Continuing my harvest tour of the Bordeaux appellations, I went to Haut Bailly yesterday for a vertical tasting of the last ten years of the property - 1998 to 2007.
It confirmed, as it always does when I taste Haut Bailly, what a truly gorgeous wine this is. Elegant and understated but one that delivers even in 'off' vintages. Very enjoyable lunch also, as fellow tasters included Masters' of Wine James Lawther and Fiona Morrisson (Fiona just happens also to be married to Jacques Thienpont at Le Pin, and confirmed the blog story from the other day that plans are underway for building at Le Pin, but that the planning permission hasn't even been granted yet, so says there really is nothing to say about it until next spring, so I promised I would hold off turning it into a Decanter story!)
Also there was owner Robert Wilmers (whose bank is apparently still stable in the US) and director Veronique Sanders (who is also president of the Cru Classes to Graves, and is pregnant, due at the end of November).
Of the vertical, particulary wonderful for my palate were the 2000 ('a wine to melt into' say my notes) and the very stately 2002. The 1998 was also fantastic, fairly gliding along in the tasting, and even better when re-tasted with lunch!
