Region | |
---|---|
Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pauillac |
Colour | Red |
Type | Still |
View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château Haut-Batailley
The 2015 Haut Batailley is a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Merlot, matured in 60% new oak. It was picked between 21 September until 2 October. It is a level up from the 2015 Lacoste Borie with much more fruit intensity: blackberry, boysenberry, tobacco and cedar aromas. It gathers momentum in the glass and develops a subtle mint accent. The palate is medium-bodied with supple, lithe tannin, very well balanced with just a slight tinniness that will disappear by the time in bottle. I love the pencil shaving sprinkled over the aftertaste here. With very good substance and impressive length, this is a classic Pauillac that I suspect will offer 25 or 30 years of pleasure. Drink 2025-2055.
There’s immediate appeal to the nose and palate. Both are bathed in blackberries and dark plums. The tannins are superbly cut and very long and fresh. The oak chimes in with spicy flavors and bolsters plush grape tannins in a harmonious finish. Try from 2022.
Bright limpid crimson. Quite tense and exciting spiciness on the nose. Rich and ripe. Quite forward but good savoury undertow. Lots of energy. Dry but not drying end. A good effort! Nothing forced.
Drink 2024-2040
Fleshy richness the fruit is sweet the nose has depth the palate the richness of ripe fruit. Supple in the middle velvety and smooth the sweet fruit underpinned by fine tannins. There is a fleshy richness at the back but enough underlying freshness to brighten the finish.
Christel Spinner, the talented oenologist at Grand-Puy-Lacoste, applies her special touch to
this wine, too. Sourced from sandier soils, it’s often a little lighter in style, but that’s not the
case here. The wine has good grip and structure with stylish, toasty oak for support.
Drink: 2020-28
With a strong, determined Cabernet core this wine is more purposeful than some of the softer releases and it reaffirms its intentions to be considered among the top wines of the commune. While Grand-Puy-Lacoste always shows charm alongside structure and intensity, Haut-Batailley is often a more muscular creation with a less generous air in its youth. The colour is a majestic purple and the black cherry and graphite nose is spellbinding. The palate is fairly slim and long with sleek lines and no trace of graininess or traction in the tannins as they are unbelievably fit. This is a wine that will require a few years to gather itself together but I would bet my house on it unravelling stunningly in five-eight years’ time. A wine to buy and treasure without breaking the bank and as far as classic Pauillac is concerned this wine is made
to an age old design and I adore it because it doesn’t get carried away with its own grandeur.
Racy and balanced red with black currant, plum and berry aromas and flavors. Full body, soft and silky tannins, Elegant.