Chateau Leoville Barton is the smallest portion of the great Leoville estate and has been owned by the Barton family since 1826. There is no Chateau and the wine is made at Langoa Barton.
Since Anthony Barton took over the reins from his Uncle Ronald in the mid 80s, quality has soared at Leoville Barton and the wine has gone from being a solid mid-league performing 2nd Cru Classe to one of the most exciting and scintillating wines in St. Julien.
Vineyards
The vineyard nestles in the heart of the St Julien terroir among the most beautiful slopes of Garonne gravel, facing the Gironde river. The clayey gravel subsoil allows excellent growing conditions whatever weather the vintage brings. The plowing is traditional, without weeding or herbicide. The grape varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon (74%), Merlot (23%) and Cabernet Franc (3%).
Vinification
This vintage is: 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22.5% Merlot, 0.5% Cabernet Franc.
The harvesting is done entirely by hand. After the de-stemming, the berries are carefully sorted, crushed and poured in wooden vats thermo-regulated, according to their plots. The alcoholic fermentation lasts from 7 to 10 days and the extraction is always respectful of the juice by adjusting the number of pumping depending on the cuvées and the vintages. The maceration is about 3 weeks then the juice is drawn in barrels, lot by lot. The wine is then aged between 16 and 18 months in French oak barrels of which 60% are brand new, in a cellar maintained at 15 °.
The wines are topped up 3 times a week to avoid any contact between the wine and the air, the racking is traditional using the so-called ” l’esquive” method.
Tasting Notes
The opulence of this wine proves it is the fruit of a sun-blessed vintage, yet with none of the excesses associated with this. The power is certainly present but not domineering thanks to the lively freshness and complexity.
This is incredibly classy, with very concentrated, rich, restrained black fruits, and hints of cedar, minerals and cigar box. It is all in absolutely perfect balance with a wonderful freshness and sublime elegance amid lashings of fruit and very fine tannins.
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