppen. Ikke imøtekommende, lite frukt. Egentlig skuff, men ikke ødelagt.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/9/2023 - liber Likes this wine: 93 Points
5th of 12, opened an hour then decanted an hour, perfect cork and level, delicious, balanced and graceful, earthy minerality prominent, but cassis and bramble evident, less obviously Graves than previous bottles (last Sept 20), complex, silky with an acidic lift which I like and is typical of 01, maybe not as full and concentrated as the 2000 but lovely nonetheless, some upside, 15+ years. F+ (18).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/8/2023 - popopdrops Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ikke dekantert. Intenst behag!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/27/2023 - JamesH78 wrote: 96 Points
Everything I like in a wine. great length and incredibly well balanced.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/15/2023 - EhrlichDY wrote:
Popped and poured and this was outstanding. Classic grave with notes of gravel, pine, tobacco. Lithe texture and hint of acid. Drinking at peak now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/31/2023 - Asull2k Likes this wine: 92 Points
Double decanted 2-3 hrs prior but also had at a recent tasting pop and pour and was about equivalent. Deep garnet and tawny color. Cherry, raspberry, tobacco, mushroom, and slight menthol on the nose. Concordant on the palate with initial light tart cherry, earth, mushroom, and menthol with 35-38 sec finish. Well balanced and light. Seemed to have more acidity tonight with the decant compared to PNP tasting.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/7/2023 - popopdrops Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ikke dekantert. Meget pen fra første til siste glass.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/22/2023 - Eudemis Likes this wine:
12.5% alcohol. The cork is of medium length but of excellent quality and it shows no wine penetration at all. Decanted an hour ahead. Dark colour all the way to the rim.
The nose is just superb with vivid blackcurrant mixed with some tertiary notes of tobacco, leather and incense; a subtle ink-like sensation develops over time. As classy as Bordeaux gets, and no direct oak. The mouth is even better because it adds a marvellous silky quality allied to great vitality. The Pessac smokey/ashy/hot brick character is in evidence too (but I have the benefit of knowing what I am drinking...). Menthol in the finish contributing to the overall feel of freshness. The tannins are resolved but there is no lack of grip. A very complete wine, intense but without anything forced about it; this is what Bordeaux is all about.
Certainly the equal of the Poyferré 2002 that I had recently, and maybe even slightly above (and the present wine is much less evolved).
Fine to drink now and for the next fifteen years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/12/2023 - popopdrops Likes this wine: 93 Points
Ikke dekantert. Herlig fra første glass. Også dag 3.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/29/2022 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun - Haut Bailly (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Blackcurrant, earthy, slight leather, brambles, cream, sweet spice, cedar. Medium plus intensity acidity, a splash of savoury black fruits, tannins are drying and slightly leathery, fruit persists with a touch of cream and cedar on the finish. Just showing a little tertiary. Yum
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/13/2022 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 93 Points
From a magnum. Immediately approachable, with notable acidity complementing the graphite, sweet currant and dried tobacco notes. Tertiary elements began to emerge after a while. Good persistence, though the fruit seems to dry a bit on the finish. Not sure there is any upside at this point, but should keep for a long while, especially in larger formats.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/5/2022 - popopdrops Likes this wine: 93 Points
Ikke dekantert. Starter med noe høy syre, ørlite, men meget pen. Utvikler seg vidunderlig fra tredje glass. Herlig!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/10/2022 - popopdrops Likes this wine: 93 Points
Ikke dekantert. Nydelig, avklart vin, bare behag. Strålende også dag 3!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/10/2022 - popopdrops Does not like this wine: flawed
Ødelagt, ett eller annet ubehagelig kjemisk. Passer bedre i sausen enn i munnen.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/4/2022 - Anders Danielsen Lie Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nytt gjensyn med denne. Presis og deilig uttrykk for Pessac-Leognan. Røktone over edelt treverk og CS-orientert frukt. Fortsatt meget ung frukt. Nydelig balansert i munn
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/2/2022 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine: 93 Points
