1982 Batailley
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 1982 Batailley is a vintage that has never quite met my expectations. Now at almost four decades old, I find that the aromatics lack the fruité of its peers, also compared to the superior 1989. Earthy, dried leaves and light smoky aromas gently waft from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with dry tannins and vestiges of red fruit, a little sour now, but it fades a little towards the peppery finish. This used to be knitted together, but now it feels a little frayed at the seams. Tasted at the château.
Critic scores
Average Score
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
Tasted at the Batailley vertical tasting at the château, the 1982 Batailley continues to perform well despite never really being the "go-to" Pauillac in this vintage. This might be the best of a dozen or so bottles that I have tasted over the years. The nose here is the most intense that I have encountered, with pencil shavings infusing the black fruit and cedar and a savory touch that becomes more pronounced as it opens. The palate is medium-bodied with fine definition, a classic Bordeaux here with good structure and a bullish, tobacco-tinged finish that is conservative but does the job. It cuts away a little too swiftly, but there is just enough dryness to keep you returning for another sip. I can see this continuing on its plateau over the next 15-20 years; and, while it will never challenge the likes of Latour or Pichon-Lalande, it will satisfy a great number of wine lovers. Tasted April 2016.
Thick and delicious. Dark ruby color, with a hint of garnet. Bright cherry and tobacco aromas have a hint of spice. Full-bodied and very concentrated, with big, velvety tannins and a long, sweet fruit finish.--1982 Bordeaux horizontal. Drink now. James Suckling, Wine Spectator 1998
Soft, relatively fat, fruity flavors lack the great concentration of the very best 1982s, but nevertheless offer juicy black currants nicely mixed with a pleasing vanillin oakiness. Moderate tannins have become much more noticeable in the late eighties, suggesting greater aging potential than I initially believed. Anticipated maturity: Now-2010. Last tasted, 1/90. Robert Parker, Bordeaux Book, 3rd Edition # B1
About the producer
It was on the site of Batailley in 1453 that one of the final battles (or “batailles”) of the Hundred Years’ War took place. Today owned by the Castéja family, the Fifth Growth is renowned for producing wine that is the epitome of classic Claret.