Château Batailley 2020

Really quite fragrant, lots of purple flowers and purple fruits, ripe blackcurrants, pencil shavings - deep and brooding. Supple and succulent, immediately just so balanced and comfortable in the mouth, calm and quietly confident, less showing off, not so overt or upfront, but more mouthfilling and expansive. Tannins give a stronghold in the mouth but are fine and velvety in texture, cushioning the cool fruit - blueberries and black cherries with mint and liquorice edges but not spiced. There’s an air of style but also of ease, you could drink this now, it's so approachable and likeable in the glass. Mouthwatering acidity, long and giving. Lovely structure and frame, great definition and persistence from the beginning. Opulent and structured, this needs some time, but I like the texture and tension, excellent potential. 18 months ageing in oak barrels, 60% new.

Aromas of black and red currants as well as orange. Ink pot. Cassis bush. Bramble berry. Graphite. Full-bodied yet tight and back-loaded with intense tannins, but they turn soft and polished. Very classic structure. Reminds me of a top Batailley from the 1980s, like 1985, but much more precise and clear. 70% cabernet sauvignon, 26% merlot, 2% petit verdot, and 2% cabernet franc. Try after 2030.

70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. Cask sample. Dark fruit with cassis notes and a graphite edge. Fine attack, juicy and refreshing but backed by a firmness of structure behind. Solid, subdued and distinctly Pauillac. Still relative value. (JL)

Sporting a deep hue, the wine pops with its display of black currants, blackberries, espresso, cedar, cigar wrapper and mint leaf. The wine is full-bodied, round, and concentrated, with layers of ripe, polished, dark red pit fruits and berries, creamy tannins, and vibrancy, all of which make you go back for sip after sip. Drink from 2027-2055.

Dark ruby garnet, purple reflections, delicate rim brightening. Delicate nuances of dark fruit, cherries and plums, light blue fruits and cassis, a hint of orange zest. Juicy, elegant and fresh, mineral-salty texture, taut tannins, lemony on the finish, delicately leafy on the finish, still needs time to develop.

Darker currants, black cherries, leather, ripe tobacco, and cedar pencil notes all emerge from the 2020 Château Batailley, a classic, balanced, nicely concentrated Pauillac with lots to love. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has plenty of mid-palate depth, ripe tannins, and just a charming, satisfying character that will evolve nicely for two decades if well stored. It's certainly in the same league as the 2015, 2016, and 2019.

Delicate red-berry bouquet with fresh raspberry purée, a subtle lilac note and dried thyme. On the linear palate, soft texture, fine-grained extract, supporting tension and medium body. In the focused, finely aromatic finish: wild cherry, tarragon and juniper. A top-value wine from Pauillac.

Kunz barrel sample 2021: silky, fruity, sweet bouquet, cassis cream, mocha cream, chocolate. Creamy, finely opulent, powerful palate with sweet fruit, fine tannins, intense sweet aromatics, creamy structure, long, full finish.

Silky, fruity, sweet bouquet, cassis cream, mocha cream, chocolate. Creamy, finely opulent, powerful palate with sweet fruit, fine tannins, intense sweet aromatics, creamy structure, long, full finish. 18/20 2025 - 2042

An exceptional vintage that is getting better every time I try it, still very much primary, bright and concentrated layers of anis, crayon, cassis. Classic Pauillac tannins where there is a sense of astringency in the best way, offering a linear Left Bank character. Harvest September 10 to 28. This is far from being ready, have patience and give at least another three to five years to really let the complexity of this body show, but there is such potential here. A wonderful wine. Axel Marchal and Valerie Lavigne consultants, Philippe Casteja owner.

A wine with great energy, a well-structured palate, in a classic style. This fine nobility of substance is supported by élevage that integrates nicely. The tannin grain is fine and, as usual, it will age beautifully.

A dark nose of prune and underbrush, slightly herbal. On the palate, a silky density, very seductive fruit, with grippy tannins, leading to a medium-long finish.

Ascents are about staying on the right slope and spending time at the summit! Given how consistently Batailley strings together successes, we can assume it is firmly anchored at its exceptional level. The complexity of the bouquet heralds a great wine, and so does the palate! So much power, precision and freshness in Batailley 2020. It shines not only with its vigor, but also with its temperament and the liveliness of its acidic structure. The wine clearly signals that it needs time, yet it already shows its grandeur now! A great success.

The progression is confirmed. Nothing but pleasure with this open nose of fresh plum and blond tobacco, the gentle attack and the round, suave, sweet palate where the delicacy of the tannins is striking. Savory, creamy, and refreshing finish, with good tasting momentum.

93–95. Barrel Sample. Richly textured, exhibiting great black currant fruits and with spicy tannins, the estate is showing a fine ripeness. The tannins and the fruits are already coming together so this may be a wine that ages relatively quickly.