Château Haut-Batailley 2023

Tobacco, dark fruit, mineral undertones; taut palate, crisp fruit, pronounced, powdery tannins, saline finish; can age.

Fragrant raspberries and blackcurrants on the nose with floral touches too. Vivid purple in the glass. Some herbal notes, liquorice and menthol/eucalyptus. Nicely structured, good bounce and flesh but cool and sleek too. I like the weight, enough tannins, well integrated, but gives structure and power. It’s not heavy, really has a clear vein of freshness that is so appealing. Lots of cool blueberry, mint, graphite and liquorice on the finish. Almost chewy, but clean and direct. Finessed but with power and depth. Really very good.

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.

Black raspberries, chocolate, mint, flowers, espresso, currants fill the aromatic profile. The palate is brisk, crisp, and crunchy, with a vivid display of currants and spice, and a chewy, lively, red-currant-filled finish. The wine was made from blending 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot. This is the first time Petit Verdot has been included in the blend. Drink from 2029-2055.

Dark ruby, purple reflections, brightening on the rim. Fine fruity bouquet, ripe cherries, a hint of cloves, inviting bouquet. Juicy dark berries, firm tannins, good complexity and freshness, mineral on the finish, delicately leafy aftertaste, will benefit from further ageing.

71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot. Delicately etched red-berry bouquet, sandalwood, cooled rosehip tea and lingonberry purée. On the palate, firmly focused with a tight-knit tannic corset, it stays dense, with nervy drive and a muscular frame. Concentrated finish of red currant, heather, and a floury astringency. A purist Pauillac that doesn’t deny its closeness to St. Julien.

Smoked and grilled damson and black cherry, floral character of violets and iris, a little soft around the edges, but has good tannic build. 65% new oak for ageing. Jean-Charles Cazes owner.

Score: 92–94. Gently floral notes (iris, musk rose) mingle with pure, seductive black-fruit aromas, touched with a hint of white pepper and a wisp of smoke, forming a harmonious, highly refined bouquet. The palate opens in perfect balance, highlighting deep layers of fruit before revealing featherweight, grainy tannins. A vertical wine that fills the entire tongue right up to the top of the palate, with pure, energizing acidity.

Notes of red berries and mint bring freshness to the bouquet! Juicy on the attack, the wine unfolds in a linear progression. It is supported by somewhat tight tannins that could use a bit more roundness, but the wine remains in balance. It has zip, power, and needs time to fully open up.

The plum, boysenberry and blackberry compote flavors here are vivid and generous as they unfurl over caressing structure. Ink, violet and anise notes add range, while a cast iron accent chimes in at the very end to make sure you know it's a Pauillac. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2027 through 2039.

It earned “my highest score ever given to this estate En Primeur”. That result is confirmed. This wine is on a par with the 2022 vintage. A very beautiful, deep, intense colour. A highly aromatic nose, subtle, fruity and fresh. Precise on the attack, very flavoursome on the mid-palate, with a fine texture; the wine melts across the palate, sappy and fragrant. It’s beautiful. It edges ahead of the 2022! Bravo!

Offering aromas of toast, oak, spices and cigar wrapper, the 2023 Haut-Batailley is medium- to full-bodied, with a dense, compact palate built around firm, chewy tannins that assert themselves on a long, spicy finish. Rather muscular and extracted in profile, it is a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, matured in 65% new oak.