Haut Batailley

Château Haut Batailley

Classification: Fifth Growth (5ème Cru)
Château Haut Batailley was once part of the ancient Château Batailley estate but became a separate Château in 1942 due to the Borie family dividing the estate for inheritance purposes. Subsequently there is no Château on the Haut Batailley estate as the building stayed with the cousins who inherited Château Batailley.

Château Haut Batailley was for many years made and aged at Château Ducru Beaucaillou, a Borie property in neighbouring Saint Julien However in recent years, Haut Batailley has been made at the Borie's Château La Couronne, in Pauillac. The wines are well above the standard of a Fifth Growth Classification.

There are two possible stories of how the Château acquired the name Batailley. One is that it commemorates a battle, presumably one fought during the Hundred Years War. This is quite plausible as Château Latour is a few miles to the west of Haut Batailley and was under siege in a battle at the end of the war. The other is that it comes from a local wine maker named Batailley who was credited with planting the vines there.

Château Haut Batailley lies in the very south of Pauillac and has a maritime climate with the Gironde Estuary and the Bay of Biscay combining to act as a climate regulator and the coastal pine forests sheltering the vines from the westerly and north westerly winds. The 170 acres of vineyards are planted with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. The soil is made up of deep gravel beds over limestone.

Wine Style
The wine of Château Haut Batailley is concentrated but charming with aromas of blackberries, wood, liquorice and vanilla. They are medium to full bodied, fruity wines and have well balanced tannins and acidity. The wines age well and should be drunk after 10 years – however they can be drunk when young as they are soft and smooth.

Owner: Domaines François-Xavier Borie (also owns Châteaux La Couronne and Grand Puy Lacoste)
Oenologist: Jacques et Eric Boissenot