A mosaic of soils

The Haut-Bailly vineyard is established on one of the highest ridges on the left bank of the Garonne, with particularly good drainage.

Rooted in a soil of sand mixed with clay gravel from a Tertiary landslide, the vineyard offers an incomparable patchwork of plots suited to the needs of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carménère.

As for the subsoil, which is rich in falun (petrified fossilised stones and shells), this is where the vines draw the minerals and trace elements they need to produce rich aromas and freshness. Thanks to this terroir, its geographical location, the particularities of its hillside, its exposure and the unique heritage of its oldest vines (some of which are up to 120 years old), the vineyard produces grapes of great finesse that give Haut-Bailly wines their signature character.

A century-old treasure

The choice of sustainable viticulture that preserves an ancient vineyard also proves its value in the extreme conditions we are experiencing: the deep roots of our vines-due to their age and the way in which the soil has been worked-provide them with a remarkable capacity for resistance.

Haut-Bailly has successfully maintained 4 hectares (10 acres) of century-old vines, planted by Alcide Bellot des Minières, owner of Château Haut-Bailly in 1905. This single plot is unusually interwoven with 6 key varieties: 1/12 Carmenère, 1/12 Merlot, 1/12 Cabernet Franc, 1/12 Malbec, 1/12 Petit Verdot and 7/12 Cabernet Sauvignon. These vines are the heart of Haut-Bailly, a fundamental part of its genetic makeup. Their rarity, mystique and superb fruit are to be tasted in each bottle of Château Haut-Bailly.

A delicate touch

At Haut-Bailly there is deep-rooted understanding that delicate, painstaking work contributes to the refinement of the wines. Emphasis is placed on manual intervention in the vineyard, carried out by people who are exceptionally invested in their craft. The quest for quality is constant, through thoughtful, attentive and precise actions: pruning to respect the flow of sap, removal of secondary shoots, thinning out the harvest if necessary, and the rigorous selection of the batches. It’s the work of a true goldsmith that our teams accomplish throughout the year, in the pursuit of individual and collective excellence.

The vineyards are managed with respect for nature and the surrounding ecosystem: traditional tillage, integrated protection to stimulate natural defences and manual harvesting.

Manual harvest

Sorting begins in the vines, with harvesters seeking to eliminate any unwanted berries. After de-stemming, the grapes pass along a single, gently vibrating sorting table where hands are at the ready to pluck out any less-than-perfect berries before they pass directly into vats.