Château Haut-Bailly 2021 – Pessac-Léognan Grand Cru Classé de Graves

The nose is beautifully elegant, revealing a fine grain, a delicate spiciness and harmony. There are notes of bright wild blackcurrant, ripe blue berries and slightly ripe strawberry with hints of blueberry, graphite and fine points of racy minerality/saline, light tobacco and a discreet hint of roasted fruit and a very discreet touch of chocolate. A nice complexity with finesse. The palate is nicely conducted, balanced, fresh/mineral, masterful, sapid, “quaffable” (in the good sense of the word) and reveals a nice definition, an acidic backbone, freshness, tension, suavity, an airy quality, a nice multi-layered side, a nice, nice purity, silky complexity as well as a certain depth. On the palate this wine expresses notes of full-bodied/juicy Morello cherry, bright boysenberry and more lightly ripe/juicy blackcurrant combined with hints of star anise, tonka bean, an almost roasted edge, a discreet hint of ripe red berry fruit, almost a subtle hint of black olive as well as fine hints of bergamot, chocolate, toasted almond, Madagascar pepper and spice. The tannins are supple, fine and elegant.