Wearing a bright red, very elegant, fitted jacket with glossy dark hair spilling over her shoulders, Noemie Ruelloux, communications manager for Chateau Haut-Bailly, welcomes me to the Chateau. Haut-Bailly is situated on the left bank of the River Garonne, south of Bordeaux in the commune of Pessac-Léognan.
Today the air is crisp and the classically styled Chateau and vineyard sparkle in the late afternoon sun. It is a picture perfect moment - the type you will always remember. Every vine is lovingly pruned and seems excited about the potential of the year ahead. Anticipation is virtually in the air.
Through the centuries, this vineyard has seen much upheaval. Dig into its history and you will see the visionaries who saw the magic I am seeing today and pulled together all their resources to buy it. One of the first is viticulturist Alcide Bellot des Minieres, who passionately expanded the vineyards and gave the winery a reputation to match the Deuxieme Cru further north. He was known as the "King of Wines," and due to his attention to scientific detail, prices for Haut-Bailly rose to a level similar to those of the Bordeaux First Growths (Lafite, Latour, Margaux, and Haut-Brion).
The second visionary was Daniel Sanders who brought it back to its former glory after many war-torn years of neglect. Today, Daniel's granddaughter Veronique Sanders runs the cellars, with U.S. banker Robert Wilmers owning the property. Together, Noemie and I tour the vineyards, my black high heels gently sinking into the slightly moist earth.
The soil here is a mix of sand and Tertiary gravel over Faluns de Leognan, which is soft soil, rich in sandstone and fossilized shells. The vines are 65 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 25 percent Merlot, and 10 percent Cabernet Franc, with small plantings of Petit Verdot and Malbac. Workers, I learn, harvest by hand with three tiers of sorting: first in the vineyard, next when the grapes are destemmed in the winery, and then by using a sorting table before vinification.
You might have heard the statement, "Great wine is made in the vineyard." To that end, quality is key here. Vines are vigorously pruned for small yields. Sometimes vines are thinned after flowering. The varieties are kept separate until blending. Fermentation occurs in temperature-controlled concrete vats. Typically there is a three-week cuvaison, and then up to eight months in oak (roughly half new each vintage). The wines are assembled in stainless steel, and bottled without fining or filtration.
Finally, we taste the wine. Below are my tasting notes. Typically, I take notes in the fashion dictated by the Wine and Spirits Educational Trust.
La Parde de Haut Bailly 2003 (second label)
Color: dark purple, fushia rim, watery white meniscus, tears fast to form and fade.
Nose: Medium+ intensity, very intense red tart berries such as cranberries, pomegranate, subtle violet.
Palate: Dry, acid is medium, tannin is high minus, body is medium, alcohol is medium, length is very, very, very long.
Flavor intensity is intense, including muddled violets, blue berries, tealeaves, and black currant.
Chateau Haut Bailly 2004 (Grand Cru)
Color: purple, medium + intensity, very dark, tears medium to form and fall.
Nose: medium intensity, vanilla, caramel, cinnamon, red ripe fruit.
Palate: dry, acid is medium +, tannin is medium, body is medium, alcohol is medium, length is very long. Flavor intensity is pronounced with grainy tannins, black currant leaf, vanilla, beets, and rhubarb.
Chateau Haut-Bailly
By appointment only.
Phone: +33 5 56 64 75 11
E-mail: visite@chateau-haut-bailly.com
Monday through Friday: 9 to 12 a.m. and 2 to 5 p.m.
Group visits: up to 15-20 persons max.
French, English, German, Flemish.
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