Each month, the team in our London Shop at 63 Pall Mall select a different wine to showcase – just one of the many wines available to taste from our Enomatic machines. For May, Siggi Gunnlaugsson has selected a deliciously rich Château Haut-Bailly.

2008 Château Haut-Bailly, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux

 

What is it? 

The focus of this month’s “On the pour” is Château Haut-Bailly, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux. The estate is managed by the charming Véronique Sanders.  

Véronique is as elegant as her wines. Like all her successful counterparts in 2008, Véronique was completely focused on tending the vineyard during the wet summer and long dry autumn, and this hard work has really paid off. The ’08 is a beautiful, floral powerhouse of charming aromas displaying the gorgeous, ripe, silky cassis fruit, lead pencil shavings, charcoal and damp earth, mixed with a hint of subtle barbecue smoke – classic Graves. 

What’s the story behind it? 

Haut-Bailly dates back to the 16^th century but is now in the hands of the Wilmers family, who have owned the estate since 1998. With their involvement in the business came investment into a new winery. The winery is first and foremost a functional space, in which Gabriel Vialard and his team can refine their skills and embark on their yearly creation under the direction of Véronique Sanders.

By providing better tools, a more comfortable place to work and an open environment in which savoir-faire can be cherished by all, Haut-Bailly believes that a sense of value and pride will encourage even greater creations in the future. Haut-Bailly is renowned for its smoothness and silkiness but, since the mid 1990s, the wines have a better depth of fruit as well as more grip, concentration and body. They are now amongst the top echelons of Pessac-Léognan wines. 

What should I drink it with? 

Good friends or family around the dinner table enjoying each other’s company. Food-wise, go for a good T-bone steak or any stew. 

Discover the ’08 Château Haut-Bailly here or visit us in our London Shop at 63 Pall Mall to taste the wine.