2023 Haut Batailley
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Tasting notes
Highly aromatic and concentrated, with notes of blackberry, juicy plum and black cherry, framing a very pretty violet aromatic. The structure is quite firm yet elegant with a lot of finesse, leading into a long finish. 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot. 13.2% ABV, 3.69 pH.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
William Kelley, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Smoky black fruits, tobacco leaf, chocolate, and graphite all emerge from the 2023 Château Haut-Batailley, a gorgeous Pauillac in the vintage. Based on 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot and aged 16 months in 65% new French oak, it's medium to full-bodied, with a round, layered, seamless mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and beautiful polish and elegance. It shines even today yet will have three decades of longevity. Drink 2026-2055.
The 2023 Haut-Batailley is every bit as impressive as it was en primeur . Dark and quite imposing, the 2023 offers up an exotic mélange of blackberry jam, gravel, incense, licorice, dried herbs and scorched earth. Even with all of its considerable textural intensity, Haut-Batailley shows a measure of brightness, especially in its aromatics.
The 2023 Haut Batailley has a very harmonious and cohesive bouquet with bright blackberry, cedar and graphite scents. The oak is beautifully integrated here. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, quite structured and sapid, leading to a more mellow finish that is not too grippy. Give this two or three years, but there is the substance here to reward cellaring.
About the producer
The Cazes family – owners of Lynch-Bages and Ormes de Pez – purchased Haut-Batailley in 2017. They’ve embarked on a significant replanting programme, and exciting things are likely to come from this address with its new backing.