Château Batailley 2020, Pauillac - Offer

£39.95 per bottle

Appellation - Pauillac

The 2020 Batailley appears to have gone up a couple of gears since I tasted it just after bottling. It has a perfumed, wonderfully precise nose, almost Margaux-like in style, with scents of cassis and crushed violet blossoming in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent blackberry and hints of licorice on the entry. It's quite saline, building with confidence toward the finish of real heft. This will need a decade to come around, but it will be worth waiting for. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
95
Neal Martin, vinous.com, November 2024

"Aromas of black and red currants as well as orange. Ink pot. Cassis bush. Bramble berry. Graphite. Full-bodied yet tight and back-loaded with intense tannins, but they turn soft and polished. Very classic structure. Reminds me of a top Batailley from the 1980s, like 1985, but much more precise and clear. 70% cabernet sauvignon, 26% merlot, 2% petit verdot, and 2% cabernet franc."
95
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, May 2023