"Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate, 93-95/100
The 2016 Batailley is a blend of 12% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 85% Cabernet Sauvignon cropped at 50h hectoliters per hectare. Matured in 60% new oak. It has an intense graphite infused bouquet with fine delineation, some freshly picked Pauillac mint coming through with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannin that grip the mouth insistently; with graphite and tobacco-infused black fruit dominating, this a classically styled Batailley in the vein of previous vintages with the elegance coming through towards the finish. This is one of those wines that grows on you, perhaps not as easy or as charming to taste as other Pauillac 2016s at this stage, but knowing this property well, I know how it can blossom when it matters, which is when you and I drink it. Drink 2022 - 2050."
Located south of Pauillac, Château Batailley is one of the oldest estates in the Médoc. Its name comes from the French word for battle, and reminds us that a fight took place on this site between French troops trying to capture the Latour fortress from the English during the Hundred Years War (15th century). Batailley's vines are situated on a gravelly plateau that descends towards the Gironde. The superb soil has excellent natural drainage ideally suited to the estate's combination of premium grape varieties. The wines are well-structured with ripe tannin and a typical blackcurrant bouquet of Cabernet Sauvignon at its best. Belonging to the Castéja family, the vines are tended with the greatest of care and the wine is made in cellars with the latest equipment. This technological capacity perfectly complements a first-class terroir fully worth of its classification as a great growth in the 1855 classification.
