Chateau Batailley Pauillac 2017 - 1.5l

94pts James Suckling

This is straight and transparent with currant and dark-chocolate aromas. Orange peel, light tar and violets. Medium to full body. Gorgeous core of dark fruit and polished tannins that push out the edge of the wine, giving it a seamless texture. A blend of 80% cabernet sauvignon, 17% merlot and 3% petit verdot. Needs two or three years to show it all. Better after 2022.

92pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Batailley gallops out of the gates with notes of baked redcurrants, black raspberries and blackcurrant pastilles plus wafts of cedar chest, bay leaves and rosehip tea. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers mouth-coating black fruits with a firm, grainy texture and lively lift to the finish.

92pts Wine Spectator

This offers up a small plume of cocoa before steering back to more typical dark currant and black cherry fruit notes, inlaid with graphite and sweet tobacco details. The cocoa edge lingers on the finish, adding a light dusty hint to the well-rendered fruit. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2022 through 2038. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 25,000 cases made.

91pts Jeb Dunnuck

Pauillac is one of the highlights in the Médoc in 2017, and the 2017 Château Batailley has outstanding potential. Deep purple-colored with a smoky, graphite, back fruit-driven bouquet, it’s broad, chunky and chewy on the palate. It lacks some elegance at the moment, but it’s an undeniably pleasure-bent effort.

Winemaker Notes

Batailley is a classic and very typical Pauillac, with cassis and currant flavors and a very firm structure. Dark ruby/purple in appearance Chateau Batailley strikes the nose with classic aromas of red and black currant along with cedar and earth. The wine is full-bodied on the palate with wonderful spice and structure.

Winery Notes

Chateau Batailley, a 5th Cru of the classification of 1855, is Borie-Manoux's and the Casteja-family's flagship. The name is derived from the battle ("bataille") that took place where the chateau and vineyard are today during the 100-years war around 1453. In this battle, the French re-conquered the neighbouring Chateau Latour from the English, a crucial point for ending the 300 year long reign of the English in Aquitaine. In the 16th century, the first vines were planted on these historical grounds.