1996 Wine

Wine Spectator, 92 points: Hints of oyster shell and truffle mark the age of this satiny Champagne, but there's still enough well-knit acidity to keep this fresh, focusing the subtle notes of toasted almond, dried golden currant, fleur de sel and...

Wine Spectator, 90 points: Supergrapey, with wet earth and stones on the nose. Full-bodied, medium-sweet, with lots of tannins. Long and racy on the finish. A serious young Port. Best Panascal ever. Best after 2005.–JS

TheWineCellarInsider.com, 90 points: Looking and tasting much older than its true age, the wine has taken on more of a copper coloring. Losing some of its sweetness, you find more creme brulee, orange and caramel, than sweet, tropical, honeyed fruits. This...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 92 points: Tasted at the château, the 1996 Haut Bailly is a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc. It has an attractive bouquet with blackcurrant pastilles, briary, a touch of gravel and dried orange...