【Aged for twelve months in wooden casks】【Wine Advocate: 91 points】
【Vinous: 91 points】【Wine Enthusiast: 93 points】
ZTF116A - La Parde de Haut Bailly Pessac Leognan 2016
Special Price：315/bottle
Region: Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux
Grape Varieties: 47% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol Content: 13.5%
Volume: 750ml
Winery
Château Haut-Bailly is a vineyard steeped in ancient history. Records indicate that as early as 1461, a vineyard named ‘Pujau’ existed upon an exceptionally fine, dome-shaped slope – the very site where Château Haut-Bailly stands today. However, the foundations of the modern vineyard at Château Haut-Bailly were laid in 1530 by the Goyaneche and Daitze families.
Following the death of Gaillard Daitze in 1630, his heirs transferred the ‘Pujau’ estate to their creditors: Parisian bankers Firmin Le Bailly and Nicolas de Leuvarde. These two financiers, already admirers of the estate's fine wines and keenly aware of its potential, invested substantially to elevate the vineyard to a truly commercial scale. They constructed a main building befitting the estate's stature and secured its international renown; indeed, Firmin bequeathed his surname, Le Bailly, to the estate.
Region
Château Gaubier is perched atop the highest hillock within the Graves appellation on the Gironde's left bank. It commands a majestic view over its entire 30-hectare vineyard, which features a perfectly sloping terrain. The soil possesses excellent water absorption properties, while evenly distributed depressions ensure efficient drainage during rainy seasons. The vineyard comprises three distinct soil types: a relatively shallow topsoil mixed with smooth Quaternary gravel, overlying a subsoil of calcareous marl. In vineyard management, the estate prioritises both ecological integrity and adherence to traditional practices. The estate steadfastly avoids herbicides and insists on hand-picking grapes. To ensure high grape quality while controlling yields, regular pruning is conducted, with fruit thinning performed post-flowering based on vine condition. Furthermore, grapes undergo meticulous selection after harvest before vinification, with particular emphasis placed on the “bleeding” process during winemaking. Environmental protection remains a key consideration. To this end, the estate employs low-pesticide cultivation methods, strictly limiting chemical inputs and adapting treatments only where exceptional circumstances warrant.
Winemaking
In the late nineteenth century, Alcide Bellot des Minieres, proprietor of Château Gaffelière, opposed grafting techniques, insisting that only ‘French vines’ could yield the splendour and nobility he sought. Yet faced with relentless phylloxera infestations, the estate ultimately had no choice but to plant American rootstock. To this day, Haut-Bailly retains four hectares of these ancient vines, some exceeding a century in age. The estate's long-established wine grape varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Carmenère, Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. Beyond these old vines, the remaining vineyard comprises 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc.
‘La Parde de Haut-Bailly’ serves as Haut-Bailly's second wine. Originally launched in 1967 as ‘Domaine de la Parde,’ it was then considered one of Bordeaux's premier second wines. In 1979, it was renamed to its current designation, ‘La Parde de Haut-Bailly’. Over subsequent years, through the development of its own distinct style and character, it gradually established its independent identity. Derived from younger vines and comprising the finest free-run juice, this second wine exhibits more pronounced fruit aromas and greater palatability compared to the first wine. Following an identical vinification process to the first wine, La Parde de Haut-Bailly also undergoes twelve months of ageing in oak barrels. Its palate is particularly captivating, elegant and refined, with a pleasing, velvety smoothness. Its suppleness and aromatic bouquet upon opening make it more suited for drinking young than the first wine. Nevertheless, its structure also reveals ageing potential.
