2011 Leoville Barton
Buying options
Tasting notes
Darker and wilder and clearly made with more ambition than Langoa with a classic 2011 black cabernet nose and lovely bright acids and dry but well formed tannins. The Bartons have clearly opted for a light extraction and the result is a wine of charm and finesse. FINE+RARE
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeannie Cho Lee MW
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
The 2011 Léoville-Barton has an endearing nose with well-defined red berry fruit, cedar, pencil box and light sous-bois aromas that unfold with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fine depth and precision, well-integrated oak and a tensile, quite saline finish that is elegant and persistent. This is a beautiful 2017 that should age with style. Tasted blind at the annual 10-Year-On tasting.
Tasted blind. Bright crimson. Lots of intrigue in a still-dumb nose. Very dense and solid with notes of stones and cassis. Solid fruit density compensates for the tannin and the acidity is not intrusive. Old fashioned but not faulty. (JR)
Tasted blind. Mid crimson. Quite aromatic. A tad sour and fruitless. No quarter given to fruit. (JR)
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.