Surprised by the lowish scores here because this was drinking so well. Dark in color and only the lighter rim belied it’s age. Intense on both the palate and the nose. Dark fruit, pencil lead and tobacco. Long finish. Love this vintage.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
10/30/2021 - AudunG wrote: 91 Points
Quite massive and dark aromas, with some graphite, not unlike a St. Estephe. But also pine needles aromas, that led to Graves/Pessac. Rather light weighted.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/23/2021 - wineguru57@yahoo.com.au wrote: 93 Points
really enjoying with roast lamb , a perfect match. Surprising youthful colour with black/hint purple hue. Nose great , some cigar box, cassis , iron filings, plum pudding,{merlot for sure} , very endearing , indeed. Palate, balanced, no hard acid , or green unripe character. beautiful construction, absolutely surprised me. Sometimes you like the tough character of Bordeaux reds, because they are strong powerful wines, that make you admire the longevity , and appreciate their slow evolvement, but hey this is just a smashing wine, right on its drinking plateau , yipee
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/9/2021 - popopdrops Likes this wine: 91 Points
Ikke dekantert. Meget pen dag en. Dag 3 hadde den mista det meste av kraft, og fremsto som slapp.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/3/2021 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun - Haut Bailly (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Aromas of wild blackcurrant, plum, earth, a little meaty note here as well. Very slight leather and herbaceous underpin. Sweet spice. Gets more Autumnal with time in the glass. Savoury, meaty, wild blackcurrant and plum are here as well as some sweet spice. Tannins are drying but not combative, slight alcohol warmth on the finish helps carry all long. Yum. Feels like it might go very well with Venison and Juniper berry stew.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/3/2021 - popopdrops Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dekantert. Mørk herrevin. Pen også dag 2 og 3 etter vakum og kjøleskap.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/9/2021 - popopdrops Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dekantert lenge. Stadig meget pen. Enda bedre dag 2!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/4/2021 - popopdrops Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dekantert. Mørk, meget pen, herrevin. Super dag 2 og 3, altså et langt liv foran deg.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/28/2021 - nnektarios Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark Ruby with deep garnet on the rims. Cedar, Leather and Chocolate, such a beautiful nose with great intensity. Medium boby and medium (+) acidity. Really balanced, round and such a great structure. Silky tannins. Elegant. Medium (+) to long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/27/2021 - Eudemis Likes this wine:
12.5% alcohol. The cork is not that long, but it perfectly elastic and it shows no wine penetration whatever; some modest tartrate deposits. Decanted an hour ahead. Dark colour with some fading but no bricking at the edge of the rim.
Very good complex nose with fresh ripe dark berries; very fresh, yet mature and harmonious. The best thing about the mouth is its outstanding smoothness, including a creamy feel in the mid palate; not that the fruity flavours are lacking in any way. Classy and harmonious with very good grip; I don't get the smoky hot brick flavours that often come with Pessac, but so what. No direct perception of oak, although there is no doubting its influence in polishing the tannins.
A gloriously elegant Bordeaux, and a superb companion to our lamb cutlets.
Fine to drink now but capable of much longer ageing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/4/2021 - Anders Danielsen Lie Likes this wine: 91 Points
Veldig frisk farge og frukt. Nydelig paprika/lær aroma, røykpreg/varme tegl. Myke tanniner. Saftig og god
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/13/2020 - liber Likes this wine: 93 Points
4th of 12, opened 80 minutes, perfect cork and level, little changed since last October's bottle, nice depth of fruit with tell tale acid lift of vintage, expect more layering to develop over next 10 years, still on upward trajectory! F+ (18).
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/2/2020 - Arottenstein Likes this wine:
Mature color. Big vibrant, prune nose. First sip, Dirt, iodine, and smoke dominate the palate, just a tiny bit of fruit left. Still quite a bit of tannin. After an hour the wine settles down nicely. Sherry, tobacco and more prominent cherry. Nothing exceptional but in its drinking window
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/19/2020 - Eudemis Likes this wine:
12.5% alcohol. Cork of medium length but of good density, showing no wine penetration; some tartrate deposits. Decanted 75mn ahead. Very good colour with hardly any sign of ageing, even at the rim.
