Château Léoville Barton - Saint-Julien 2010

The Château was built in 1758 by Monsieur de Pontet. Beneath the private apartments lie the crypted vaulted cellars in which silence reigns eternal.The most renowned vintages of Léoville Barton are left to age in the peace and quiet of these cellars to reach their ultimate potential.

After the French Revolution, and thanks to the Droit d'Aubaine (Windfall Law) in France, Hugh Barton, an Irish merchant of Bordeaux wines, fulfilled his dream of becoming a landowner in Bordeaux when he purchased vineyards in the Médoc region. Pierre-Bernard de Pontet sold the ''Langoa'' estate to Hugh Barton in 1821 which the latter renamed ''Château Langoa Barton''. This was some time before the famous 1855 classification and it was in fact the building's architecture, elegant façade and harmonious proportions that won Hugh over.

Four years later, in 1826, Hugh purchased a quarter of the former Léoville domaine, the collapse of which was due in part to the French Revolution and in part to a complex inheritance settlement. In buying what would later become Léoville Barton, Hugh only actually purchased the domaine's vineyards since he had no need for the winemaking facilities, already having those at Langoa.

77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc. 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 "à l'esquive" method. 

"A magnificently solid wine, initially severe. At this young stage, the tannins dominate in a wine that also reveals a full fruit salad bowl of black fruits. Very dense, concentrated, this is a wine that’s even better than the legendary 2005. The structure tells of its extraordinary aging potential: don’t even attempt to drink this for 10 years." - 100 Points, Wine Enthusiast 

"A splendid showing, much stronger from bottle than it was from barrel, the Leoville Barton is one of the spectacular wines of the vintage. Inky purple to the rim, its huge tannin gives this wine real potential for 30-50 years of longevity. It is a classic, powerful Bordeaux made with no compromise. A superstar of the vintage, the wine has notes of pen ink and creme de cassis, good acidity, sweet, subtle oak, and massive extraction and concentration. I thought it was one of the most backward wines of the vintage two years ago, and nothing has changed in the ensuing upbringing of the wine in cask except that the wine now seems even richer, denser and fuller than I previously thought. The beautiful purity, symmetry, and huge finish of nearly a minute make this one of the all-time great classics from Leoville Barton. Anticipated maturity: 2028-2065+." - 96 Points, Robert Parker

Producer: Château Léoville Barton

Country: France

Region: Bordeaux

Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot

Appellation: Saint-Julien

Vintage: 2010

Size: 750ml