Batailley 2015

With an intense nose of black fruit, violets, sweet vanilla, roasted coffee, leather, and smoked meat, this bottle tastes s tighter and more packed than the nose. There are ripe and round cassis and plum juicy, with heaps of other blue and black fruit bursting through the mid-palate, followed by tones of chocolate, textured tannins, and coffee beans. Long.

Start approachable now but will age for some years, the tannins are sweet, and the wine has weight, density, opulence and richness that is rare for a Médoc Cru in 2015.

Excellent scores and comments are as follows. JS95, RP95.

Impressive depth to the wine from the outset, with a gently smoky edge to the ripe blackberries, blueberries and red plums. Some attractive spicy oak here, too. The mid-weight palate has a very composed and linear shape with a long, succulent and regal finish. Excellent polish and balance here; the structure is superb. Try from 2022. (Edited 2022 August)

95 JS.

The 2015 Batailley is a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot cropped at 48 hl/ha picked between 17-30 September. Matured in around 55-60% new oak, it has a very focused, intense bouquet with blackberry, raspberry, cedar and mineral notes, perhaps a little Margaux-like style as those violets blossom with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, well-judged acidity, and a touch of white pepper lending edginess, gradually building to a very composed and structured finish. This is an excellent Batailley, meliorated by introducing a second wine that continues the upswing in quality over the last six or seven years. I would not be surprised if this settles at the top of my banded score once in the bottle. Drink 2022-2050

95

Neal Martin, Wine Advocate (224), Apr(Edited 2022 August)