Very intense fruity nose of dark berries, perfectly ripe but not over-ripe. The mouth is just as good, with an excellent balance between fruit, alcohol, grip and acidity. Some unresolved tannins, but these do not kick in until the aftertaste.
Fulfilling, classy and with a backbone too, maybe too much so for some. A superb Pessac just entering its window of drinkability. Will improve over the next five years and drink well for another fifteen years, I would venture.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
12/22/2019 - PMJak11 Likes this wine: 93 Points
A few years past prime and from an okay vintage, but still quite lovely. I’ve missed my French Bordeaux’s these past few weeks! Wine was decanted for 45+ minutes. Dark red color. Nose of stewed meat and licorice. Wine has meaty flavors with some rust and earth. Medium minus finish that was a tad bit tart. Definitely thinner than hoping for in its advanced age. I have the ‘02 and ‘03 on the drink soon list.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/21/2019 - chatters wrote:
From Coravin. Red berries especially raspberry, brambles, a little bit of funkiness, a certain gamey quality, a little forest floor, leather, cigar box, savoury spice. With time rich blackcurrant, earth, cedar; lots on the nose. Savoury, juicy, spicy and leathery on the palate with brambly fruit and tight, slightly chalky tannins, long, Nice.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/21/2019 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 91 Points
Well developed, showing secondary notes of gravel and smoke along with the currant and tart red berry flavors, but the wine hollows out and an astringency emerges on the after-palate. Not sure that improves with time.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/5/2019 - liber Likes this wine: 93 Points
3rd of 12, decanted an hour, perfect cork and level, singing at last and exceeding expectations based on my last bottle in Feb 16, no trace of green flavours, authentic grave earth and brick notes to add to usual cassis, bramble and tobacco flavours, beautiful balance and grace, early maturity and should develop well over next 10 years plus. F+ (18).
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/5/2019 - AudunG wrote: 89 Points
Fresh and somewhat green aromas. Still fresh and fruity, with a soft, light and elegant mouth feeling.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/13/2019 - tmagsmaken wrote: 90 Points
In general, I am a big fan of Haut-Bailly but I could not get as excited as others when tasting this vintage.
On the nose, it was quite subtle but complex (cassis, earthiness, and gravel). On the palate, it was balanced but not as concentrated as I was expecting. This is, in general, a very subtle wine but even correcting for that I found it lacked power and concentration. Absolutely a very good Pessac-Leognan but did not live up to my expectations this time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/26/2018 - M.Batard wrote: 92 Points
I think this is drinking beautifully at the moment. Classic Bordeaux flavors of dark fruit, leather, earth. Moderately long finish. Tannins faded but still present to cut into the Bearnaise sauce that smothered the ribeye from 67 Pall Mall.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/10/2018 - gouldcampbell77 wrote: 85 Points
Last of a case of six and I think I have left this one too long. Has lost that charm of a few years back and now seems a bit dull and heavy. Losing its fruit. Fine on day one but falling apart on day two. Drink up.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/3/2018 - JTPanzer wrote: 89 Points
Very mediocre. Decanted for 90 minutes. I sensed little of the classic Bordeaux nose.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/11/2018 - Eudemis Likes this wine:
12.5% alcohol. CS 65%, M 33%, CF 2%. Cork of reasonable length and good density. Decanted an hour ahead.
The colour is fairly dark with no sign of ageing. Superlative nose of perfectly ripe dark berries and just a remnant of oak. The mouth is just as good, with excellent balance and a silky mouthfeel while remaining on the elegant side on the opulence scale. Very long aftertaste. Ready to drink, and should remain on that plateau for a good ten years.
