1975 Château Haut-Bailly
When I read up on this wine beforehand I got some pretty disparate views, see quotes below, but lets just say that Parker was waaaay of on this one (a recurring trend when it comes to older Bordeaux that aren´t the creme de la creme...).
The nose is deep and lovingly mature with notes of dried plums, black currants, chrushed tiles, sugared coffee and some fresh stable aromas. I can sit with my nose in the glass all evening long. Old school Bordeaux, my first love in wine 30+ years ago.
On the palate it isn´t as generous as on the nose but offers up a mature, round taste with notes of dried black currants, earth, bakelite and coffee grounds. A medium long finish. No -75 dryness in the finish. Very, very good. And with some future in hand, in spite that Parker deemed it without a future 26 years ago...
90p (tasted 2021/04)
"I have consistently rated this wine from the low 60s to the low 70s, so this was a relatively strong showing for this vegetal, thin , tannic wine. The nose has opened to reveal some attractive weedy, curranty aromas, but there is not much fruit, and the tannins still dominates this lightweight claret. It has no future. Last tasted 12/95. 76p"
(Robert Parker / Bordeaux)
"Full, mature colour. Good, plump nose, not to dense. Fullish, has the density of more traditional wine.making rather than the vintage. Rich and ripe, good fruit, finishes well. Good."
(Clive Coates / Grands Vins / tasting note from June 1987)
