Château Haut-Batailley : Verso 2023

Really quite ripe notes on the nose, good aromatics, quite plummy. Nice weight on the palate, supple, good energy and acidity, a little lean and straight but enjoyable acidity gives lift and there are lots of freshly picked red berries and crunchy freshness. Ends a touch powdery and salty which is enjoyable. No Petit Verdot in the blend as it all went into the grand vin. 3.52 pH.

The 2023 Verso is a gorgeous second wine. Racy, sumptuous contours wrap around a core of dark cherry/plum fruit and new leather. Floral notes and refined tannins seem to push the fruit forward in this open-knit offering from Haut-Batailley.

Cedar, tobacco leaf, and black currants form the core of the wine on the nose and on the medium-bodied, vibrant, crisp palate. Drink this over the next decade or so. Drink from 2026–2036. 89–91 pts.

Dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections, delicate edge brightening. Delicately floral heart cherry, a hint of oak, some cassis. Medium body, fine red cherry fruit, vivid tannins, fresh structure, salty, some nougat on the finish.

Floral and spicy nuances in Verso’s bouquet. Rather slender on the attack, the wine shows an airy profile while relying on tannins that provide solid backing. A mouthwatering wine that deserves a little time to open up.

This has plum and black cherry compote notes that show a buried juicy edge while singed vanilla bean and tobacco add depth through the finish. Modest range but solidly built. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2027 through 2033.

It earned “my highest score ever awarded to this wine en primeur”. This result is confirmed in bottle. It becomes the finest vintage from this estate. Deep dark red colour. An intense, subtle, fruity nose. Tasty from the attack, precise on the mid-palate, melting and very pleasant, the wine finishes with a fine length and enveloping tannins. Lovely.

A blend of 63% Merlot and 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2023 Verso is charming and perfumed, offering aromas of spices, dark berries, rose petals and flowers. Moderately weighted and juicy, it is round and textured, framed by structuring, velvety tannins and concluding with a pencil-shavings-inflected finish.