CHÂTEAU HAUT BATAILLEY
2020 5ème Cru Classé Pauillac
The 2020 Haut-Batailley is a huge, somber Pauillac, just as it was from barrel. Huge swaths of tannin wrap around a core of black fruit, gravel, incense, tobacco, smoke, cured meats and charcoal embers. Readers will have to be patient. I imagine the 2020 will always be a big, virile wine, certainly more about power than finesse. Drinking range: 2026 - 2040 Rating: 93 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Feb 2023)
* 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 2020 Haut-Batailley, matured in 60% new oak for 14 months, has a vivacious nose with mint-infused blackberry and raspberry fruit, a light pencil lead note underneath. Certainly one of the more intense aromatics in Pauillac with disarming purity. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and a wonderful bead of acidity keeping it tensile throughout. There's a sweet core of plummy fruit, hints of orange rind towards the finish that contains plenty of energy. Excellent. Drinking range: 2028 - 2048 Rating: 94 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Feb 2023)
Dark, winey, structured and very Pauillac, this is laden with cassis and blackberry puree flavors scored by charcoal and warm earth, with tobacco and cast iron notes. Very long, focused and seriously well-built finish. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2027 through 2040.—J.M. Drinking range: 2027 - 2040 Rating: 95 The Wine Spectator, www.winespectator.com (Dec 2022)
The 2020 Haut-Batailley is a powerful, brooding Pauillac. Black fruit, grilled herbs, menthol, licorice, smoke, dried flowers and leather add to the wine's virile feel. Here, too, the tannins are pretty imposing. It will be interesting to see what time brings. Drinking range: 2028 - 2045 Rating: 91-93 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Jun 2021)
The 2020 Haut-Batailley was opened for a good hour before I commenced penning my note. This will be matured for 14 months in 60% new oak. It gently unfolds in the glass to reveal blackberry, faint sea spray scents (a whiff of the old Gironde estuary) and just a touch of crushed stone. This is well defined though not powerful. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins on the entry that frame the bright blackberry and raspberry fruit. This Pauillac conveys superb energy, especially toward the Japanese nori-infused finish, awakening and revivifying the senses. It is a classically sculpted and very harmonious Haut-Batailley that will give 25–30 years of drinking pleasure, but should be cellared for 5–6 years. Drinking range: 2028 - 2048 Rating: 92-94 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2021)
Also made in a more medium-bodied, elegant style, the Grand Vin 2020 Château Haut-Batailley offers a beautiful perfume of both black cherry and darker berry fruits as well as classic Pauillac cedar, chocolate, and leafy herb-like aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, beautifully balanced, and seamless on the palate, they’ve done a wonderful job with the tannins, the purity of fruit is spot-on, and this will certainly be an impressive Pauillac, with 20-25 years of prime drinking ahead of it. Rating: 92-94 Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com (May 2021)
This is really minerally and stony with lots of chewy tannins. Medium-to full-bodied with a clean, fresh finish. Very classic Pauillac. Salty at the end with bitter citrus. Rating: 94-95 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2021)
Clear salinity and the fennel aniseed touch that I get in Verso de Haut-Batailley also. Gorgeous texture here, this has real balance and a sense of careful walking through the palate, a juice and a tension, with a saline kick. An enjoyably sleek wine, not as powerful as the Lynch Bages, and not intended to be either. Some chocolate notes as it opens, but this has an elegance to it that almost makes it more of a St-Julien, certainly not the powerhouse Pauillac that you get in Lynch Bages. Harvest from September 14 to 29. 3.85pH, 60% new oak, for 14 months. The Cazes family has almost doubled the size of the vineyard since taking over, up to 39ha. Drinking range: 2024 - 2037 Rating: 93 Jane Anson, Decanter (May 2021)
Full bottle 1,345 g. Cask sample taken 16 April. 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot. Merlot was picked 14 to 18 September and Cabernet 22 to 29 September. Three successive triages. 14 months' ageing in barrel (60% new) envisaged. Deep purple. Intense, savoury nose and silky-soft tannins. Classic modern Pauillac from a ripe vintage – which is to say that it is definitely sweeter than 'usual', whatever that is. (I wonder whether, now that the Cazes family own this property as well as Lynch-Bages, they feel a sense of competition between these two wines?) Not dense but beautifully textured with good freshness. 13.6% Drinking range: 2029 - 2046 Rating: 17 Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2021)
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 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 2024 Bordeaux bought en primeur is expected during 2027. 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 2027. 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.