Chateau Leoville Barton 2eme Cru Classe, Saint-Julien 2016

A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot.

Terrific intensity of dark berries, almost peppery blackcurrants and violets with attractive and integrated, spicy oak and an earthy edge. The palate has a super powerful and long, linear core with plenty of fruit flesh strapped in tight for a long and thrilling ride into the finish.

Try from 2024

A brilliant young wine, the 2016 Léoville Barton unwinds in the glass with aromas of cassis, dark berries and cigar box mingled with subtle hints of loamy soil. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it's seamless and exquisitely balanced, with beautifully refined tannins, bright acids and a long, penetrating finish. Its structural refinement is such that it's far from forbidding to open right now, yet patience will be richly rewarded.

Drink 2026 - 2066

The 2016 Léoville-Barton has a more savoury bouquet than its peers: again, slightly tertiary in style, though very well delineated and manifesting lovely incense and pressed violet aromas with aeration. The oak is neatly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fleshy and ripe, and gently grippy, leading to a detailed and quite plush for the vintage) finish. This is a charming Saint-Julien, a bit of a femme fatale.

Drink 2022 - 2040

Intense, luxurious, fresh yet also very classically Bordeaux on the nose. Loads of dark berry and currant fruit allied to a touch of oaky spiciness. Density on the palate but also refined, elegant, and smooth.

Drink 2021 - 2045