Château Haut Bailly, Cru Classé, Pessac Léognan, 2006

Tasting Note:

This is an outstanding 2006, and arguably better than this château's 2005. It combines the usual elegant breeding that we expect from this superb terroir with a larger structure than has previously been apparent. Beyond the relative simplicity of the pure red fruit, the real essence of this wine lies in its secondary complexity and finely chiselled features. Fine terroir is clear on the nose; the palate is focussed, the tannins well-honed and silky; considerable expansion on mid-palate through flavours of olive tapenade, rabbit stew, soft oak and tobacco, then caramel, finishing on a pure note of very ripe cassis. Bravo!