It is hard to beat Bordeaux when it is at its most harmonious, as this bottle is. My best Bordeaux of the year so far, and a repeat purchase in principle (depending on price, which seems to have escalated steeply since I purchased this bottle).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/12/2017 - Billigan Likes this wine: 94 Points
Brilliant once again, with beautiful Bordeaux aromatics full of herbs and turned earth. But what distinguishes the wine to me is its satiny texture, which just gives it a litheness and elegance I find in none of its peers. In a great spot but no rush, as it has the goods to stay at this lovely plateau for many years to come.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/26/2017 - SimonG wrote: 92 Points
Lovely stuff. Quite dark, Graves character with a touch of licorice. Plush and really quite rich. Depth and length. ****
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/24/2017 - GA Old World Guy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice wine from HB. Had out of Magnum at High Museum Wine Auction Dinner. Decanted for 2 hours prior to drinking. Very soft tannins and starting to show signs of leather and shedding the fruit. Drink now through 2025 in my opinion.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/13/2017 - Collector1855 wrote: 92 Points
During a Chateau Haut Bailly dinner with the Commanderie de Bordeaux. From Magnum. Nose of dark fruit, pine, earth. This has very soft tannins for a 2001, nice, medium-light mid mouth for a Bordeaux, typical for a 2001. Good but not great.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/22/2016 - salil wrote: 92 Points
Another fine showing. A very elegant, restrained expression of Bordeaux with all the classic Graves flavours - savoury tobacco, gravelly, and smoky notes - framing bright red and dark berried fruit. It opens up nicely with some time in the decanter, but it's still rather youthful right now and I'll leave my last bottle alone for several more years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/22/2016 - indiscriminate palate wrote: 91 Points
Nose of red and black fruit, cedar, and just a bit of the expected smoky elements. Comes across ever so slightly on the bigger, more modern side (I just got crap for saying that). Approachable but present tannin, with several years of life ahead of it. Very nice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/19/2016 - crampon1973 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Encore jeune, texture irréprochable, tannins bien intégrés. Longue finale, du pur bonheur !
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/13/2016 - Paul D wrote:
Haut Bailly Dinner (Medlar, Chelsea): Dark, ripe, smoky black fruit, vanilla, aromatically quite youthful with a slightly "modern" feel. Medium/full bodied on the palate, ripe black fruits, quite plush and generous with soft tannins and attractive, lightly minerally, black fruit and a good length. An attractive 2001 which, like so many, is ready to go. ****
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/13/2016 - SimonG wrote: 91 Points
Haut Bailly (Medlar, London): A touch of vanilla and some licorice. Big and brooding but certainly more approachable than the 04. Young but reasonably open. A touch exotic. ***(*)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/18/2016 - AudunG wrote: 91 Points
Very fruity aromas with some tobacco notes in this rather modern styled wine. But I cannot help I like this forward and seductive style. Plenty of oak, which is swallowed well by the fruit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/9/2016 - salil wrote: 92 Points
Cellar raiding at Jeff's: Beautiful wine, albeit still very youthful with years ahead of it. There's a core of very fresh dark berried fruit here, framed by savoury cedar, graphite, tobacco leaf, and those classic Graves smoky and gravelly elements. It's still quite fruit forward on the palate with plenty of tannin beneath, but I'm glad I have a few of these in the cellar for the long haul.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/8/2016 - Mazy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Pas encore de notes tertiaires, un peu de poivron au nez mais pas en bouche, encore assez de tannins pour une garde de 3-5 ans à mon avis. Très bien en l'état.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/8/2016 - Billigan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Started out a bit oaky and lactic, but snapped into form with just an hour in the decanter. Good smoky and earth tones on the nose, with a hint of green, but nothing obtrusive. Incredibly silky and lithe on the palate, with a grace that belies the Bordeaux archetype, while still delivering the earth and tobacco you'd expect. A really excellent showing from an unheralded vintage.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/1/2016 - liber Likes this wine: 92 Points
2nd of 12, decanted an hour, perfect cork and level - as June 15 note, needs a little more time to sing properly. At least fine (17.5/20).
