2024 Château Haut-Bailly Grand Cru Classé de Graves

James Suckling - 93-94

A soft, light Haut-Bailly from this challenging year, with lots of red cherries, red berries, red bell peppers and fresh herbs. Quite approachable, with a medium body and soft-grained tannins. Well-judged soft extraction makes this likely approachable right after release. Not ambitious, but well balanced, juicy and refined. Brambly and lively. Early harvest? 58% cabernet sauvignon, 40% merlot and 2% cabernet franc.

Vinous - 93-95

The 2024 Haut-Bailly was picked from September 25 to October 4 and matured in 50% new oak, possibly with a shorter élevage. As usual, it deserves patience at this stage as it gradually opens and coheres with aeration. This has a perfumed bouquet built around redcurrant, cranberry and wild strawberry fruit. It's quite floral in style with finely delineated touches of freshly-rolled tobacco and wilted rose petal. The palate is creamy on the entry and velvety in texture, with finely chiseled, lace-like tannins. It is very well balanced with one of the few sensual vintages that you will find from this year. This will be much earlier drinking than other vintages, but that does not detract from what will be one of the most pleasurable 2024s to drink.

Decanter - 93

Soft floral aromatics, dried flowers, violets and iris with rose petals. Cola, crushed stones and cool blue fruit elements. Some strawberry and cranberry touches too. Great aromatics, delicate though. Perfumed in the best way. Juicy and alive, this has a lovely lifted expression almost straight away but the acidity is balanced by a creamy, cool touch - some tobacco and toast elements putting the wood around the edges, ending on a graphite and salty note. Slim and svelte, lightly built with delicacy and finesse that this estate does so well. Ageing 50% new oak. 3.65pH. 50% grand vin.