2020, in the Médoc, is one of those vintages that people are still talking about even before the bottles have been opened. Sun-ripened grapes, controlled extraction, ripe tannins without over-extraction: conditions were consistent across the entire Left Bank. Le Lions de Batailley, the second wine of Château Batailley in the Pauillac appellation, is precisely where this interpretation of a vintage comes to life without the price tag of a grand cru.
Château Batailley—a Fifth Growth classified in 1855, managed by Borie-Manoux—produces its “Lions” from the estate’s young vines and certain plots not selected for the blend of the main wine. This is not a “downgraded” wine: it is a parallel selection, made from grapes grown on the same gravelly soil as the main cuvée.
The 2020 Blend: The Logic of Cabernet on Gravel Soils
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc. Aged for 18 months in barrels, 40% of which are new oak. This blend profile is consistent with the Batailley terroir: the well-drained gravel soil favors Cabernet Sauvignon, which thrives there with a firm tannic structure but without astringency. The Merlot softens the attack. The Cabernet Franc contributes the aromatic precision—blond tobacco, pencil lead—that characterizes the great Pauillacs.
The color is a deep ruby. The nose opens with distinct blackcurrant notes, without the jam-like character found in less well-managed vintages. On the palate, the attack is direct, and the body is powerful without being heavy. The 2020 is enjoyable now but has the tannic structure to age for ten years in the cellar.
The motto “In Bello Leones”— the lions guarding the gate to Batailley’s main courtyard—gave its name to the second wine in 2013. The Latin motto— In Bello Leones, “lions in battle”—clearly signals the cuvée’s positioning: not a trivial wine, but a Pauillac with a distinct character. Suggested retail price: 28 euros.
At 28 euros, the 2020 Lions de Batailley rounds out a trilogy of vintages—2018, 2019, 2020—whose consistency speaks volumes about how the vineyard is managed. Over the past decade, the second wines of the classified growths have become one of the few ways to access Bordeaux’s great terroirs at prices that are still reasonable. The question is how long this segment will be able to withstand pressure from Asian markets.
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