Château Batailley - Grand Cru Classé Pauillac 2017 (Magnum)

Château Batailley, a 5th Growth Pauillac of the famed 1855 Classification, is Borie-Manoux’s flagship property. The name is derived from the battle (bataille) that took place during the Hundred Years’ War around 1453, designating where the château and vineyard are today. In this battle, the French reconquered the neighboring Château Latour from the English, a crucial point for ending the 300-year-long reign of the English in Aquitaine. The first record of vines planted on these historical grounds dates back to the 16th century. Château Batailley’s 12-acre (5-hectare) gardens were originally designed by Barillet-Deschamps, Napoleon III’s landscape architect, in 1850.

The vineyards spread out over 140 acres (57 hectares) with an average vine age of 40 years old. The soil is silica and gravel, but the heart of the vineyard is on a deep gravel bed over a subsoil of clay and sandstone. There are also some parcels located in between Château Latour and Pichon-Lalande.

After a brief cold soak and the use of selected yeasts, the musts are fermented in stainless steel vats with a very traditional vinification. The charming chai dates from 1840 and is lit by an impressive iron candelabra. It is here where the wine is aged for roughly 16 to 18 months in 50% new oak. Batailley is a classic and very typical Pauillac, with cassis and currant flavors and a very firm structure.

“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.” - 92 Points, Wine Spectator 

“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.” - 92 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

“The 2017 Batailley has a perfumed bouquet, quite floral for this property, with violets infusing the vivacious red berry fruit. The palate is a little chewy on the entry, but it pulls through nicely towards a cohesive, dense finish. It feels primal, more so than its peers at the moment. Hopefully it will develop more personality with bottle age...I think it will.” - 91 Points, Vinous

Producer: Château Batailley

Country: France

Region: Bordeaux

Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot

Appellation: Pauillac

Vintage: 2017

Size: 1.5L