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/21/2016 - Paul D wrote:
Graves and Sauternes Dinner (RSJ, Southwark, London): Opaque ruby, no discernible rim. Youthful nose - blackcurrant, vanilla, touch of cedar. A touch closed. Medium/full bodied, primary black fruit, tannin a touch furry on the finish. Needs time ***(*)?
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/21/2016 - SimonG wrote: 91 Points
Graves @ RSJ (RSJ, London): Dense, quite plush but nicely balanced, certainly more so than the Pape. Young but promising. **(**)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/5/2015 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Thanksgiving @ Randy's. From memory, this was at a great stage of development. Classic Graves. Fruit and body in balance.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/9/2015 - d'Artagnan wrote: 90 Points
Nez un peu fumé, avec prunes, mine de crayon, de la viande sanguine et des nuances épicées. La bouche est droite, avec une bonne profondeur, un style austère, un bel exemple de classicisme, qui commence à peine à arriver à maturité. Il sera peut-être meilleur dans 3 à 5 ans en développant davantage de complexité. Très bien, sans toutefois qu'il possède l'éclat des millésimes plus récents du domaine. 90-91 pts
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/19/2015 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened together with what remained of a bottle 04 Leoville Barton from the previous night. Not as good as my last bottle in Feb, and not much between this and the Barton quality wise. A bit more sweet leather here and a bit less fresh fruit than the earthier and oakier Barton
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/13/2015 - liber Likes this wine: 92 Points
1st of 12, decanted an hour - deepish garnet, purply and spritzy initially; primary nose of fresh blackcurrant and plum suffused with earth over hot brick; medium, long, decent balance and persistence, hint of layering, properly ripe fruit, early days but well made and with more stuffing than some 01s, held up well on second night. Fine (17.5/20).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/5/2015 - salil wrote: 93 Points
Leo's Blind Tasting Group - May '15 edition (The Kitchen at Grove): I'm stunned at how well this is drinking right now, and thrilled I have a couple in the cellar. The fruit's still incredibly youthful and sappy, with great intensity and richness on the palate, yet it's already showing a lot of those classic Graves smoke, gravel, and tobacco flavours around the fruit with a really polished, graceful palate presence. Powerful but without ever feeling overbearing or heavy, and I can only imagine how good this will be with more time in the cellar.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/14/2015 - AudunG wrote: 90 Points
Tobacco and graphite aromas. Soft and fine tannins. A harmonious Bordeaux.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/18/2015 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 93 Points
CNY dinner at home: Decanted about 1h and this was showing exceptionally well and much improved from my last bottle 4 years ago. Have rarely felt having caught a wine at it's absolute peak as was the case here. Forest floor and dark berries on the nose, beautiful juicy fruit with great delineation on the attack, then tobacco and leather which carries into a medium finish. Towards the end of the bottle the tannins became a little more pronounced, so would probably only decant 45 min next time or drink relatively quickly once opened, which is not a problem really... Drink now if you have them
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2014 - Caskar wrote: 88 Points
Opened too early and it dissipated too much, lost too much body, quite flat.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/26/2014 - galenico wrote: 88 Points
MASTER AIS BORDEAUX; 10/22/2014-11/30/2014 (HOTEL WESTIN PALACE MILANO): Degustato alla cieca. 65% Cabernet sauvignon - 35% merlot. 50% legno nuovo.
Spezie pepate e balsamiche, selvaggina salmastra e aringhe affumicate, ma tutto molto delicato e affascinante. Ancora molto giocato sul frutto cremoso e sobriamente sotto spirito, con una coerenza rispetto al profilo giovanile.
