Château Haut-Batailley 2024

Ripe-fruited on the nose, herbs over plum and cassis, subtle toasted notes; compact on the palate, straightforward, with crisp fruit, slightly powdery tannins and fine acidity; medium-length finish, ending on sour cherry and a hint of blood orange.

Red fruits, punchy and bright straight away, with great energy and liveliness. It shines from the glass yet has texture too. Sleek and lightly framed, not heavy or overly rich, but balanced with a more mineral underpinning—graphite, pencil shavings, wet stones and saltiness. Precision meets density for the vintage, finishing mineral. Quite light overall, but there’s length and a real bitter orange peel aspect on the finish. Detailed. Cherry and some plum fruit. Bite and tang. Aged 60% new oak for 16 months in French oak barrels. pH 3.63.

The nose, heady and sensual, reveals a harmonious array of vibrant fruits: red, blue, and black. Notes of raspberry fruit paste and candied cherry promise sweetness and softness. Like a confection, the palate is an ode to crisp fresh fruit, both sweet and tangy. The texture, silky and luminous, opulent and generous, brings joy before a mouthwatering, almost saline finish. A harmonious whole.