| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pauillac |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
A well situated vineyard in Pauillac that can be relied upon to produce a consistent wine of classic Médoc style and breed. Quality has moved up a level in recent vintages whilst prices remain reasonable. The château is now producing a second wine - Lions de Batailley - which means that production of the grand vin has fallen from 20,000 cases to around 13,000 per annum. This selection process has further increased the quality of the grand vin.
Philippe Casteja compares 2022 to 1947. He says that these have been the 2 warmest summers of the last 100 years. In a tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II, this wine will have a special black and gold bottle for those who buy it en primeur - referencing her wedding to Prince Phillip in 1947 and the serving of Batailley 1947 at their silver wedding anniversary.
Philippe commented " A few days before harvesting this superb wine, we learned with amazement of the disappearance of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. This news particularly struck us because if the Palace has regularly served Château Batailley, it was with the 1947 vintage that it celebrated its silver wedding anniversary with Prince Philip. To mark our thanks to the Queen, it seemed natural to us to dedicate this 2022 vintage in style and at temperatures close to 1947 to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in memory of her friendship for France, Bordeaux, and our wines."
The 2022 Batailley was picked from 8 to 27 September (at the same time as Lynch-Moussas) and is raised in 55% new oak. It comes with a newly-designed label. It has a well-defined bouquet with blackberry and cassis, violet and tobacco. The palate is clean and precise on the entry. With lovely focus and detail, this is a sophisticated Batailley with a surfeit of mineralité and excellent clarity and typicity on the finish. Unequivocally, one of the finest iterations of Batailley that the Castèja family has overseen. This Batailley is like driving a classic old car, and I mean that in the best possible sense. Drink 2032-2060.
A deep, impressive nose of cassis, sandalwood, cured meat and freshly roasted coffee. The palate is impressive, with chewy tannins and intense black fruit giving way to a wave of freshness that typifies the most successful wines this year. There is a ripe focus, dark cherry and blackcurrant are complemented but not dominated by toasty oak, with that chew of tannin adding savoury balance. Fleshy on the finish, it nonetheless retains its energy and vibrancy. Long, and very well made again this year.
A very tight and typical Batailley with medium to full body, linear and racy tannins, which are pure and focused. Spicy finish. Compacted.
The 2022 Batailley is composed of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it comes galloping out with energetic notes of crushed blackcurrants, Morello cherries, and fresh, juicy blackberries, plus hints of tar, licorice, lavender, and garrigue. The medium-bodied palate delivers taut, muscular black fruits with loads of spicy sparks and a firm texture of ripe, grainy tannins, finishing long and mineral-laced. pH 3.7.
You can't ignore the construction of the tannins here, but there is a plenty of juice in between and this is a gorgeous Batailley. On brand Pauillac, as it so often is, delivering slate, liquorice, energy, cassis, blackberry, orange peel, cardamom, black pepper, graphite, grip. Classic balance also, you don't feel you are in an extreme vintage here. Two thirds of the production is in the first wine of Batailley in this vintage. 55% new oak. A label in honour of Queen Elizabeth II also...
75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot. Cask sample.
Blackcurrant notes with a graphite edge. Subdued power with length and persistence. Tannins finely honed. Freshness as well. A powerful but refined statement. One of the best yet from this estate. Still GV? (JL) 14.2%
Drink 2030– 2047
An especially strong effort for this estate, the 2022 Batailley exhibits aromas of dark berries, cassis, licorice and sweet soil tones, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and layered palate. It's a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and the balance Petit Verdot.
