The second wine of Château Haut-Batailley, Verso was introduced by the Cazes family following their acquisition of the estate. Made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, this Pauillac red showcases a plush, approachable character with vibrant fruit, subtle spice, and elegant structure—ideal for early enjoyment without sacrificing depth.

Decanter | D 92
Published: Feb 25, 2022
Drink: 2022-2034

Vibrant nose of fresh dark berry fruit with touches of dark chocolate dust. Enjoyable succulence and sweetness on the palate, with a harmonious freshness.
Closure: Cork
Alcohol: 13.00%
Body: Full
Grapes: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon 40% Merlot

The Wine Advocate | RP 90
Published: Mar 16, 2020
Drink: 2020-2030

The new second wine of Haut Batailley, the 2017 Verso is medium to deep garnet-purple in color and comes rolling out of the glass with ready-for-business notes of warm black cherries, kirsch and mulberries plus wafts of cassis and baking spices. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers bags of juicy black fruit with a soft texture and spicy finish. 

Hautbatailley.com

The second wine, Haut-Batailley Verso, was created when the Cazes family took over the property.

This is a generous, indulgent wine that offers aromas of black fruits and spicy notes. Thanks to its freshness, it is a wine that can be enjoyed in its youth.

Surface area: 22 hectares
Soil: Garonne gravel
Harvesting: Manual, with sorting in the vineyard
Aging: 12 months in one-year-old barrels
Blend: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot
Production: 35% of the harvest

The Magnificent Seven...
The 2017 vintage at Haut-Batailley was marked by water stress and high temperatures observed at the end of spring and beginning of summer. At the end of August, during the ripening phase of the grapes, significant temperature differences were recorded between day and night. These climatic conditions promoted the accumulation of anthocyanins in the berries, giving the vintage a beautiful color.

2017 is also characterized by great qualitative consistency throughout the vineyard, which was not affected by the severe frost episode at the end of April. Nearly 100 mm of rainfall was recorded from September 9 to 12. The rains then stopped, and the gravelly plots of Aspic and Bécades dried quickly.

The first pruning shears were used on September 14, confirming the early nature of the 2017 vintage. The Merlot grapes were harvested from September 14 to 22 over four effective picking days; the weather conditions were favorable, allowing for optimal ripeness of the grape skins. The Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested from September 23 to October 2, over eight effective days of picking. Harvesting was done entirely by hand.

An initial sorting was carried out in the vineyard, followed by transport in 200 kg bins. A second and then a third sorting were done before and after destemming.

Appearance: The robe shows purplish highlights.
Nose: Dominated by spice (pepper, with a hint of garrigue), followed by notes of black fruits (blackcurrant).
Palate: The attack is clean and direct, balanced by enveloping tannins.