Chateau Haut-Bailly 1990

Parker: Haut-Bailly is often such a restrained, gentle, subtle wine that it can get lost in a blind tasting, particularly when served side by side with more powerful Bordeaux. That was not the case in my recent tasting, as both the 1989 and 1990 vintages performed well. The 1990 Haut-Bailly, which I have always preferred slightly to the 1989, was once again the stronger vintage. It displays a richer, more saturated dark ruby color, followed by a textbook, smoky tobacco, blackberry, and cassis-scented bouquet. Ripe, supple-textured, and generous, with no hard edges, this is a stylish, well-crafted wine with all the component parts in balance. 92/100