Wines Pessac-Léognan Château HAUT BAILLY ??? - 2022

Château Haut-Bailly 2022, from the esteemed Pessac-Léognan AOC within the Graves region of Bordeaux, is a red wine renowned for its elegance and structure. This château is celebrated for its meticulous blend, primarily composed of Cabernet Sauvignon, with significant Merlot and occasional Petit Verdot to lend complexity and depth. The 2022 vintage experienced weather extremes, with a warm growing season balanced by timely rainfall, resulting in a harvest of perfectly ripe, concentrated grapes. Vinification at Haut-Bailly combines modern precision with traditional methods: hand-harvested fruit, gentle extraction, and maturation in French oak barrels (often with a generous proportion of new oak) create a wine known for its refined tannins, aromatic complexity and remarkable ageing potential. In the glass, you can expect layered aromas of blackcurrant, graphite, violet, and spice, all framed by subtle oak and mineral touches.

Pessac-Léognan sits at the northernmost point of Graves, just south of the city of Bordeaux. The region’s gravelly soils, intermixed with sand and clay, are famed for excellent drainage and heat retention, promoting slow, even ripening of the grapes and imparting a distinctive minerality to the wines. This area boasts a long viticultural history, with roots stretching back to the Middle Ages, and today, it is revered for producing some of Bordeaux’s most nuanced and enduring red wines. The climate is temperate, influenced by nearby Atlantic breezes that moderate temperatures and preserve acidity—a key to the balance and freshness seen in this wine.

For food pairings, Château Haut-Bailly 2022’s structure and aromatic depth make it an ideal companion to classic French dishes. Roast lamb, particularly with rosemary and garlic, highlights the wine’s herbal and savoury qualities, while a grilled entrecôte Bordelaise with shallot sauce complements its rich fruit. Regional offerings such as duck magret or confit are also fitting, as are refined mushroom dishes or truffled risottos for vegetarians.

To best appreciate this wine’s complexity, serve it at 16-18°C in large glasses after one to two hours of decanting if opened young. This allows the bouquet and palate to fully unfold. While already pleasurable, the 2022 vintage promises to evolve beautifully with careful cellaring over the coming decade or more.