Con i minuti e l' aerazione diventa più caramellato, quasi più "moderno". Tenuto conto del naso, ci si sarebbe aspettati piu complessità e in bocca è ancora un pò giovane. Rotondità dichiarata e massa tannica limata che fa da volume più che da frizione, non manca l' allungo acido e salato che lo aiuta a distendersi, ma il frutto sul finale si fa un pò troppo cremoso e la poca persistenza crea un profilo finale di un vino piuttosto diluito che si assottiglia invece che espandersi.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/5/2013 - theTaxmann Likes this wine: 91 Points
Aromas of sweet red currant and cherry immediately greet the nose, followed by dusty minerality, cigar, cedar, touch of leather. Medium body with silky texture, sweet soft tannins that finely integrate with the wine after about 2 hours of air (no decanting required). Flavor in the mouth is of red fruit and pepper; lingering finish that begs for a fine cut of steak. Drink now or within two years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2012 - eric@cwm wrote: 93 Points
Outstanding, classic Pauillac character. This has improved considerably over the past 3 years. I would like to see a bit more fruit out of this, and would decant the next bottle. On par, very balanced and enjoyable, with nice weight, dark berry, tobacco, cigar box and soft tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/7/2012 - Talisker wrote: 89 Points
Opens with deep concentrated fruit and quite soft tannins. Really nice. Unfortunately, after an hour or so, it seems to dry out and the tannins becomes rather tough and stringy. 89p for the first hour.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/18/2011 - pikemasterflash wrote: 90 Points
Maybe a bit of a disappointment this evening based on my prior experience. Overall a pleasure to drink but maybe just a bit light or short on its finish to have met my expectations tonight. Characteristic musty nose. Maybe I didn't decant long enough, maybe I almost picked a Syrah so I was expecting more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/16/2011 - t018214 wrote: 90 Points
Elegant: balanced, soft tannins, medium intensity, nice fruit. Probably still has 5-10 years of life ahead of it, but I am not expecting it to improve further. OK to drink just 15 minutes after opening, and then continued to improve through the next 2 hours
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/5/2011 - Jeff Leve wrote: 90 Points
One of the few vintages produced with no Cabernet Franc, using 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot. This mediuml bodied wine is filled with smoke, cloves, earth, cassis and spice. The wine finished with a crème de cassis, spice and olive sensation. This is already starting to drink very well. Do not expect it to make old bones. I’d finish mine within the next 10-12 years before the fruit begins to fade.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/9/2011 - SimonG wrote:
Ian S's Haut Bailly Offline (The Ledbury, London): Similar nose, a bit less concentrated. Slightly medicinal edge too. Soft attack, drops away in the middle though finishes a bit more positively. A more mineral and tobacco finish, less ripe fruit. More classic but a weaker example. ***
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/28/2011 - pavel_p wrote: 91 Points
This is really nice once again. Very elegant wine with perfect balance at only 12.5% alcohol, long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/26/2011 - wurzel68 wrote: 90 Points
Eindrucksvolle Nase mit vollen Kirsch- und Cassisaromen; am Gaumen fruchtig, allerdings etwas vom scharfen Tannin dominiert; leicht erdige Noten, ordentlicher Abgang; mittlere Statur, elegant
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/6/2010 - tdalton wrote:
Decanted for an hour, served w/ tenderloin. Really complemented the food, a bit astringent on its own. Really complex, deep jammy fruit flavors, smoky finish. Still enough chops to last longer.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/14/2010 - willmark wrote: 90 Points
14th Oct 2010: half bottle, decanted for 20mins. Nose was pleasant and initial taste was very dry. allowed wine the breathe another 10mins and it became more balanced, somewhat elegant and enjoyable. Dee's impression: yummy!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/2/2010 - Surp wrote: 85 Points
Excellent, powerful, long
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/23/2010 - Talisker wrote: flawed
Brought it to a tasting and it was corked! :-(
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/22/2010 - LWI wrote: flawed
BdX 01/04 (Oslo): Corked
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/17/2010 - pavel_p wrote: 90 Points
