CHATEAU HAUT-BATAILLEY 5eme Grand Cru Classe, Pauillac 2015 Bottle
Red Still Wine | France | Bordeaux | Pauillac | 75cl
£64.95
ABV: 13.5%
Size: 75cl
Closure Type: Cork
Country: France
Region: Bordeaux
Sub-Region: Pauillac
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
Description
Château Haut-Batailley, under the meticulous care of the Cazes family (of Chateau Lynch-Bages and Ormes de Pez), is renowned for producing classic Pauillac wines of consistent elegance. The 2015 vintage, an excellent Bordeaux year, featured a warm, dry summer with well-timed rains, yielding beautifully ripe and balanced fruit. This wine offers an inviting aroma of cassis, cedar, and tobacco leaf, with a hint of earthy minerality.
The vineyard extends over 41 hectares on soils of deep Garonne gravel. 22 hectares are currently in production. In 2017, when the Cazes family took over, 19 hectares of land with planting rights within AOC Pauillac had not been planted (they were never reinstated after Phylloxera). One year later, following an in-depth study of the terroirs, an extensive planting programme was carried out. The vineyard's total surface has doubled in only three years, from 22 to 41 hectares.
On the palate, it delivers a concentrated yet harmonious experience; blackcurrant and dark plum flavours are framed by firm, integrated tannins and refreshing acidity. The finish is long and refined, echoing dark fruit and savoury spice, highlighting its superb ageing potential.
*****
JAMES SUCKLING 94 points
There’s immediate appeal to the nose and palate. Both are bathed in blackberries and dark plums. The tannins are superbly cut and very long and fresh. The oak chimes in with spicy flavors and bolsters plush grape tannins in a harmonious finish. Try from 2022.
VINOUS 92-95 points
A wine of class, pedigree and nuance, the 2015 Haut-Batailley is superb. Beams of supporting tannin give the dark purplish flavors striking energy and cut. Graphite, smoke, violet, mint, dark cherry and plum notes continue to open up in the glass. Haut-Batailley is a Pauillac with distinct Saint-Julien leanings, and that is exactly what comes across here. It is also one of the overachievers of the year. The 2015 was impressive each and every time I saw it. Tasted five times.
Antonio Galloni, April 2016
