Chateau Haut-Bailly Pessac Leognan Rouge 2011
Country: France
Known as “Pessac-Léognan” since 1987 is rejuvenated from the 2018 vintage after 30 years of success. The initials of the property are highlighted in a more concise format. HB originates from the estate’s youngest vines. A brief stint of barrel ageing provides a little more structure and softness, while retaining a wine that is enjoyable after a couple of years in bottle.
The vineyard of Haut-Bailly as we know it today began to take shape when the Goyanèche and then the Daitze family acquired and unified the best vine growing plots in the 1530s. The estate remained in the Daitze Family until 1630 when it was purchased by Firmin Le Bailly and Nicolas de Leuvarde, wealthy Parisian bankers and lovers of Graves wines.
Following substantial investments, the property continued to be passed down the Bailly family line until 1736, when Irishman Thomas Barton took the helm. His strong business network allowed him to spread word about the quality of Château Haut-Bailly at a time when French ‘claret' was beginning its rise to stardom in England and Ireland.
A patchwork of vines spreads across ridges of sandy, gravel-studded soils that sit atop a layer of sandstone. The soils are petrified with the remains of prehistoric fossil shells that descend deep into the earth, offering exceptional drainage and rare minerals. At the heart of it all, a stone’s throw from the chateau building, lies Haut-Bailly’s most precious jewel: an eclectic cohort of ancient vines that each year bestow soulfulness and timeless continuity upon the wine.