Drank over 2 hours after 30 min. decant. Very pretty nose immediately after opening, medium body, on the palate it takes about 1.5h for the tannins to soften and integrate nicely. Good balance and various fruit come through but am missing some of those mineral / metallic notes one can often find in good bdx from graves. Medium to long finish. Overall a very elegant bordeaux and good value (bought for USD55 a few weeks ago) relative to recent en primeur pricing. Nevertheless was secretely hoping for even more given some of the other tasting notes
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/21/2010 - spore wrote: 91 Points
30 min air but it opened fully only after 2+ hours. Intense black current nose and (sorry for that) vegetable soup !? Intense ruby colour and almost full bodied cherry bomb with later some spices and long finish. Great chewiness – great wine. Ready to drink or maybe keep for another 2-3 years. My mistake no to have the HB with a steak!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/8/2010 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 96 Points
There is no Bordeaux from either Bank as elegant and finessed as a good vintage of Haut-Bailly and here is a great example to prove the point. The silky tannins and slender mouthfeel make this a Bordeaux for Burgundy drinkers but the flavors are classic claret. Maybe not so much typical Graves in that there is none of the expected scorched-earth smokiness, instead it's an incredibly sophisticated amalgamation of tertiary flavors that I can't even begin to deconstruct, much less describe, but if you can indulge a flight of synaesthesia the imagery it brings to mind is this total swirl of seasonings, herbs, and savory elements you might toss into a porridge. And so drinkable 750ml is a serving portion for one. From a pure comfort-wine perspective this is even better than my note indicates.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/5/2009 - InflationHedge wrote: 91 Points
Opened & poured, no decant. Deep garnet and dense, inviting nose of barnyard and dark fruit. Well balanced on the palate, with good follow through, blackberry, currant, and spice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/4/2009 - pikemasterflash wrote: 92 Points
This wine had it going on tonight. Maybe because my expectations were low but it was a pleasant surprise nonetheless. Brick red in color, subtle and musty on the nose. My wife guessed "old" and our guests thought "very good". This wine lacked the velvet center and finish to be great but was a pleasure to consume tonight.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/25/2009 - Alex H wrote: 80 Points
A flight of bord 01s and others: Smelly ass and perfumed dark indian flowers but the nose goes off too quickly. Frontal assault of half ripe berries. Grippy acidity. Lively.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/21/2009 - Zoce wrote: 90 Points
Three Great Terroirs, Masterclass at Great French Fine Wine Encounter 2009 (The Landmark Hotel, London): -
Eye: Dark red and clear
Nose: Cigar box, and black berries …
Palate: Quite fresh and forward with very pleasant taste of black, almost juice like
Finish: Long…
Decanted: ca. 1 hr.
Note: I’m looking forward to taste this wine in about 5-6 year from now. I suspect it will be wonderful.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/20/2009 - Rupert wrote: 90 Points
Chateau Haut Bailly vertical 1929 to 2005 (Institute of Directors, London): This too was very precise, classic, cedary, very like the 2004, but on the palate, shorter and more pinched all round - others were a lot more enthusiastic and for some it was wine of the night
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/10/2009 - kmklee wrote: 90 Points
deep purple core with little orangy rim
appealing nose of sweet blackberry, smoke and spice
medium bodied, refined, simple but good concentration and grip, long chocolaty finish but still slightly tannic.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/29/2008 - dhonig wrote: 90 Points
Night One
Purple flowers, lavendar and lilac, just float out of the glass, along with some dark plum and plum skins. On the palate the same flowers take center stage. There is fruit there, too, but it is hidden behind strong tannins that scream out for more years in the cellar. Plums, nee plum skins, are the primary fruit, but more will surely come out of hiding on Night Two. I hope you will join me to see if my prediction comes true.
Night Two
Floral aromas once again lead the nose on Night Two, but the additional time with some air brought out black fruit, more blackberry than blackcurrant, but both were there. The palate has more to offer than on Night One, but the overall impression is that this could use more time. Pencil lead, cassis, and tart plum skins are slowly wrapped in firm tannins as it moves from initial attack to mid-palate, where a hint of unsweetened chocolate makes a quick appearance. Acids and tannins are both pwoerful, but well-balanced. The finish is long.
