This was a tasting organised by Linden Wilkie and
his company the Fine Wine Experience.
2005 Château Batailley
Quite
a subtle nose with black fruit and a general tobacco overtone, almost
tending to ashtrays. Quite open on the palate and approachable. Good
structure with fine-grained tannins towards and on the finish. Very
good length - very persistent fruit and pencils flavours linger long
after. Very Good Indeed. 91/100
2004 Château Batailley]
This
has a much dumber nose than the 2005. Possibly there's some slightly
more pronounced blackcurrant fruit, but it's hard to find, until really
aerated, when there's even a hint of chocolate. Much firmer and leaner
on the palate than the 2005, with greener fruit and much more
prominent, and much grippier tannins. 89/100
2002 Château Batailley
A
very fine and elegant nose with blackcurrants, some blueberry and a
layer of pencil shavings. Quite fruit forward on the attack, but then
it goes into a background of a complex structure with some firm spicy
tannins. But overall it's pretty well integrated and pleasing. 90/100
2001 Château Batailley
There
seems to be some notable minerality on the nose of this, and much less
of the cedary notes. There are still some black fruit scents, but
they're very elegant and restrained. It's really nice on the palate:
very precise and focussed and feeling nicely integrated. Very nice
finish, with really good length. Possibly not as long a keeper as the
2002 and the 2004. But definitely the best of the three for drinking
now. 93/100
2000 Château Batailley
This
has charming fresh fruit on the nose, feeling nicely integrated. very
even and integrated, but there's also a fresh garden herb note
somewhere between mint, sage and marjoram. With aeration, there's a
curious lactic hint on the nose. Rich and forward in the mouth. This
has very mouthfilling ripe fruit and a chocolatey richness, but manages
to retain an air of elegance. But it doesn't quite have the backbone of
01, 02 and 05.
Going back to this glass after a while, the lactic hint seems to be
making itself felt on the palate too. 88/100
1995 Château Batailley
Initially,
there's sawdust on the nose, then black fruits and a bit of leather.
Really nice and fresh on the attack. Very complex palate with great
depth and pretty firm, grippy tannins, with the tannins really
persisting at the front of the mouth and on the lips. Very Good Indeed.
92/100
1990 Château Batailley
This
is looking remarkably mature. A strang nose: there are black fruits and
cedar for sure, but there's also some pine, some toilet cleaner and
some stale cigar ash. Fresh and open on the palate initially, possibly
feeling a touch volatile. Then it resolves into a rich velvety black
fruit palate. This doesn't really satisfy me. I wonder if there's a
fault in this, but nobody else agrees, so it must just be a bit
rubbish. Definitely one to drink up. 85/100
1989 Château Batailley
This
is possibly a touch younger looking than the 1990, but hardly. There's
a very rounded, even, mature Pauillac feel to the nose. It has a very
satisfying feel on the attack, which carries throughout the palate.
There's a really nice, silky mouthfeel and a good tannic bite right on
the finish. Lovely depth and complexity. 94/100
1982 Château Batailley
A
lightish mature colour. Gorgeous nose - very fine and elegant, with
delicate feminine black fruit - very integrated. But there is a slight
metallic edge too. Remarkably rich on the attack, it then manages to
refine itself a bit on the palate as it sits in the mouth. Sandy
tannins on the finish. 92/100
1966 Château Batailley
A
mature appearance, taking on a mahogany tinge. It's a touch stinky on
the nose, but gives way to a lovely old lady claret feel with chocolate
plums, stewed tea and a savoury, umami, Worcester Sauce lift. Very
elegant, integrated palate. Very alive and even a bit kicking. There's
a slightly funky feel to the fruit character on the palate. Very silky,
gossamer mouthfeel. 93/100
1961 Château Batailley
This
is a very colour and overall appearance to the 1961. Impressive nose: a
touch gamey, with almost cherry fruit alongside the blackcurrant. It
actually has a bit of a feel of a nebbiolo to it. Lovely palate,
feeling much more normal than the 1966. Very, very drinkable with great
pleasure. 95/100
1947 Château Batailley
There
are stewed tea, prunes and VA on the nose, which gradually turns into
corkinees and develops continuously, becoming worse and worse until
it's feeling badly corked. Corky palate. But there is some sweet fruit
in there, just detectable which augurs well for anyone that has a
bottle. Not rated.
1937 Château Batailley
Gosh, this is really not looking that
much more mature than the 1961 or 1947. It has a remarkably powerful
bitter cocoa nose, backed up by a feel of the souk and the spice
market. On the palate, it's old, and a touch stewed and some sweet,
slightly volatile fruit. It ends with lots of sandy tannins on the
finish. 88/100