CHÂTEAU BATAILLEY
2019 5ème Cru Classé Pauillac
Some oriental spice adds an enticing hook to the pretty aromatic nose. Laden with cigar-box notes and pretty, deep red fruit. Gets darker and more cooked on the palate, but holds its own. Rich and ripe and warming - but has a charming sleek feel. Just enough edge and lift of freshness, some menthol whiffs help with this. Smart - a little complex than some on the finish. But this is a very pleasing effort this year. Classic yet with great charm. Well shaped and a deep feel, there is lots to like. The best we remember tasting from here. Vines are more than 50 years old now. (74% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot and 1% petit verdot.)
* 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 2019 Batailley has a well-defined bouquet with tobacco and light cedar scents, blackberry and briary developing more intensity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, quite elegant and refined, not the most intense Pauillac but beautifully proportioned with a sleek and quite persistent finish. Lovely. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting. Drinking range: 2025 - 2050 Rating: 94 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Feb 2023)
The 2019 Batailley has come together beautifully with élevage. There is plenty of power and intensity, but also a greater degree of finesse than in the past. Black cherry, licorice, leather, smoke and spice lend a good deal of gravitas. I would give the 2019 a few years to come together. Drinking range: 2029 - 2044 Rating: 93 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Feb 2022)
The 2019 Batailley has an intense bouquet of blackberry, graphite and light tobacco scents, the latter less pronounced than out of barrel. This feels supremely well-defined and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins and pure black fruit laced with cracked black pepper and graphite, leading to a complex and quite prolonged finish. One of the best Batailleys, maybe the best, in recent years, and a strong follow-up to their splendid 2018. Highly recommended and still one of the best values in Pauillac. Drinking range: 2026 - 2060 Rating: 95 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Feb 2022)
Inky in colour, this is wine that you want to share with Pauillac lovers. So much cassis, bilberry, espresso, cocoa bean, fennel and aniseed. Big tannins but approachable, with slate, crayon and smoked earth adding contrast and texture to the frame. This is really one to look out for. Tasted twice. Drinking range: 2027 - 2046 Rating: 95 Jane Anson, Decanter (Jan 2022)
The 2019 Batailley, picked 16 September until 7 October, has an impressive bouquet with plenty of concentration, though it manages to remain the traditional classic style associated with this Pauillac estate. Blackberry, forest floor and freshly rolled tobacco burst from the glass, demonstrating fine purity and delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. I was most impressed by the balance and poise, almost as if it has a newfound sophistication very evident on the finish. This is a superb Batailley, one of the finest that I have encountered in recent years. Drinking range: 2026 - 2060 Rating: 94-96 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Jun 2020)
More Pauillac character than the Lynch Moussas, this is where you get the characteristic slate, pencil lead and menthol against the beautiful rich cassis and a confident tannic frame. I've had a number of 2009 and 2010 vintages of Batailley recently that have totally sung at 10 years old and you can easily see that this vintage will deliver the same enjoyment. Drinking range: 2028 - 2042 Rating: 94 Jane Anson, Decanter (Jun 2020)
A very cabernet-driven red with currants, light cedar, vanilla and flowers. It’s full-bodied, tight and powerful. Impressive finish. Classic. 74% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot and 1% petit verdot. Rating: 95-96 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2020)
Château Batailley
Pauillac Cinquième cru 1855 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 François and Marcel Borie who divided the estate between themselves in 1942, with François taking the half that became Haut Batailley and Marcel continuing as Batailley. Marcel's daughter married into the Castéja family, who own Batailley to this day. The two Batailleys are in the south of Pauillac, a little way inland from the Pichons. The 57ha of vines are planted to 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Wines spend up to 18 months is wood, with 55% being new every year.
Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those on the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do contact our private client team via email or on 020 7018 0187.
Ordering
Prices are all in bond by the case size stated.
Pre-Orders are a firm commitment to buy wines on release, as long as the release price is within the upper and lower price bands set by you on the pre-order form. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability but providing this firm commitment to buy effectively gives you priority and is a good idea for the most desirable wines.
Wines listed on the website can be ordered in the usual way via the website wishlist order form. You can also send orders directly to our private client team via email. Please note that, for the most sought-after wines, priority will be given to those who ordered the same wines last year and to those that have pre-ordered.
Confirmation
All orders will be confirmed by email and are binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of email confirmation. Pre-orders are not binding if the release price is above your upper price band.
Invoices are all raised at the in bond price (excluding any duty and VAT) which will become payable at the prevailing rates when the wines arrive in the UK, should you wish to take duty paid delivery.
Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We regret we cannot accept credit cards for en primeur orders. We reserve the right to apply a dunning charge of 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.
Delivery
- Shipment to our bond (at 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 £500. Orders below this total will be charged an administration and handling fee of £16.50+ VAT when invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
- Delivery of 2022 Bordeaux bought en primeur is expected during 2025. Delivery dates may vary as wines are shipped from Bordeaux at different times.
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). Immediate payment of invoices is then required by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option but please note that confirmed orders are still binding even if the final invoice has not yet been issued.
Please specify on your wishlist order form where you would like the wines shipped on arrival in the UK. If this is to a third-party bonded warehouse, please specify the relevant account details. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue a second invoice for duty and VAT at the prevailing rate when the wines are available for delivery.
Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.
One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the format you want. While most of our listings are for 75cl bottles, we can source wines in any format that is offered by the Château. Please note that format requests cannot be changed once wines have been invoiced. Additional charges for special formats do apply and are as follows:-
- +£18.00 per case of 12 half-bottles
- +£30.00 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£7.50 per case of 3 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£11.00 per case of 6 Magnums
- +£45.00 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£60.00 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.
Storage Options:
Wines bought en primeur won't arrive in the UK until 2025. If you do not wish to take home delivery at that point, you may wish to consider where you would like the wines shipped. Lea & Sandeman offers duty paid and in bond storage through a dedicated storage company called Elephant Storage. For more details on the terms and fees associated with storage please go to our Storage Homepage or contact our private client team for more information.