Once again I shared a bottle of wine and some bloody chunks of meat with a good friend of mine. We have recently imbibed the 78 and 85 Haut-Baillys, so we logically progressed to the 1986. It is a delicious wine, perhaps my favourite though not drinking as well as the other two. What I am curious about is that the Haut-Bailly web site claims this is 100% Cab S, while Peppercorn claims that it is almost wholly Cab S - implying that some Merlot is in there also. I would of course assume that H-B knows best, but the wine itself smells and tastes as if there was the typical blend going on! It is perhaps a touch more Cabernetty than in the other vintages I've had, but by no means does this taste like a varietal wine! But from the evidence given by H-B, I must say that this is the first 100% Cabernet S that I have genuinely loved. Others have impressed me; some I have enjoyed to some extent; but none apart from this have I truly loved. Usually I will prefer the grape to be blended, but in 1986 H-B made it perfectly!
- 1986 Château Haut-Bailly - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (7/17/2006)
Still dark red, slight bricking towards the rim. The nose has much cassis, lead, leaves and is typically earthy à la Pessac and red toned in its fruit à la H-B. The nose, though obviously Cab S dominant, does not really scream 100% Cab S as H-B's web site claims this vintage is - rather it seems just the perfect blend as the wine usually is. The palate is still tannic, but sweetly fruity, light yet intense, with fine acidity also. A lovely young Claret - though blossoming already.
Posted from CellarTracker