This is good but still young. The sense of it is that it is just waking up now, just starting to come out of a closed phase. It might well be much better in as little as a year or two. There is plenty of backbone, acid and tannins, to give it time to grow and knit together.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/21/2008 - willmark wrote: 88 Points
21st August 2008: the colour was deep purple and the nose was quite alcoholic. I expected the wine to be more balanced, perhaps it is still a little young, it felt like the wine was still trying to find its personality. The taste was still a little tannic-like...perhaps needs more time to cellar though i had a 375ml bottle instead of the 750ml therefore i expected this wine to age faster.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/12/2008 - BarneyBuzz wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for 2 hours, Black fruit, licorice, old leather and tar nose, still tight on the nose. Lots going on the palate, very concentrated and complex. Explosion on the tongue, lead pencil, cassis and little austere, good structure, vanilla notes, acidic mouth fill, good lengthy finish. Needs more time to develop, but still my WOTN on the palate. 91pts
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/12/2008 - yeoman wrote:
Nice dark color when poured, decanted for abt an hour. It definitely does not look like a 01 wine suggesting this wine was way too young. The nose was quite expressive initially but seem to shut down a lot more after an hour of decanting. But the palate is wonderful with dark chocolate, gravy feel with fine tannin. Wait for another 3-5 years it's should be an outstanding wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/18/2008 - 14frimaire wrote:
Really lovely, lead pencil, tobacco, some current. Tannins are definitely present, but fine and don't obscure the fruit, which has good depth and density.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/14/2008 - loverboy wrote: 91 Points
I always love Haut Baily. Deep ruby red, with classic graves scents. Mineral, blackberries. Long aftertaste. Very nicely drinking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/23/2008 - bsherwin wrote:
Haut-Bailly & Pape Clément (Compass): I am sort of torn about whether this is a sleeper of a wine or just an everyday drinker. It is pretty much textbook Leognan with deep cassis, smoke and earth. It's slightly on the thin side of medium-bodied and doesn't have much architecture, but it is wide open and impeccably balanced. A wine with an amiable, easygoing demeaner that will neither disappoint or set the world on fire. A nice wine to drink while you're waiting for your other vintages of Haut Bailly to age.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/19/2006 - jwolfsthal wrote:
drunk with the gucc at his office. Nice, but a little underwhelming.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/3/2006 - jwolfsthal wrote:
nice wine, drinking well with good tannins, smoke, deep fruit and nice mouth feel.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2006 - SimonG wrote:
Quite rich; seems a little unfocused; slightly cheesy nose. Colour shows its relative youth. Tannic. Quite thick. Good.
RJ's, London. Grand Vin in weak year v Second wine in good year offline.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/2/2006 - Cracker Barrel wrote:
very good medium bodied pessac leognan bordeaux, drinking well
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/24/2006 - jwolfsthal wrote: 87 Points
a lovely deep garnet purple color. Aromas of blueberrys, cobler, hints of cheries and leather. The wine is a little lighter than you might guess, but I think is showing nicely. Nice, silky tannins with a nice acidty, but by no means tart. Smoke and lead flavors blend nicely with light fruit. I am hoping it will wake up a little, as it was a much bigger wine in its youth before shutting down for the past year. Looking forward to watching this bottle and the rest of the case evolve.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/2/2005 - Russell Faulkner wrote:
2001 Claret Tasting (Vintners' Hall, London): Quite muted nose, ever so slightly honied! Dense midpalate, a stuffing of blackcurrant and lighter red fruit, great intense tannin, very tight
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/9/2005 - jwolfsthal wrote: 87 Points
I've been wanted to check the status of these. It may be shut down and therefore not showing as well as it did even a year ago. Hoping it will make a comeback.
Deep blood ruby color, ligher around the rim. I swear the bubbles when poured are pink. Immediatel;y after opening the nose is quite closed. A little heat and some dark red fruits. Immediately out of the bottle the wine is bright and tart with some underripe currants, berries and then the tannins take hold. Not overpowering, but the fruit is more dormant than at first tasting. After two hours in the decanter, the wine softens nicely and shows some mellow flavors. The tannins become velvety and refined, but not as full bodied or complex as last year. Again, hoping it is closed for a little rest and will re-emerge.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment