Then & Now - 1949 & 2009 Château Batailley

Two bottles of this fifth growth Pauillac - 60 years apart.
Batailley is a Bordeaux that I don´t have that much experience with - according to my notes I have tastes the 1975, 1983 and 1989, and have never been really impressed. But now I going both back and forward in time.

Parker says that those "who have patience doubt admire Batailley´s reputation for longevity". That sounds good!
David Peppercorn calls Batailley "solid and dependable, very consistent, but only occasionally memorable". My impressions so far...
Clive Coates tasted the 49 in April 1987 and found it "still very alive. Real breed. Lovely". Lets keep our fingers crossed!
Info here.

1949 Château Batailley
The nose is big, mature (!) and sweet with lots of old stables, coffee that have gone stale, old leather and some pencil shavings. There is lot of dried up sweetness here. Overly mature? Well, a bit but there is still some interest here.

The taste is round, full and with the same dried up sweetness as on the nose - 49 was a really great year. Notes of dried red and black currants, old leather and cold coffee. The finish is medium long and doesn't end up dry at all, as one would think. An old, rather fragile gentlemen that still has got some spirit.

85p   (tasted 2013/12)

2009 Château Batailley
The 60 year younger version of Batailley is a small wonder - from the first sniff and sip you can feel where its origin are, the ripe black currants are of the highest quality, the oak gives a gentle push from behind, the pencil shavings are fresh, the finish is long, perfectly balanced and the impression is of a wine, albeit young of course, in harmony. I will be getting more bottles of this nectar. This is drinking well now and will continue to do for at least 15+ years. Great wine!

93p   (tasted 2013/12)