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History
Chateau Batailley is honored to be on Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855. Chateau Batailley is one of the oldest wineries in the Medoc region, from the 15th century. The name ” Batailley” (“battle” in French) recalls the heroic story of the castle in 1452, right in this land, the French army successfully recaptured Chateau Latour castle – Chateau Batailley’s neighbor, from British colonial hands. A few years after that victory, the first vineyards were planted on this war site land. The garden in Chateau Batailley was designed by Sir Barillet-Deschamps, the architect of King Napoleon III.
Chateau Batailley was bought by brothers François and Marcel Borie in 1932. In 1942, they divided the estate into two separate wineries: Chateau Batailley and Chateau Haut-Batailley to avoid troubles with legacy law in the future. It was passed down to daughter Denise and son-in-law Emile Castéja, connecting two wealthy families in Bordeaux, France.
Now, Chateau Batailley is run by their son – Mr.Philippe Castéja. It has undergone a drastic modernization process to improve the grape quality. The last 20-year vintages are considered to be more sophisticated, with the increasingly improving grape quality.
Geographical location
Located in the Pauillac sub-region of Bordeaux, Chateau Batailley is located 6km to the west of the Mouton Rothschild winery, less than 10 minutes by car. Referring to Pauillac, people immediately think of the home of some of the world’s greatest wineries, such as Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Chateau Latour and Chateau Mouton-Rothschild, 3 out of 5 1st Growth wineries in the Grand Cru Classse 1855 Classificaton, initiated by Emperor Napoleon.
Soil characteristics
The soil in Pauillac is mainly gravel soil, the surface is a thick layer of gravel, the bottom is clay and sandstone, which absorbs water well, creating wines of the highest quality with the ability to store for a long time.
Owning 55 hectares of land, growing about 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, Chateau Batailley has a classic Pauillac style, encapsulating the best of Bordeaux. The deep stony soil is ideal for late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, while the clay and limestone layers favor Merlot to its full potential. The Cabernet Sauvignon grape variety dominates, creating a concentration of many layers of flavor, rich with many flavor nuances, slightly harsh tannins, dotted with cedar and tobacco, firm structure. The castle’s vineyards average 40 years old, harvested entirely by hand, aged for 16-18 months in 55% new oak barrels. In addition, the castle produces a secondary wine, which began production in 2014 and launched in 2016, entitled Lions de Batailley, using grapes from younger vineyards, with a softer but still retains the signature flavor of Chateau Batailley.
Why should you own Chateau Batailley?
Chateau Batailley has always been considered the jewel of the Casteja family empire – one of the most powerful families in France, combined with Chateau Lynch-Moussas, Chateau Trotte Vieille and Domaine de l’Eglise, the “aces” cards”, creating the “four pillars” of high-class castles owned by Borie-Manoux. With meticulousness and seriousness in winemaking, each bottle of Batailley pursues elegance and sophistication, often continuing to mature in the bottle for about 10-20 years before reaching its zenith. Young vintages should be allowed to breathe for an average of 2-3 hours to allow the wine to cool down and expand the flavor layers, reaching the most ecstatic taste.
It will be an extremely poetic experience when a diner “plays” to invest in a collection of Chateau Batailley Vertical Tasting, to learn and compare the quality of the famous castle’s wines over the long history of the winery.
Some Chateau Batailley wines you may like:
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>> Read post “What make Grand Cru great” here.
>> Explore other Grand Cru lines available at WeWine here.
