The 2018 Haut Batailley is a Bordeaux Blend from the Pauillac sub-region of Bordeaux, France. This red wine is a blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon and 41% Merlot, aged in 60% new French oak. It has an alcohol content of 14.5%.
Jeb Dunnuck gave the 2018 Haut Batailley a score of 94, calling it a "deeply hued, classic Pauillac" with "wonderful purity" and "loads of ripe blackberry and currant fruits." Dunnuck also noted its "beautiful aromas and flavors of graphite, cedarwood, and tobacco" and commended its "building yet polished tannins" and "great finish." He advised that the wine would benefit from 7-8 years of bottle age but would drink well for over two decades.
Vinous reviewer Neal Martin awarded the wine 91 points, describing it as having a "delightful bouquet" with notes of "blackberry, wild strawberry, cedar, and light tobacco." Martin found the palate "medium-bodied with grainy tannins" and "quite focused toward the finish," although he preferred the previous vintage.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate scored the wine between 92 and 94 points. The review highlighted the wine's "very deep purple-black color" and "profound notes of dark chocolate, crème de cassis, blueberry pie, and anise." The wine was also described as "full, very tightly wound, and jam-packed with layers of crunchy black and blue fruits," with a "firm line of ripe, grainy tannins and compelling freshness."
James Suckling provided one of the highest scores with 95 points, stating, "I can’t remember a Haut-Batailley this tannic, yet the tannins are savory and very ripe with beauty and purity." Suckling praised its "full-bodied, chewy tannins and a long and intense finish."
Wine Spectator also gave the wine a score of 94, noting its "juicy, fresh and nicely compact" nature with "sleek iron along the edges of a core of steeped plum and cassis fruit flavors." The review mentioned "subtle tugs of savory, tobacco, and cedar through the finish" with a "lingering perfumed whiff of dark tea."
According to Decanter, which scored the wine 93 points, this vintage is "full of power and poise and controlled precision." The review appreciated the "creamy, velvety texture through the mid palate" due to the higher proportion of Merlot.
Jane Anson, awarding 93 points, remarked on the wine's "layers of cocoa bean, dense cassis, and bilberry fruits" and "enjoyably supple tannins," highlighting its potential for aging.
Jeff Leve, also giving a score of 94, described the wine as "dark, big and bold," with notes of "bitter chocolate, espresso, cigar wrapper, and herbs." Leve found the wine "rich, juicy, chewy, and long," with a finish of "sweet and tart red berries, cocoa, peppery spice, and herbs."
Overall, the 2018 Haut Batailley has received excellent reviews, with scores ranging from 91 to 95 points, and is noted for its complex flavors, polished tannins, and significant aging potential.