Haut Batailley - Pauillac 2018

Vinous

91

byNeal Martinthe4/2/2024

The 2018 Haut-Batailley has a delightful bouquet with blackberry, wild strawberry, cedar and light tobacco scents, easily handling the precocity of the growing season. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, a little savory in style and quite foc

Vinous

91

byNeal Martinthe2/23/2024

France

Vinous

92

byAntonio Gallonithe3/31/2021

The 2018 Haut-Batailley has come together well. Plump and juicy in feel, the 2018 possesses quite a bit of creaminess in its inky dark fruit, chocolate, spice and leather. The new oak is prominent at this stage. Even so, this is nicely done and promising.

Jeb DUNNUCK

94

byJeb Dunnuckthe3/16/2021

The flagship 2018 Château Haut-Batailley checks in 59% Cabernet Sauvignon and 41% Merlot that was brought up in 60% new French oak. It's another deeply hued, classic Pauillac in the vintage that has wonderful purity as well as loads of ripe blackberry and currant fruits, medium to full-bodied richness, beautiful aromas and flavors of graphite, cedarwood, and tobacco, building yet polished tannins, background oak, and a great finish. This pure, classic Pauillac needs 7-8 years of bottle age (it will certainly offer pleasure earlier) and will drink fabulously well for over two decades.

The Wine Cellar Insider

94

byJeff Levethe3/16/2021

Dark, big and bold, with layers of crisp Cabernet Sauvignon character, you also find bitter chocolate, espresso, cigar wrapper and herbs. Full-bodied, tannic and concentrated, the wine is rich, juicy, chewy and long. The finish serves up ample waves of sweet and tart red berries, cocoa, peppery spice and herbs. The wine was made from blending 59% Cabernet Sauvignon and 41% Merlot, 14.3% ABV

Wine Spectator

94

byJames Molesworththe2/1/2021

Juicy, fresh and nicely compact, with sleek iron along the edges of a core of steeped plum and cassis fruit flavors. Subtle tugs of savory, tobacco and cedar through the finish, with a last, lingering perfumed whiff of dark tea. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2024 through 2038. –JM

Falstaff

94

byPeter Moserthe1/29/2021

Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Attraktive dunkle Beerenfrucht, zart nach Cassis und Brombeeren, ein Hauch von Mandarinenzesten unterlegt, feine Holzwürze im Hintergrund. Saftig, elegant, feine Extraktsüße, reife Herzkirschen, integrierte Tannine frisch und anhaftend, ein asugewogener Speisenbegleiter mit vielversprechender Zukunft. (2020 - 2045)

Decanter.com

94

byJane Ansonthe1/12/2021

Vinous

90-92

byNeal Martinthe11/15/2019

The 2018 Haut-Batailley has a sweet, opulent bouquet of macerated black cherries, blueberry, hints of fresh fig and pressed violets. The palate is quite full-bodied, exerting a gentle grip on the entry, and the layers of black fruit are framed by supple tannins. The acidity is nicely judged here (pH 3.61), and it fans out nicely toward the finish. This is an outgoing Haut-Batailley, a sophomore vintage that wants to make an impression, and a step up from the 2017, even if I think the Cazes family will make better in the future.

WeinWisser

17

byTjark Witzgallthe5/7/2019

The Wine Cellar Insider

93-95

byJeff Levethe4/23/2019

Dark garnet and almost opaque in color, from the initial sniff and sip, you know this is not your grandfather's Haut Batailley. The wine is deep, titillating and fresh. There is density, weight and lift with soft, luxurious, almost cultured tannins. The full-bodied finish combines olives, tobacco leaf and earthy, dark red fruits. The wine was made from blending 59% Cabernet Sauvignon and 41% Merlot, reaching 14.3% alcohol.

Wine Advocate

92-94

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe4/23/2019

Blended of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon and 41% Merlot aging in 60% new barriques, the 2018 Haut Batailley is very deep purple-black in color and takes some coaxing to reveal profound notes of dark chocolate, crème de cassis, blueberry pie and anise with waves of raspberry pie, lavender and Indian spices. Full, very tightly would and jam-packed with layers of crunchy black and blue fruits, it has a firm line of ripe, grainy tannins and compelling freshness, finishing long with a mineral hint coming through.

Decanter.com

93

byJane Ansonthe4/17/2019

This is a lovely wine from the second vintage under Lynch Bages’ ownership, full of power and poise and controlled precision. It has a slightly unusual blend owing to a greater proportion of Merlot than has been used in previous vintages, but it doesn't suffer in terms of concentration due to the thick skins and structure of the Merlots in 2018, and what you get instead is a creamy, velvety texture through the mid palate.

It has lots of tannins but they have the enrobed quality that comes from the higher than usual alcohols, and are extremely seductive. It’s more lightly framed than the Lynch Bages, as it was in 2017, and is enjoyable. 3.61pH. 81IPT.

Jamessuckling.com

94-95

byJames Sucklingthe4/12/2019

I can’t remember a Haut-Batailley this tannic, yet the tannins are savory and very ripe with beauty and purity. Full-bodied, chewy tannins and a long and intense finish.

Jean-Marc QUARIN

93

byJean-Marc Quarinthe4/8/2019

Wine Spectator

92-95

byJames Molesworththe4/3/2019

Fresh and driven, opening with a piercing iron note that is quickly met by a core of racy cassis and damson plum flavors. Everything extends nicely through the pure finish.