Chateau Haut Bailly 2012

96 THE WINEADVOCATE: "The classic 2012 Haut-Bailly is staggeringly great wine, with a stunning bouquet of lead pencil shavings, blueberries, black raspberries and blackcurrants and perhaps a touch of spring flowers, followed by a medium to full-bodied wine with an almost seamless integration of wood, alcohol and tannin. It is rich, concentrated, stunningly supple, pure and a total hedonistic and intellectual turn-on. This wine defines what is meant by intensity of flavor, but it is light on its feet, à la great cuisine. It should be drinkable reasonably young, but age effortlessly for 25-30 years." Drink: 2015 - 2045. 96 ANTONIO GALLONI: "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." 94 JAMES SUCKLING: "This red shows intense blackberries, raspberries and strawberries on the nose, following through to a full body with refined yet firm tannins, fresh acidity and a delicate finish. The purity of fruit and finesse and texture of the tannins are all fantastic. Drink in 2019." 18 RENE GABRIEL: "56 % Merlot, 40 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 4 % Cabernet Franc. Tiefes Purpur, satt in der Mitte, Granatschimmer am Rand. Grossartiges Bouquet, reife Kirschen, Kaffeenoten, Edelhölzer, dunkle Rosen, eine schöne Fruchtsüsse anzeigend, mineralisch. Delikater Gaumen, schon fast tänzerisch, kleine rote Beeren, die Tannine zeigen jetzt feine Muskeln, wirkt auf den ersten Anblick nicht besonders tief, das mag auch an seinen grundlegenden burgundischen Anlagen liegen. Ein ernst zu nehmender Haut-Bailly welcher dazu neigt eventuell unterschätzt zu werden. Gewisse Parallelen zum 2005er sind vorhanden. Also könnte er dann noch einen Punkt zulegen."