Still extremely knitted down, pretty closed at the four year point as you would expect in a vintage that has such walls, floors, ceiling and buttressing. The tannins are very much present but even now they are confident without being intrusive, and the future potential is singing. There are traces of gunsmoke, suggesting even after four years in bottle we are still very much in the reductive phase, so don't drink this for at least another five years. But wow is it going to be good. Blend completed by 3% Cabernet Franc. Drinking Window: 2026 - 2045
Tasted by: Jane Anson (at Haut-Bailly, 03 Jul 2020)
Part of Pessac-Léognan: Setting the pace

The 2016 Haut-Bailly is medium to deep garnet-purple in color. The nose opens with beautiful floral notes of violets and lavender accented with earthy notions and sparks of crushed rocks over a core of kirsch, cassis and wild blueberries. Full-bodied, rich and seductive, it has layer upon layer of red, black and blue fruits intermingled with earth and mineral hints leading to a very long, perfumed finish. LPB Nov 2018

Wonderful aromas of tobacco, sweet fruit and licorice follow through to a full body with ultra-fine tannins that caress every inch of your palate. Love the length and subtlety to this young wine. Gorgeous. Drink after 2024. - Feb 2019

A big, vertical wine, the 2016 Haut-Bailly explodes onto the palate with tremendous depth and intensity. Readers should be in no rush to drink the 2016, as it won't be close to ready to drink for at least a decade, and I say that as an eternal optimist. Black cherry, smoke, tobacco, cedar, gravel and incense add to the wine's decidedly somber personality. - vinous.com, January 2019

Dark in color, this is already just great. The wine offers a hint of truffle, tobacco, smoke, cigar box, crème de cassis and dark cherries. The wine is concentrated, full-bodied, elegant classic and fresh. The tannins are ripe, refined and need time to soften. This is not a wine for early drinking pleasure. It will take at least a decade to soften, fill-out and develop its nuances and complexities. With patience, this is going to be a stunning wine and could very likely earn a higher score. Fans of Haut-Bailly should definitely have this gem in the their cellar. Tasted Sept 2019

The 2016 Haut-Bailly is brilliant on the nose with exquisite delineation and focus: blackberries, potpourri, crushed stone and hints of violet petal. This is utterly seductive. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins, perfectly judged acidity, very cohesive and almost Pauillac-like towards the finish. This is a very classy Haut-Bailly as you would expect, and the length is stupendous. Tasted at the Haut-Bailly vertical at the château. April 2022

Rather floral nose. Ripe and broad. Quite chewy and structured. Cool and pretty dry. Pretty chewy! Lots of dynamism. - jancisrobinson.com, April 2017

I obviously underrated the 2016 Château Haut-Bailly on release, and it easily tops out my scale. A hypothetical blend of the 2009 and 2010, it has the opulence and sexiness of a ripe, sunny vintage (à la 2009) paired with incredible purity, concentration, structure, and elegance (à la 2010). Incredible aromatics of cassis, liquid violets, cedar pencil, flowers, and minerals give way to a full-bodied, multi-dimensional, layered Haut-Bailly offering ultra-fine tannins, flawless overall balance, nothing out of place, and the class to drink well today yet evolve for 30-40 years. Absolute perfection in wine, this is a modern-day Legend from director Veronique Sanders. Tasted Nov 2023