Coming from one of my favorite vintages at this address, 2016 La Parde Haut-Bailly is a great testament to the top-notch releases coming from Veronique Sanders and her team, year after year. Now called Haut Bailly II, we still have a sweet spot for La Parde, as it has been a go-to at K&L for decades now. Whatever it's named, the wine simply delivers. Aromatically there are more black fruits and florals, but it is brighter on the palate, with red fruits, minerality, and a bit of cedar on the long, slightly spicy finish. Texturally, that compact and concentrated (but not heavy) character of the Grand Vin shows through. I find this bottle just to be at the early stages of maturity—a few tertiary notes are starting to show up, but just around the edges. Either way, this delivers a to of character and depth, and is another shining example of the incredible 2016 vintage. 47% each Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, with the balance being 6% Cabernet Franc.