Haut-Bailly II 2022

A Pessac-Léognan red wine that delights with finesse and gourmet expression

The estate

With a vineyard where the quality of the land for growing vines was recognised in local archives as early as 1461, Château Haut-Bailly has a prestigious heritage. Château Haut-Bailly was awarded the title of Cru Classé des Graves in 1953, and a new page in its history was written when it was bought by Robert G. Wilmers in 1998. Passionate about Bordeaux and its wines, this great patron of the arts and lover of French culture worked alongside his wife to preserve Château Haut-Bailly's historic heritage, while taking an innovative and modern approach to raising the estate to the highest level until his death in December 2017. Véronique Sanders, the estate's Managing Director, and Gabriel Vialard, its Technical Director, manage this emblematic Cru Classé in the Pessac-Léognan appellation with talent and passion.

The vineyard

Placed on the top of a Graves hillside, Château Haut-Bailly oversees a 30-hectare terroir. Planted on gravel, clay and sand soils, with the gentle slopes of the hilltop providing excellent soil drainage, the vines produce a great Pessac-Léognan wine.

The wine

Produced since 1967 from grapes grown on the same plots as those dedicated to the Grand Vin, this Second Wine initially named "La Parde Haut-Bailly" has become "Haut-Bailly II" since the 2018 vintage.

The vintage

A relatively mild, wet winter preceded a spring marked by five major frost spells in early April, which, thanks to the resources deployed by the teams, caused little damage, concentrating on the Merlot vines. The hot weather then encouraged rapid growth development. Flowering began in mid-May. Rainfall in June was ideal for boosting ripening. The wildfires in Landiras and La Teste-de-Buch, far from Léognan, had no impact on the wines. In total, five heat waves hit the vineyards between May and September. This makes 2022 the hottest year since 1947.

Blend

Haut-Bailly II 2022 is a blend of Merlot (65%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%), Cabernet Franc (3%) and Petit Verdot (2%).