Château Haut-Batailley 2009

Bettane et Desseauve

Tim Atkin

La Revue du Vin de France

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Tasted at a vertical tasting at the château. The 2009 Haut Batailley has a much tighter and less expressive bouquet than many 2009s at the moment (in fact, you might think this was a 2010 if served blind!). Fortunately it only takes a few swirls to reveal some gorgeous minerally blackberry, bilberry and crushed limestone aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, a more structured 2009 Pauillac than others, yet beautifully balanced and with plenty of fruit towards the precise finish. This feels like a very polished Haut-Batailleynot in the winery, rather by nature. Tasted July 2016.

Decanter Magazine

Individual judge’s scores: SB 19 AG 19 SS 18.5 Owned by the Borie family, this is the sister château of the better known, more highly regarded Grand-Puy-Lacoste (see left). It generally has less structure than the latter, and is aged in a lesser proportion of new oak. The wine was often undistinguished in the past, but the last decade has seen a big step up in quality and consistency. The 2009 has always been splendid so it’s not a huge shock to find it equal to its sister estate here, but perhaps in 15 years their differences in quality and style will be more marked. Stephen Brook
Stern, brooding black fruits nose, with ample oak. Voluptuous fruit, highly concentrated, with assertive but not tough tannins. This is built for the long haul and lacks immediate charm, but shows remarkable depth of fruit and intensity. Sufficient grip to ensure a long evolution. Not showy or exuberant, but has immense reserve and potential. Very long. Alun Griffiths MW
Gorgeous, inviting nose of creamy blackcurrant and plum. Dense and concentrated palate but with no lack of elegance. Oak totally subsumed, tannins present but very ripe. Fine wine with bags of ageing potential. Steven Spurrier
Fine, deep and elegant cassis nose. Good concentration, all elegance and natural ripeness, extraordinarily smooth at this stage, but the tannins are there to back it up – perfect texture. Still young but a great future.

James Suckling

Currants and blackberries, with hints of sliced Shitake mushrooms on the nose. Full body, with a solid core of ripe fruit and velvety tannins. Balanced and juicy.