Château Haut-Bailly 2012 in Salmanazar, Balthazar and Nebuchadnezzar
All the elements fall into place in an effortless, stunningly beautiful wine endowed with personality and class.
Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, January 2016
Château Haut-Bailly, Grand Cru Classé, Pessac-Léognan 2012
£750 per Salmanazar in bond (9 litres)
£810 per Balthazar in bond (12 litres)
£1,230 per Nebuchadnezzar in bond (15 litres)
The 2012 vintage in Bordeaux has long lived in the shadow of more heralded years, yet for discriminating drinkers it represents a great opportunity. This is particularly the case in the Graves and Pessac-Léognan, from where wines of poise, perfume and classical balance, rather than sheer power, emerged. Increasingly, 2012 is recognised as an underrated vintage, with many wines already drinking well, while retaining long-term potential.
We have long-championed Château Haut-Bailly, which we believe continues to stand out for its remarkable consistency across vintages, a reflection of its singular terroir: gravel, sand and clay over a subsoil made up of marine sediment. This terroir brings precision, aromatic lift and finesse even in more challenging years. In 2012, this inherent elegance is on full display. Careful decisions in the cellar – notably gentle extraction and cooler fermentations – resulted in a wine of clarity and harmony rather than excess.
Offered here in 9 litre, 12 litre and 15 litre bottles, these rare large formats come direct from the cellars of a Bordeaux Negociant and therefore benefit from unquestionable provenance and optimal storage since release. Beyond rarity and theatre, large formats offer a genuine qualitative advantage: slower, more even evolution, greater freshness over time... And, of course, more wine.
To put the value into context, the current market price for Château Haut Bailly 2012 in standard format generally sits between £600 and £700 per 12 bottle case in bond.
Château Haut-Bailly 2012
£750 per Salmanazar in bond (9 litre bottle, equivalent to 12 × 75cl)
£810 per Balthazar in bond (12 litre bottle, equivalent to 16 × 75cl)
£1,230 per Nebuchadnezzar in bond (15 litre bottle, equivalent to 20 × 75cl)
93 points, Jane Anson, janeanson.com, July 2024
Evident cocoa bean, dusted almonds, generous blackberry fruits, creamy griotte cherry, gourmet edged, with fresh acidities that ensure balance. Enjoyable, good quality with creamy fruit that builds through the palate. This is ready to drink but will continue to deliver over the next decade or more. Drink 2024-2044
96 points, Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, January 2016
The 2012 Haut Bailly is quite fragrant and inviting. Dark raspberries, mint, crushed flowers, spices and rose petals all lift from the glass in this feminine, gracious Haut-Bailly that offers considerable near and medium-term appeal. All the elements fall into place in an effortless, stunningly beautiful wine endowed with personality and class. One of the wines of the vintage, the Haut Bailly will drink well for two decades-plus. This is a superb showing from proprietor Bob Wilmers and his team headed by Véronique Sanders. The decision to lower temperatures in fermentation and go for a soft, gentle extraction, along with strict selection has paid off big time. Drink 2018-2037
These large formats offer a compelling combination of an increasingly appreciated, understated Bordeaux vintage, one of Pessac-Léognan's most consistent Château and exceptional provenance.
A recent search for one highlighted just how difficult such large formats are to find when you want them, which may be a good reason to take them when you can?
Please let us know of your interest.
Atlas Fine Wines
finewineoffers@atlasfinewines.com