Floral and lifted nose with raspberry, cassis, fine wood and mild spices. Dense palate with ripe and rounded extract, well-balanced with finely roasted notes, coffee, mocha and savoury dark fruit, and a long and weighty finish, well balanced.
James Suckling 94 points
"The blackcurrants and blueberries with violets on the nose are fascinating. Full-bodied and very tightly wound with gorgeous tannins and a linear and bright finish. Needs two to four years to come together. Try after 2023."
Vinous 93 points
"The 2016 Haut Batailley can be seen as a transitional wine. The property was sold to the Cazes family at the end of March 2017, so the Borie family made the wines and the Cazes family essentially finished the barrel maturation. As a consequence, the label will probably not be the new design that will adorn vintages henceforth. This has a tightly wound bouquet of blackberry, bilberry and subtle floral notes (pressed iris petals and a touch of violet). The palate is medium-bodied with fine, slightly chalky tannins. What I love about this Haut-Batailley, caught in limbo, is that it responds with so much freshness, vitality and tension, especially on the finish. Excellent."
Jancis Robinson 18/20 points
53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc.
Deep, dark colour. Ripe and rich with plenty of extract. Cassis, blueberry and spice notes. The palate is intense but suave and fresh (2019 much the same), the tannins sitting firmly behind. Long finish. Clearly has a big structure but the fruit and freshness carry it. Long ageing potential.
