Tasted at the Batailley vertical tasting at the château, the 2005 Batailley continues to be an excellent Pauillac that I suspect is overshadowed by some of its more illustrious and, let's not forget, more expensive neighbors. Here, it has an effervescent bouquet with vibrant red berry fruit and superb mineralité. This is extremely well focused, with hints of rose petal emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with finer tannin than in previous years. I feel there is still some oak to be fully absorbed, so don't be afraid to cellar this 2005 for another four or five years; but, even at this early stage, you can appreciate its precision on the graphite-infused finish. The 2005 Batailley is where the estate began its upward swing that is continuing to this day. Tasted April 2016.

Classic Pauillac, with tannin, structure. freshness, crisp fruit, firm elegance and a blast of cassis, cedar and tobacco. Still young, and seems to be holding some of its cards in reserve. Clearly, this has improved over the past decade and will definitely be more interesting to drink with another 5 years of bottle age. tasted June 2015

Very muscular and powerful with lots of tannins now, but it will come around. Full body and dense. Leave this alone for three or four years.

Drink 2013-2038+
Parker's Wine Buyer's Guide No 7

Renowned Bordeaux oenologist, Denis Dubourdiu, oversees the winemaking at all of the properties owned by Philippe Casteja, which includes Batailley. Their 2005, one of the finest efforts this estate has yet produced, is backward, tannic, and almost primordial in style. Built for the long-term, it offers plenty of sweet creme de cassis fruit intermixed with smoke, cedar, and earth notes. Full-bodied and powerful, it is an old style Pauillac with well-integrated acidity as well as sweet but elevated tannins. Give it 7-8 years of bottle age, and drink it between 2015-2035.

Has licorice, currant and fresh cèpe on the nose. Full and silky, with lots of sweet tobacco and berry character and plenty of ripe Cabernet fruit. Long and caressing.