Château Haut-Batailley

Château Haut-Batailley unveils its new label

At the entrance to the Pauillac AOC area, the Virgin Mary watches over the Haut-Batailley vineyard from Tour L’Aspic.   Built in 1875 by the pious Demoiselles Averous, Tour l’Aspic captures the romance of its era.  This new label was inspired by and pays tribute to the tower, so emblematic of Château Haut-Batailley. 

The story behind its name is a mystery. According to local legend, the Virgin Mary is crushing an asp underfoot, a symbol of temptation and evil. But recent restoration work on the tower has revealed that the Virgin Mary is in fact standing over a bed of roses. 

Yet a coat of arms featuring a tower, an asp, a knight’s helmet and a Latin inscription meaning “remembrance and fidelity” is engraved into the stone. Could the helmet be a reference to the Hundred Years’ War? Legend has it that the name “Batailley” comes from a great battle, which ended with the English being driven from French soil. The mystery lives on.

The drawing of the tower and the surrounding countryside was inspired by the strong imagination of the man who illustrated the fables of Jean de la Fontaine, Dante’s Inferno and the fairy tales by Charles Perrault. 

The fine gold lettering is reminiscent of the age of illuminated manuscripts and use of intaglio printing creates subtle variations in colour, really bringing the clouds to life. 

A perfect blend of fantasy and wonder, the beautiful white tower captures the imagery of a medieval tale. 

The handwritten lettering is evocative of the former labels, embodying the history and continuity of a grand terroir. 

Pauillac Cinquième cru 1855 For most of its history Château Haut Batailley, as the name suggests, was part of Château Batailley. The name "Batailley" appears to be derived from a battle that occured on the sight in 1453 during the Hundred Years War. During the early 19th Century, Batailley was owned by Daniel Guestier who did much to raise the reputation of the estate such that it was rated a 5th Growth in the 1855 classification. Batailley was purchased in 1932 by Marcel and François Borie who divided the estate between themselves in 1942, with Marcel taking the half that retained the Batailley name and François developing Haut Batailley.

The Cazes family, which heads Château Lynch-Bages, are the proud new owners of Château Haut-Batailley, an 1855 Grand Cru Classé in Pauillac owned previously by the Des Brest-Borie family. Both families have had strong roots in the Pauillac and Médoc landscape for generations.

Château Haut-Batailley, acquired by the Brest-Borie family in the 1930s, was until now managed by François- Xavier Borie. “We are delighted that Château Haut-Batailley has been accepted into the fold of the Cazes family, who are committed to continuing the work undertaken at the estate. We're confident that they will maintain the identity and character of the property,” said François-Xavier Borie.

Château Haut-Batailley today comprises some 40 hectares, 22 hectares of which are already planted. In terms of grape variety, the property has 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Its vines are on average 35 years old.

The property also has its own technical facilities, in perfect working order.

“Château Haut-Batailley is a magnificent property that has always produced great wines. We're particularly happy that it has passed between two families who have friendly relations and know each other well,” said Jean-Charles Cazes, general manager of the family-owned group. “This acquisition will strengthen our presence in Pauillac with the aim of undertaking a project distinct from Lynch-Bages. In order to respect the estate’s identity and the integrity of its vineyard, the property will be managed independently and have its own dedicated team of technical experts.”

The two Batailleys are in the south of Pauillac, a little way inland from the Pichons. The 22ha of Haut Batailley is planted to 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Haut Batailley has a good reliable reputation, offering very decent "drinking" claret at competitive prices.