I was a bit surprised at how reserved this is relative to the Chevalier because it's usually the Chevalier that is the more restrained of the two. Be that as it may the reticent but wonderfully complex nose offers up notes of honeysuckle, pear, spice, lemon grass and a hint of citrus, all of which is trimmed in just enough wood to notice. The broad-shouldered flavors are even denser and more powerful with plenty of palate coating dry extract that once again serves to buffer the very firm acid spine on the almost painfully intense finale that delivers stunningly good complexity and length on the perfectly well-balanced finale. In any given vintage you never know which of Niellon's two big boys is going to be the better wine but in 2013 the early nod goes to the Bâtard as it seem all but guaranteed that this is going to be very special.

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