Château Haut Bailly, Cru Classé, Pessac Léognan,

The 2009 has a creamy edge to it without being heavy, more than proving the quality of this vintage at 15 years on. Taut, precise, dark cherry and cassis fruits, campfire smoke, crayon and crushed rocks, balanced and finessed. One to seek out, this is full of textured, slate-filled tannins, and is utterly delicious. Harvest September 15 to October 14. 60% new oak. Denis Dubourdieu consultant, Gabriel Vialard winemaker.

The 2009 Haut-Bailly remains a glorious example from this Pessac-Léognan estate and confirms my recent encounters. Blueberries and cassis scents soon join black cherries, blood orange and iris flower notes on the nose. It skillfully translates the precocity of the growing season, though there is just a touch of alcohol that blurs the edges compared to more recent vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with a sensual, creamy, velvety texture. It is laden with black fruit and just a hint of liquorice, more primal than the bottle opened at the vertical the previous year. Drinking perfectly now if you like a bit of hedonism, otherwise, leave it four to five more years. Tasted at the château.