Chateau Batailley 2015 Pauillac (75cl, 13.5%)

A Fifth Growth classified Bordeaux red wine from Pauillac, made from 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. The 2015 vintage was the first to benefit from a dedicated second wine, Les Lions de Batailley. The wine matured in approximately 55-60% new French oak barrels, with grapes cropped at 48 hl/ha and harvested between 17 and 30 September. The nose opens with ripe blackberry and blueberry, then smoky cedar, violet, mineral notes and white pepper. The palate has steeped black currant and fig, red plum, coffee, ganache, fine-grained tannins and well-judged acidity, with bay leaf and mint. The finish is long, succulent and textured, with a charcoal edge and lingering cedar, dark fruit and savory undertones.