"95 Neal Martin, vinous.com, February 2025
The 2022 Batailley exudes a sense of precision on the nose that distinguishes it from vintages you might have found up to a decade ago. It has very focused, seamlessly integrated oak and predominantly black fruit laced with pencil shavings and cedar, rubber-stamping its Pauillac origin. The palate is medium-bodied with svelte tannins. This is very harmonious with a smooth texture, finely pitched acidity and a slightly spicy finish that will require five or six years to soften. The Castéja family has really taken Batailley to greater heights in recent years, reliving some of the past glories like the 1947, 1955 and 1961. 2032 - 2060"
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.
