Château Haut-Batailley 2019

Offers red and black currant, plum and blackberry preserve flavors that are both lush and brambly in feel, a contrast that plays out on a finish in which a bolt of cast iron and a twinge of warm earth check in. Features a lovely savory/cedar echo at the very end, giving it a slight throwback feel. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2023 through 2038.

Expressive nose and excellent clarity on the palate, I like the fruit flavour that pushes through with impactful tannins. This isn't a showstopper but so poised and persistent with an appealing overall mouthfeel and delivery of ripe fruit, cool menthol edges and long length. A satisfying wine with expressive Pauillac characters. Refined and charming. You could drink this now but also will age extremely well.

This is linear and tight, with blue fruit and fine tannins. Some graphite and lead pencil, too. Medium to full body with very Pauillac sensibility. Delicate, yet structured. Restrained. Needs time to open. 76% cabernet sauvignon. Try after 2026.

The 2019 Haut-Batailley is a potent, muscular Pauillac that will need a few years in bottle, at a minimum, to be at its best. There's real presence and depth here, but all the wine's energy feels like it is focused inward. Dark red/purplish fruit, leather, menthol, spice and wild flowers fill out the layers as this broad, ample Pauillac shows off its distinctive personality. Readers should be in no rush.

Full-bodied, concentrated, powerful, tannic and backward, this is going to need time in the cellar before it reveals all of its character. But when it does, expect to revel in layers of ripe, bold, dark currants, blackberry, espresso, bitter chocolate, savory herbs, and tobacco. The wine is rich, full, concentrated and chewy and should really start showing well with 7-9 years of cellaring. Drink from 2029-2060.

Dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections, delicate rim brightening. Intense bouquet, mint and eucalyptus, ripe black berries, a hint of liquorice, seductive floral nuances. Full-bodied, black forest berries, finesse-rich structure, ripe black cherry, integrated, ripe tannins, mineral and long-lasting, assured development and definite ageing potential.

Slightly darker fruited and denser than the more ethereally styled 2018, the 2019 Château Haut-Batailley offers up a gorgeous array of red and black currants, black raspberries, tobacco, and flowers, with more classic lead pencil and tobacco notes emerging with time in the glass. Balanced, medium to full-bodied, and concentrated, it has ripe, supple tannins, terrific mid-palate density, and a great finish. The quality continues to soar at this estate under the helm of the Cazes family and this is a gem of a Pauillac well worth seeking out. Give it a few years and enjoy over the following two decades.

Dense purple with a ruby rim. Complex forest-berry cocktail, followed by fragrant violets and licorice. An elegant palate with a silky texture and a lightly supportive, ripe tannin frame. In the aromatic, wonderfully long finish, a full basket of blueberries and blackcurrant pastilles—an outstanding achievement by the new team!

Deep, powerful, dark, fruity bouquet: cassis, black berries, currants, dark fine woods, graphite, a delicate hint of black truffle. Elegant, dense and multi-layered palate with concentrated dark fruit, plenty of fine tannins, a velvety, finely muscular structure, varied dark aromatics, and a long, dense, full finish with lingering flavors. Can still improve. 18/20 2026 - 2055

Still some austerity present here, this has plenty of Pauillac typicity, as in the Verso 2019. Potential for showcasing the beauty of Cabernet in this appellation, with slow-burn ageing potential. Gentle balance, and plenty of crayon and creamy blueberry and vanilla bean character. Upright and concentrated in the right way, old school simply because so much of the appellation has moved towards a more muscular frame; this has an elegance to it, if a little soft on the finish. Julien Galland, technical director just for the ageing, arriving at the estate in 2020.

A blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot, the 2019 Haut-Batailley is deep garnet-purple in color. It tumbles out with expressive notes of black cherry preserves, stewed black plums, and creme de cassis, leading to hints of graphite, chargrill, and tapenade. The medium to full-bodied palate is densely packed with muscular black fruit and earthy layers, framed by firm, grainy tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing with fantastic length.

Deep color, a powerful, classic nose with cedar and pine, and the vintage’s signature of a fresh hint of mint that reappears on the finish. A wine for aging. Price still acceptable.

A noble, taut nose with notes of iris and forest undergrowth over a backdrop of bigarreau cherries, while the palate is fluid and precise, both mineral and finely chiselled. This freshness is complemented by chalky tannins—powerful yet pleasing—leading to a caressing, saline finish.

Dark, intense, purple color. Highly aromatic nose with pure, ripe fruit. Delicate on entry, flavorful at mid-palate, a touch lively in its taste, the wine stretches out on the finish with present, wrapped tannins that will meld.

How this estate has improved since it came under the control of the Cazes family of Lynch-Bages. The new release has power and structure. At the same time, it brings out ripe jammy fruits that feed into the wine's texture. This is developing well. Drink from 2026.