1982 Chateau Batailley, Pauillac, France

Description

• 1/25/2025 – Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:92 Points

  Part of a cellar acquisition where storage was perfect for 20+yrs before the cellar’s upkeep was disregarded and left to a non-climate controlled temp for a few years. All bottles look pristine (doesn’t mean the wine will be). Still sported the $12.99 sticker that this was many years ago. Just under top of shoulder fill. Cork was fantastic.

  A few of the other early ‘80s wines I’ve opened from this same acquisition needed time to open up and blow off funk, but this was ready from the get go. At its age (and provenance), the wine is translucent ruby with bricking at the rim and shows classic Pauillac notes (graphite, leather, cassis) with tart red fruits, herbs and some pipe tobacco. Still retaining acidity and a decent amount of tannin at the finish. A unique high-toned/mint note came around aromatically ever so often and would fade.

  Followed out of bottle during the evening and it stayed consistent.

  10/1/2024 – king-bing wrote:93 Points

  Medocs at Reading Lido (Reading Lido, Berkshire, UK): Clear bricking. Touch more translucent than Palmer, a touch browner too. Some bottle stink but soon blows off. Then spice and soaring pencil notes on the nose. Palate is plummy and red fruited with a slightly drying and dusty finish. The lightest of the three 82s, but that’s no criticism. Not quite the intensity of the Palmer or LLC. Later a lovely herbal nose. The most complex of the three and my favourite to drink.

  10/1/2024 – Vinumming & Ahhing Likes this wine:93 Points

  Reading Offline #2 – Andrew’s Thames Lido Dinner – Mature Bordeaux Treats (The Thames Lido, Reading): More mahogany coloured in the glass and bricking a little at the rim. Something a little iffy on the nose on pouring (previously double decanted) but mercifully this blows off and the wine is not flawed. Classic Pauillac. Hints of leather, cassis and cigar box around a core of classy beef pho (lemongrass and all). Some hints of balsamic on the rich and savoury palate which has some caper and boysenberry notes. Lovely wine if, for me, a tiny bit behind the Palmer and LLC it is served with.