The nose on this is stunning. Big and black fruit with a dollop of tar. The palate follows the nose with blackberries, plum, dusty rock, and dark soil. An enjoyable balance of fruit and earth. Steak wine! This is excellent.
Listening to The Lone Bellow — 7 months ago
Opens up very slowly, keeping a very youthful appearance. Shy black currant leaf, fresh black currants, a bit tobacco leaf, a smoky, earthy note, a faint whiff of orange peel. All interwoven, subtle, and yet, a bit underwhelming.
The wow happens on the palate - smooth and so polished… more silk than velvet.
Cool black currant, a touch of 100% cocoa chocolate, a bit of espresso savouriness
Not really rich nor broad… but the precision & depth are amazing. Harmonious, self assured, elegant. A finish that goes on forever
If only the nose would be as magical as the palate - what a grand wine this would be — 2 years ago
Lunch 🥪
K&L notes as follows, Grand Pontet is an interesting property, positioned in the neighborhood of other stars of the appellation such as Châteaux Canon, Beau-Séjour-Bécot and Clos Fourtet. It is, however, a small estate, a mere 14 hectares, and its prices are much better than some of its more prestigious neighbors. In 1980 it was purchased by Gerard and Dominique Bécot, owners of the neighboring Beau-Séjour-Bécot. They have applied the same high standards to both Châteaux in their possession, and their winemaking team crafts Grand Pontet alongside the Beau-Séjour-Bécot wines. Recently purchased in 2021 by Domaines Clarence Dillon (Haut-Brion, La Mission Haut-Brion, et al.), the property was combined with and incorporated into Château Quintus. Full-bodied and luscious, this Grand Pontet is laden with ripe blackberry fruits, savory tobacco, licorice notes, and ripe, softened tannins. It’s seamless and bold, not shy. It’s going to require something decadent to pair with, such as filet mignon or some other black-tie dish with plenty of flavor and rich umami presence. — 4 years ago
Tasted blind. Pretty similar to 2 in colour , more garnet core , some ruby with a garnet rim . Slightly more closed on the nose , touch of spice , hickory , then dark fruits , grafite . On the palate this is more mineral and intense , with good volume and a ripe layer of dark fruits , quite rich and mouthfilling but with good freshness and length . Lots of cassis and grafite , some cedar , grippy tannins . Dense and quite powerful long finish . This has a lovely spiced character with an earthy finish . Still pretty young , needs a little more time , but great balance . Wait Another 5 -8 years and will last well a further 10-15. I did not put this as HB in the 30 minutes we had to study the wines , the sweet spice took me over to Mouton , with more time it was obviously so different , so I kicked myself when it was revealed as HB. My 4th placed wine . — 2 months ago
So underrated and punching way above its weight class. Bit more delicate and pure than your high end Boudreaux. Perfect for seaside dinners. Great vintage too. — 6 months ago
2016 vintage. Owned by the Tereygeol family since 1959, Pontoise Cabarrus stands for great value Haut-Médoc. The vineyards (27 hectares) are quite old ( 25 to 50 years, with the oldest vines planted in 1956). In 2016 the "grand vin" represents only 35% of the production. Cabernet Sauvignon dominates with 55%, blended with 43% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. It smells older than it tastes. Fully mature, with a round mouthfeel and good length. A reliable Cru Bourgeois Supérieur and very good value for money. Abv. 14%. — 9 months ago
2020 vintage. Some of the class of the Grand Vin in a lighter less profound style. Great value. — 3 years ago
1988 vintage. Feminine-styled. Ran into some resistance back in the day with the (re-) emergence of this Château and the massive 85/86 and 89/90 efforts. Eff all that. The 1989 AND 1990 vintages probs the best this Château has ever realized. The 1988 slid in then and performed delicate magick. That cocoa powder and blueberry combo still coming forth with undeniable impressions. Whereas those four “bigger” vintages rocked harder, all four have had more noticeable drop off. This 1988 just doing its best La Mission Haut-Brion/Haut-Brion impression and pulling it off. No rush to crush. 5.13.26. — a month ago
Excellent Classic St Emilion profile of mature Red fruited earthy savory notes and balance on palate and good finish — 4 months ago
Château Haut-Batailley 2023 – Pauillac, Grand Cru Classé, BDX, France 🇫🇷
Overview
A beautifully structured and layered Pauillac delivering serious grip, depth of red fruit, and refined finesse, driven by a 60% Cabernet Sauvignon-led blend with 37% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot support. The wine shows clear complexity and architectural balance, combining power and polish without heaviness, positioning itself as a confident mid-pack contender capable of punching above its weight.
Aromas & Flavors
Red currant, cassis, wild raspberry, graphite, cedar shavings, crushed gravel, subtle tobacco leaf, cocoa dust and fresh spice.
Mouthfeel
Medium-plus body with firm, finely grained tannins, excellent mid-palate density, vibrant yet integrated acidity, precise structural tension, and a long, focused finish that grips beautifully without roughness.
Food Pairings
Grilled ribeye, lamb rack, beef bourguignon, duck breast, rosemary potatoes, aged hard cheeses.
Verdict
A poised and confident Pauillac showing layered complexity, structural clarity, and real finesse. Not a brute-force heavyweight, but a beautifully driven, technically precise wine with strong aging potential and excellent balance.
🍷 Personal Pick
This feels like a wine that thrives on precision rather than raw horsepower, beautifully controlled grip, layered red fruit, and elegant finesse throughout. The kind of bottle that rewards attention and quietly impresses from start to finish. — 5 months ago
Floral, semi dry, low acidic — a year ago
Tivemos Safras 1973, 1976, 1986, 1993, 1995, 2004,
2007, 2008 e 2013.
Abrimos com um delicioso Champagne Gosset Grand
Millésime 2015.
Foi uma bela experiência!
La Mission Haut Brion é um Clássico!
Interessante o painel de 1973 a 2013 analisando como eram feitos há 50 anos (bem classudos e estruturados)
e de 10 anos pra cá, (mais frutados, "leves" e que já não precisam de muitos anos de guarda)! — 3 years ago
Alexandre Pagliano
Dark rubi robe, nose of Cedarwood, plums, dark berries, and a touch of baked spices. Very fresh and balanced, mature tannins that softened over 25 years. Wine is medium bodied with good length and ready to drink but no rush at all. One of the finest rive gauche wines we know and thats an excellent vintage. — 23 days ago