Château Haut-Bailly Pessac Léognan Cru Classé de Graves 1996

Served out of magnum because there are no bottles left at the property. The colour remains fairly intense, just beginning to soften and truffle around the edges. Gorgeous woodsmoke, undergrowth and cold ash, classical and tertiary but still with a touch of austerity to the tannins, suggesting this is in its drinking window but with plenty of time ahead. Owned by the Sanders family at this point, in the last two years before the estate was purchased by Bob Wilmers in 1998.