Tasting Notes
Vinous 95
The 2020 Batailley appears to have gone up a couple of gears since I tasted it just after bottling. It has a perfumed, wonderfully precise nose, almost Margaux-like in style, with scents of cassis and crushed violet blossoming in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent blackberry and hints of licorice on the entry. It's quite saline, building with confidence toward the finish of real heft. This will need a decade to come around, but it will be worth waiting for. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
Anticipated maturity: 2032-2065
Robert Parker 93
A blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot aging in French oak barriques, 60% new, the 2020 Haut-Batailley weighs in with 13.6% alcohol, a pH of 3.85 and an IPT of 81. Deep purple-black in color, it opens with seducing, beautifully pure notes of blackcurrant jelly, juicy blackberries and warm plums, plus hints of chocolate mint, lilacs and forest floor with a touch of ground cloves. The refreshing, medium-bodied palate gives a great burst of crunchy black berries, framed by finely grained tannins, finishing with a minty lift.
Anticipated maturity: 2025-2042
