Professional Reviews
Antonio Galloni
AG
93
"The 2008 Haut Bailly has long been one of the knockout wines of the vintage. Now at ten years of age it retains its youthful appearance. It has a stunning bouquet with billowing, pure blackberry and bilberry fruit tinged with brine and iodine, very well defined and one of the most intense you will find in 2008. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin. This feels lithe and silky smooth in the mouth: intense black fruit, a splash soy and a more structured finish. Just superb." -Vinous
Robert Parker
RP
96
"A candidate for the -wine of the vintage,- the 2008 Haut-Bailly possesses incredible complexity. Tell-tale notes of lead pencil shavings, charcoal, damp earth, black cherries and black currants intermixed with a hint of subtle barbecue smoke are present in this classic, quintessential Graves. Medium-bodied with an emerging, precocious complexity, it is a super-pure, beautifully textured, long wine that can be drunk now or cellared for 20-25 years. Bravo!" -Robert Parker
Jancis Robinson
JR
17
"Very fine and classic in style. Dark fruits with a fresh, minerally tone (highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon among the vintages 1998–2017 tasted). Great sense of length and drive, the palate linear and focused. Adequate fruit and the tannins are finely etched. Lovely unforced style."
Decanter
D
93
"Haut-Bailly has upped the intensity a little in recent years, and although that has rightly won it plaudits, this makes me feel a little nostalgic for the days when it really did go for extremely restrained elegance. It needs time in the glass, as the tannins are still fully tight rather than caressing, and I suggest another year or two before attacking it. Spicy notes unfurl over the palate, with cassis, gentle cedar, and some menthol on the finish. One to really savour."
Wine Enthusiast
WE
93
"While at this young stage there may be toasty aromas, there is also intense, perfumed fruit. This complex, distinguished wine is polished, with plenty of bright fruits and acidity."
