Château Léoville Barton 2020

Liquorice on the nose with blue-fruit aromas—cool and expressive. Quite tight on the palate, the tannins making the impact right now and the style still very much on the savoury edge. Good acidity here, but it’s coming off a little sharp, giving angles to the palate, though cushioned by ripe tannins. I love the red- and black-berry elements alongside pine notes, cedar, coffee, liquorice and tobacco, the wood flexing its muscles. Softly classic with nice St-Julien character.

Aromas of dark berries, ash, tar, blackcurrants and lead pencil, following through to a medium to full body, with firm and integrated tannins and a medium, chewy finish. Needs four to six years to soften and come together. Very tight and nicely structured. Try in 2027 and onwards.

Full bottle 1,345 g. Cask sample taken 6 April. 85.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.5% Merlot. Aged for 18 months in barrel (60% new). Lustrous purple. Minerally, stony, saline nose. Really remarkably opulent on palate entry which almost distracts from those massive tannins underneath. There's just a suggestion of vintage port tannins here (not the sweetness). Very fine winemaking indeed. I have to admit I was tempted to swallow this, it was so majestic. I don't remember being as bowled over by a Léoville Barton at this early stage before. Lovely, confident, persistent finish. Such grace! (JR)

The 2020 Léoville Barton is compelling. It offers up a gorgeous mix of vintage 2020 intensity married to the classicism Léoville-Barton have come to expect. Blackberry, graphite, dried herbs, menthol and dark spice abound. Whereas so many Saint-Juliens are exuberant in 2020, Léoville-Barton is very much buttoned up, showing just a twinkle of mischief that lets you know the best is yet to come.

Deeply colored, this is a powerful wine with all the fresh, ripe, black and dark red fruits you could hope for, along with nuances of tobacco leaf, cedar, flowers, cigar box, espresso, smoke and crème de cassis to boot. This is the perfect blend of classy and classic, with ripe, elegant tannins, length, purity, vibrancy and complexity that ensure this is going to offer fabulous drinking for decades. Drink from 2027–2060.

Dark ruby garnet, purple reflections, opaque core, delicate rim brightening. Ripe plums, a touch of nougat, dark berry fruit, inviting bouquet. Powerful, juicy, black cherry, fresh and lively, fine, ripe tannins, mineral, long lasting, shows freshness and length, certain ageing potential, fine cassis on the finish, great food companion. (2028-2060).

Very dark and inky fruit, ripe blackberry, cassis, fine oak and tobacco. Very nice density and weight with great proportions, a fine tannic freshness, layers of crunchy fruit, layered spiciness and a long, dense finish – really classic Bordeaux at its best.

Delicate perfume, dark cherry, Alpine blueberry, light tobacco and licorice. On the sublime palate, a soft texture, fine-grained extract and a muscular body, tautly structured, with a tight, demanding tannic framework. In the concentrated finish, black-berry contours, dark precious wood and chocolate pastilles. A (rather) serious Léoville-Barton that needs time but does not deny its class.

Kunz barrel sample 2021: (85.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.5% Merlot, 34 hl/ha, 13.6% vol. alcohol) Deep, fresh, powerful, complex bouquet: cassis cream, black tea, nougat, black cherries, delicate plum, cedar. Dense, multi-layered, elegant, powerful palate with rich, sweet, dark fruit, a velvety, dense, multi-layered structure, varied, powerful, concentrated aromatics, plenty of fine tannins, a very long, dense, full finish with many lingering flavors.

(85.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.5% Merlot, 34 hl/ha, 13.6% alc. vol.) Deep, fresh, powerful, complex bouquet: cassis cream, black tea, nougat, black cherries, delicate plum, cedar. Dense, layered, elegant, powerful palate with ripe, sweet, dark fruit, a velvety, dense, multi-layered structure, varied, powerful, concentrated aromatics, plenty of fine tannins, very long, dense, full finish with lots of after-flavors. 19/20 2028 - 2055

The 2020 Leoville Barton has a deep garnet-purple color. It is incredibly primary and youthful with expressive scents of crème de cassis, ripe, juicy plums, and black raspberries, opening out to hints of vanilla pod, coffee, star anise, and tilled soil. Medium-bodied, the palate is beautifully restrained, with lovely tension and firm, very fine-grained tannins, finishing so long and achingly graceful. Wow!

95-96

The most suave of the Léoville wines has consistently performed at a high level in recent years, and fans of the Leoville Barton style will not be disappointed with the 2020. The wine is absolutely delicious, brimming with charm. It shows juicy fruit and silky tannins that carry a saline finish. An irresistible Saint-Julien that will evolve beautifully.

A fresh, opulent nose of lily, peony, small wild flowers and spring meadow, along with cherry and amaretto. On the palate, a refreshing acidity that makes this a wine built for ageing, with a sensual interlacing of black and red fruits, firm yet satiny tannins, and a lovely licorice-tinged finish. A classic, long, promising wine.

Finesse, complexity and depth. This approach has been in place for ages, executed with exceptional precision and revealed with a subtle touch… it doesn’t jump out at you (to the nose, rather), but it’s firmly established! The bouquet shows nuances of black berries, sweet spices, cocoa beans and graphite. The attack is juicy, and the wine has fine-grained tannins. They provide the power and harmony of this wine, as they go hand in hand with its acid structure and freshness. Yet another Barton that combines finesse, vigor and depth.

A bold, strapping young wine, with vivid plum, cassis, kirsch and black licorice notes that meld steadily as they cruise through, carried by a bolt of graphite and finishing with a flourish of violet, anise and apple wood. Mouthwatering in the end. Built for the cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2030 through 2045. 9,100 cases made.

Silky tannins, quiet classicism, juicy black fruits, crushed rocks, liquorice and mint, beautiful definition. What an example of how good Saint-Julien can be in this vintage, with rose petal and tomato leaf aromatics as well. Brilliant. Right up alongside their excellent 2019. Good old Léoville Barton, a reliable old friend that never lets you down. 60% new oak.

97–99. Barrel Sample. The wine shows both elegance and great richness. It is a poised and ripe wine, full of impressive black fruits and generous tannins. The fine structure gives considerable potential for the long term.