Critic ratings
vinous
2017
Rating:
92
–94
The 2017 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru has a more introspective bouquet compared to the Bienvenue, perhaps more malic, with a subtle, almost algal scent. The palate is very precise, maybe a bit meaner and more Chablis-like than the Bienvenue, but almost Zen-like toward the finish. It does not have the charm of the Bienvenues and frankly, it isn’t trying to. This is more a cerebral, terroir-driven wine.
vinous
2017
Rating:
92
–94
Pale yellow. Inexpressive and backward on the nose but quite pure, hinting at pineapple, white peach, citrus peel and menthol. Then juicy and penetrating in the mouth, conveying a stronger impression of acidity and salinity than the Bienvenue; this wine is more floral, while the Bienvenue shows more lemon and mandarin orange fruitiness. Here the easy fruit is already disappearing and the terroir is beginning to emerge owing to a very early malolactic fermentation (in January), but this powerful, sappy grand cru will need time to evolve in bottle.
vinous
2010
Rating:
94
–94
Bright yellow. Deep aromas of pineapple, exotic herbs, clove oil and smoky oak, complicated by a leesy element. Large-scaled, glyceral and broad; less precise today than the Bienvenue but that's due to this wine's major baby fat. Very ripe peach and apricot flavors are lifted by lemon oil and chewy saline minerality. Finishes very long, with a light dusting of tongue-coating tannins. This wine held up well for days in the recorked bottle. I would not be surprised to see it merit an even higher score with seven or eight years in the cellar.
vinous
2011
Rating:
93
–93
Pale, bright yellow. Sexy, complex nose melds white peach, citrus peel, grilled nuts, noble herbs, brown spices and a whiff of white pepper. Broad, silky and dry, showing no edges to the flavors of stone fruits, spices and minerals. A very tactile yet fine-grained Batard with a slowly building, perfumed finish leaving behind saline notes of dusty stone. My bottle seemed to shut down with 48 hours in the refrigerator. Lay this one down for at least five or six years.
vinous
2011
Rating:
92
–94
Pale bright yellow. Deeply pitched aromas of gingerbread, smoke and nuts, with fruit in the background today. Quite rich for the vintage but harmonious acidity gives lift and a juicy quality to the mid-palate. Boasts saline minerality but also notes of yellow fruits. Most impressive today on the very long, dense, lemony finish, where spicy oak and nutmeg notes linger. At once serious and suave.
vinous
2012
Rating:
93
–93
Bright medium yellow. Perfumed, highly complex nose melds orange zest, minerals, white pepper and noble herbs. Juicy, spicy and tightly wound, with outstanding energy currently keeping the wine's fat fruit under wraps. Delivers a captivating savory umami character on the back end, which is very slow to unfold. The finish is very long and remarkably weightless for a grand cru. A very distinctive Batard with a promising future
vinous
2012
Rating:
92
–95
(aging in one-third new oak): Bright, clear yellow. Expressive aromas of ripe peach, clove, menthol and sweet oak. Deep, nutty and ripe; chewier than the Bienvenue but less open to inspection today, showing good menthol reserve to its stone fruit flavors. Salty more than juicy or sweet. This highly concentrated, large-scaled 2012 conveys a distinctly tannic impression, which accentuates the classic dryness of the finish.
vinous
2020
Rating:
94
–96
The 2020 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru has a very well-defined, quite mineral-driven bouquet with touches of white chocolate and even a hint of marron glacées percolating through the citrus fruit. The palate is extremely well balanced, but tight and focused, good depth, quite creamy towards the finish. Very difficult not to swallow this now, but it will age very well in bottle. Excellent.
vinous
2019
Rating:
94
–96
The 2019 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru conveys much more terroir expression on the nose, offering chalk dust and wet limestone aromas; great intensity here. The taut, fresh palate is very well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, a mineral-driven finish and commendable persistence. This is a step above the Bienvenues this year and it should age with style. Bon vin!
robert_parker
2021
Rating:
93
–95
More muscular and introverted than the expressive Bienvenues, Faiveley's 2021 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru reveals aromas of pear, yellow apple, toasted nuts and white flowers, followed by a full-bodied, deep and layered palate that's tensile and structured.
robert_parker
2020
Rating:
92
–94
The 2020 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru unfurls in the glass with aromas of ripe orchard fruit, hazelnuts, freshly baked bread, baking spices and buttered toast. Full-bodied, ample and fleshy, it's generous and giving, with lively acids and plenty of mid-palate weight. As I've written before about this cuvée, if it can pick up some additional tension during a second winter on the lees, my score will seem conservative.
robert_parker
2019
Rating:
92
–94
Rich and muscular, the 2019 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru exhibits aromas of pear, citrus zest, toasted nuts, honeycomb and white flowers. Full-bodied, broad and powerful, with lively acids and an ample core of ripe fruit, it's the most dramatic wine in the range. If it can pick up some additional tension during a second winter on the lees, my score will seem conservative.
robert_parker
2017
Rating:
92
–94
Aromas of fresh pear, ripe citrus fruit, dried white flowers and praline introduce the 2017 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, a full-bodied, elegantly textural wine with a ripe core of fruit, excellent tension at the core, bright acids and chalky structuring extract, concluding with a lively, saline finish. Nicely integrated and impressively complete, it's one of the finer Bâtards I've tasted from Faiveley.
robert_parker
2017
Rating:
94
–94
Domaine Faiveley's 2017 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru is showing very well, unfurling in the glass with notes of Anjou pear, white peach, orange oil, white flowers and an elegant top note of nutmeg. On the palate, it's full-bodied, satiny and supple, with lively acids, excellent concentration and a precise finish. This is a beautifully balanced Bâtard that represents a decidedly elegant interpretation of this sometimes hulking and massive Grand Cru.
vinous
2021
Rating:
92
–94
The 2021 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru is more backward and surly than the Bienvenues at this stage, less "welcoming". The palate is well balanced with a tangy entry, orange rind and lemon peel, touches of grapefruit towards the finish, though the Bienvenues has more cohesion. Still commendable given the season.