Tasted at the Batailley vertical tasting at the chateau, the 2003 Batailley continues to be one of the better Left Banks of the vintage. On the nose, ripe black cherries mixed with cassis are all nicely defined and holding on to their freshness. It manifests spicy aromas, almost Moroccan-inspired, as it gradually opens in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with dense black fruit, a little tarry in texture with firm tannin considering that it is now 12 years old. You could broach this Pauillac now, but it should give another 10-12 years of pleasure without too much difficulty. Tasted April 2016.