1976 Leoville Barton
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Tasting notes
Tasted at the 190th anniversary Léoville Barton lunch, others were more impressed by the 1976 Leoville-Barton than I was. I thought the nose was showing a little cork taint, even so the palate expressed the heat of that torridly hot summer: smudged red fruit, fig and dried prune, though there is decent weight on the fleshy, rather unruly finish. I suspect that it was drinking much better in the 1990s. Tasted November 2016.
Critic scores
Average Score
Neal Martin
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Magnum. I bought this for the occasion from Reid Wines, to celebrate the first bordeaux vintage I bought en primeur, but have long since consumed the modest wines I was then able to afford. The wine now tastes just a tad tart, the fruit having receded a bit even in this famously long-lived wine.Very respectable but not charming and not absolutely thrilling. Not that different from the 1970 Mouton from bottle served next. (JR)
Tasted at the 190th anniversary Leoville Barton lunch, others were more impressed by the 1976 Leoville-Barton than I was. I thought the nose was showing a little cork taint, even so the palate expressed the heat of that torridly hot summer: smudged red fruit, fig and dried prune, though there is decent weight on the fleshy, rather unruly finish. I suspect that it was drinking much better in the 1990s. Tasted November 2016. Dec 2016, www.robertparker.com
About the producer
Ch. Léoville Barton is a Second Growth Saint-Julien estate, one of the three famous Léoville estates (along with Léoville Poyferré and Léoville Las Cases). Owned by the Barton family (along with Ch. Langoa Barton), it produces classically structured Claret that ages beautifully.