Batailley 2004

A sleeper of the vintage, Batailley’s complex 2004 is redolent with notes of cedar wood, spice box, plums, cassis, tar, and smoke. Medium to full-bodied, supple textured, layered, rich, and long, it marks the renaissance of this fifth-growth Pauillac that is displaying strong signs of moving into the big leagues. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2025.

Good for the vintage, with tobacco and plums, almost prunes. Full-bodied and chewy. Slightly hollow center palate. Medium finish.

Very bright dark crimson. Strange note of black pepper. Quite impressive ripeness. Verging on burnt flavours. A little green and raw on the palate. The tannins are very well worked but there's a lack of fruit in the middle. Drink 2014-19.

Batailley’s 2004 reveals hints of smoke, underbrush, black cherries, and currants. Its deep ruby/purple color is followed by a hint of flowers, medium body, moderate tannin, and a slightly austere finish. This wine should turn out to be nearly as good as the 2003, but lighter in weight.

Tasted at the Chateau Batailley dinner at The Square. The 2004 Batailley is fresh and well defined on the nose compared to the 2002, which has less vigour. Here: notes of blackberry leaf, briary, cedar, tobacco and boysenberry. The palate is medium-bodied with a crisp, well-defined entry, pert acidity, quite tight towards the finish but good structure and focus, the finish demonstrating far more precision than I have noticed in the past. As usual, it has a foursquare finish thanks to the growing season, but a very commendable Batailley. Drink 2012-2020. Tasted January 2010