Haut Bailly 2014

Black fruits on the nose fragrant and floral the start of the palate has bilberry freshness quite firm. Rich in the middle the fruit is ripe the tannins well handled a mix of cassis and black cherry layers of flavour. Fresher at the back slightly herbal gravelly then sweet fruit comes and gives richness on the finish. 2018-30

An ambitious Haut-Bailly that's made with one eye on the future. Bold, concentrated and savoury but with considerable underlying finesse, this has gravelly tannins, bright acidity and sinewy tannins. The fruit sweetness is there, but it needs time to emerge from the wine's shell.

The 2014 Haut-Bailly has a sophisticated bouquet with cedar and gravel-infused red berry fruit, gaining intensity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, quite supple tannins that manage to form a firm frame that should see this repay cellaring. There is plenty of attractive, lightly spice red and black fruit, segueing into clove and black olive notes towards the finish. Excellent. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. 2021 - 2045

The 2014 Haut Bailly has a charming, quite intense bouquet with layers of blackberry, raspberry coulis, black olive and melted tar scents that soar from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, well-judged acidity, harmonious and focused with superb density and precision towards the finish. This is a classy number and alongside Domaine de Chevalier, it is one of the standouts from the appellation in this vintage. Drink date 2020 - 2045

The Château Haut-Bailly 2014 is a blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon and 34% Merlot picked between 24 September and 15 October. Véronique Sanders explained that it represents a much higher percentage of Cabernet because of its quality, the Merlot undergoing some saignée due to the size of berries. Matured in 50% new oak and including 8% vin de presse, it has a lovely bouquet with superb delineation, touches of undergrowth and tobacco infusing the pure black fruit, stirrings of black tea emerging with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with edgy, crisp tannin on the entry and good acidity (ph 3.7), perhaps more than say, the 2012. There is a fine sense of energy here and at dovetails into a lightly spiced, slightly saline finish. This is a slightly less ostentatious than recent vintages, a little more restrained but the terroir really shows through. Excellent. Expect this to land at the top of my banded score.

A subtle and refined wine with savory, salty and delicately fruity character. Full body, fine tannins and a fresh finish. Compacted and tight. Lovely tension. Precise.