CHÂTEAU HAUT BATAILLEY
2013 5ème Cru Classé Pauillac
Very sweet fat supple fruit. An oaky sweet overlay, but the fruit holds this really well. Round and almost opulent. Silky supple berry fruit with a warm and generous heart. Tightens on the finish, it may need just a little time. 2019-2026 Rating: 90 L&S (Apr 2014)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
The red fruited mix on the nose is fresh and the start of the palate quite light. It has more depth in the middle with a mix of red and black fruits all supported by silky tannins. The sweet fruit at the back gives way to firmness on the finish. 2018-28 Rating: 85-89 Derek Smedley MW, www.dereksmedleymw.co.uk (May 2014)
Rating: 91 Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com (May 2014)
76% Cabernet Sauvignon 24% Merlot. Ripe, juicy cassis, sappy oak but well integrated. Finely ground tannin that really grips the finish. Fine, traditional Pauillac, with lovely balance and good persistence. 2017-2027 Rating: 17+ Richard Hemming MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2014)
(76 Cabernet Sauvignon, 26 Merlot) François-Xavier Borie explained that this is ‘not a motorway vintage like 2010’ as he whooshed his hand thought the air. In 2013 he said that they ‘have to be careful where we are going’. Quite right. With less fruit and class than Grand-Puy-Lacoste this wine has a more classical Pauillac nose with more upright fruit and a linear feel. Less plump and more sinewy with prickly tannins and dusty, plum fruit this is a nice wine but you would have to be a Pauillac purist to appreciate its character. For many this would be too much to ask. There is a cool, graphite, stony underbelly which suits the regal Cabernet berries, but the lack of flair ultimately lets is down. Rating: 16.5+ Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (Apr 2014)
A racy, slightly high-pitched style, with red currant, blood orange and floral notes, lined with a bright iron accent that holds sway on the austere finish. Rating: 87–90 James Molesworth, The Wine Spectator (Apr 2014)
Fine lifted Cabernet nose, smooth and ripe, touch of spice, Merlot adds charm and elegance, good wine. Drink : 2017 - 2027. Rating: 16.75 Steven Spurrier (Apr 2014)
The Château Haut-Batailley 2013 is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot picked from 2 to 10 October at 31hl/ha. It has a light and slightly leafy bouquet with touches of bay leaf and undergrowth. It is missing a little vigour at this stage. The palate is medium-bodied with a saline character on the entry (like Lynch Bages). It gains cohesion towards the finish, remaining resolutely 'classic' in style with a nice touch of austerity lingering on the aftertaste. Rating: 88-90 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Apr 2014)
The 2013 Haut Batailley wraps around the palate with lovely depth and nuance. A layered, resonant wine, the 2013 impresses for its depth and overall balance. Black cherry, plum, dark spices and menthol add the final layers of complexity on the nuanced finish. This is a gorgeous wine with tons of near and medium-term appeal. Rating: 88-91 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Apr 2014)
Château Haut Batailley
Pauillac Cinquième cru 1855 For most of its history Château Haut Batailley, as the name suggests, was part of Château Batailley. The name "Batailley" appears to be derived from a battle that occured on the sight in 1453 during the Hundred Years War. During the early 19th Century, Batailley was owned by Daniel Guestier who did much to raise the reputation of the estate such that it was rated a 5th Growth in the 1855 classification. Batailley was purchased in 1932 by Marcel and François Borie who divided the estate between themselves in 1942, with Marcel taking the half that retained the Batailley name and François developing Haut Batailley. In 2017 Château Haut Batailley was purchased by the Cazes family, owners of Château Lynch Bages. The two Batailleys are in the south of Pauillac, a little way inland from the Pichons. The 22ha of Haut Batailley is planted to 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Haut Batailley has a good reliable reputation, offering very decent "drinking" claret at competitive prices.
Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those of the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do call us, but see the 'practical notes' below.
Ordering
Prices are per case as listed 'in bond London'.
Pre-Orders are a firm commitment from you to buy the wines you order on release, subject to the price being below the upper price of the estimated band on our website. You may also set your own upper price limit, lower or higher than ours. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability. Providing this firm commitment to us effectively gives you priority.
Wines listed on the website (after any pre-orders and allocations have been fulfilled) can be ordered in the usual way via the website order form or by email or telephone 020 7221 1982, always subject to stock remaining.
Confirmation
All orders will be confirmed by email and are contractually binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of the confirmation date, apart from pre-orders which are binding if the release price is below the top estimate or other price you have set.
Invoices are raised at the In Bond price, excluding any duty and VAT which will become payable at the prevailing rates on arrival of the wine if required duty paid.
Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or credit transfer. We reserve the right to charge 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.
Delivery
- Shipment to our bond (LCB Creek Road) and insurance are included in the in bond price.
- Delivery is free to Lea and Sandeman / Elephant storage accounts, both duty paid and in bond.
- Other deliveries (In Bond and Duty Paid) are also free subject to a minimum order from the offer of £1000, orders below this total will be charged £16.50+ VAT when the wine invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
- Delivery for 2016 Bordeaux primeurs will probably be completed by October 2019, but we make no guarantee as to specific delivery times, and some of the Sauternes may be later.
Practical notes - how it works
We start a sale in each customer's name and add all their primeur orders to one sale which is invoiced at the end of the campaign (or when the customer wishes) for immediate payment. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option, but do please note that confirmed orders are still binding as above even if the final invoice has not been issued.
When the wine is shipped, unless previously specified we will assume that delivery is to be to bonded storage with Elephant Storage, but in any case, we will contact you requesting any alternative instructions. If you have another bonded delivery address you would like the wine to go to, please tell us at the time of ordering. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue invoices at the rates prevailing at the time for the excise duty (currently £25.98 per case) and the VAT (currently at 20%) on the total of the wine cost and the duty.
Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.
One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the bottle size you want. Even if a wine is only listed in one size, you can order any bottle or case size you want if the property supplies it, but you must order the case/bottle size you require and check that the correct size has been invoiced.
Additional charges are as follows:-
- +£15 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£15 per case of 6 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£35 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£45 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.