Coravin fun - Batailley

In continual pursuit of Bordeaux tasting knowledge readying myself for potential En Primeur trip next year I dug into a few vintages of Chateau Batailley divvyed up into convenient brackets

and an oldie it was...not completely dead but making final plans, shall we say...

• 1978 Château Batailley

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  From Coravin. Medium minus intensity aromas of menthol and mint, wet earth, mushroom with a little truffle, a whisper of red and black brambles with Ribena, fruit tea and a little black coffee. In the mouth it's sourly juicy, tangy, red and black brambles, filigree tannins, medium length, nearly fully tertiary, time to tidy this one up I think.

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the 2000 was a little disappointing and the 2003 not a successful example though the 2005 and, especially, the 2006 showed well.

• 2000 Château Batailley

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  From Coravin. Medium minus intensity aromas of biscuit, brambles, sweet spcie, cream, slight plums. the fruit gets a bit more jubey with time and is joined by a little dusty baked earth note. On the palate it has medium plus intensity acidity which lends a little sourness to the brambly fruit, tannins are floury textured and drying but all travel long. Hmm.

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• 2003 Château Batailley

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  From Coravin. Medium minus intensity aromas of raisins, blackcurrant, sweet spice, plums and a little baked earth. Quite raisined on the palate with chalky, drying, woody tannins that are still tight, a little spice and cream on the finish. It's a bit meh for me.

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• 2005 Château Batailley

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  From Coravin. Savoury black hued fruits, a little bacon fat and toast, sweet spice and a touch of woodiness here as well as some meaty notes. With time in the glass it opens to show more pretty fruit. Juicy, fleshy, dark hued fruits, tannins are drying, tight but in support of the fruit, all travel long with a little fruit tea note joining. Balanced. Lovely.

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• 2006 Château Batailley

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  From Coravin. Toast, bacon fat, sweet spice over muted black hued fruits, a little concentrated, almost reductive, note as well. With time I get a touch of clay whilst the fruit grows and ripens on the nose. Juicy and fleshy with medium plus intensity acidity, chalky tannins that are slightly coarse and drying, black hued fruits and cream are present beneath this, long, lovely; especially considering the vintage.

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Lovely to see these next to each other and try and see how the vintages show. Of these the 2012 (which I must confess I consider preposterously underrated) showed exceedingly well with the other three all falling into a rather pleasing spot.

• 2009 Château Batailley

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  From Coravin. Ripe brambles, blackcurrant, alcohol warmth and a slight herbaceous underpin. Fruit tea, sweet spcie, biscuit, the fruit grows with time in the glass and is joined by a little plum. Juicy, savoury, again ripe black fruits but backed by cedar, a little biscuit, tannins are drying, persistent, talc textured, long. Alcohol warmth is, for me, slightly intrusive on the finish but, other than this, I find it rather nice.

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• 2010 Château Batailley

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  From Coravin. Aromas of brambles, blackcurrant, a little toast and biscuit, touch of alcohol prickle, slightly jubey notes, cedar, almost a little plain chocolate and, with time, a hint of cigar box. Medium plus intensity acidity, brambles, blackcurrant, woody tannins are floury textured, persistent...both the flavours and the tannins are assisted by the alcohol to carry long. Nice.

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• 2011 Château Batailley

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  From Coravin. Mint, fruit tea, blackcurrant over brambles, sweet spice, very slightly reductive but, with time, it becomes more savoury as well. Juicy, savoury, fruit tea with a sprinkle of white pepper, black hued fruits, tannins are persistent and travel long, a little non-intrusive alcohol warmth, cream and slight herbaceousness on the finish. Nice.

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• 2012 Château Batailley

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  From Coravin. Biscuit, in fact crackers almost, over brambly black fruit, a little black coffee. With time the fruit becomes a bit more jubey and is joined by some more spicy notes. Pretty nose. In the mouth the initial impression is biscuit, crackers, brambly black fruit, a sense of fleshiness, tannins are talc textured, persistent with a slight woody underpin, that black coffee note translates to the palate lending a little bitterness. Long, lovely.

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Lots of fun and learning here. I think they must have changed their wine making style some time in the mid noughties; the tannin profile seems to change; especially when getting to the end of that decade. The earlier vintages were a little less impressive on this tasting.