Chateau Haut Batailley 2005

WINE SPECTATOR: "Offers a beautiful nose of crushed blackberry and cherry, with hints of flowers. Full-bodied, with a lovely balance of silky, caressing tannins and ripe fruit. Very long and minerally, with mint and eucalyptus character. A wonderful wine from this estate. Best after 2014. 7,915 cases made."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Tasted at a vertical tasting at the château. The 2005 Haut Batailley obviously has a more intense bouquet than the 2004 with blackberry, wild hedgerow and cold gravel scents. It is still quite tight, but there is very fine precision here. The palate is medium-bodied with supple, ripe earthy black fruit. It is actually more approachable than I was expecting for a 2005 having loosened its tie in recent years. There is great depth here and fine mineralité, completing what is a classy and sophisticated Pauillac that should repay further bottle age. Chapeau! Tasted July 2016."

WEINWISSER: "Dunkles, tiefes Granat. Würziges, leicht erdiges Bouquet, Herbsttrompeten, Backpflaumen, Schwarzbrot, Pumpernickel. Im Gaumen sehr tiefgründig, trüffelige Aromen, fleischig, keine primären Fruchtaromen aufweisend, mit schwarzen Pilzaromen und einem Touch Soyasauce endend."

FALSTAFF: "Kräftiges Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, in der Nase feine rotbeerige Frucht, feine Holzwürze. Am Gaumen saftig, Weichsel-Kirsch, feine Tannine, sehr charmant, bereitet viel Trinkspaß, mittlere Länge, unkompliziert und frisch."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Tasted blind. Deep dark crimson. Well balanced and fresh. Zippy. Lots of racy freshness at last!"

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Tobacco, cherry and cigar wrapper on the nose, with a medium bodied, sweet, cherry and cassis finish that is already showing well today."