Tasted at Chateau Batailley, proprietor Philippe Castèja believed that this bottle was re-corked at the property at the end of the 1990s. It certainly has an amazingly youthful color, with just a thin tawny rim and brick core. The nose is actually more complex than the palate, with scents of wild mushroom, black truffle, cedar wood and a touch of classic Pauillac mint. The aromatics actually gain complexity and delineation with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with abraded but firm tannin, and this bottle is a little “chunky” compared to other 1928s that I have tasted. It develops a Graves-like personality with time, thanks to its tertiary, austere finish. Despite its age, its robustness has not been diminished. This is not a refined Bordeaux but a broad-shouldered and, I dare say, rustic Batailley. The 1928 is like your cherished old bureau with a bit of woodworm that would not be without. Drink now. Tasted March 2011.