2018 Leoville Barton

Tasted blind. Second bottle much fruitier on the palate and impressively long. Though there are still some austere tannins on the end. (As is the wont of this slow-maturing wine that always gets there in the end.) (JR)

In the hands of the same family since 1826, Léoville Barton delivers classic St Julien balance, with plenty of 2018 ripe fleshy fruits that are just starting to show their promise, although you would still do well to forget about this wine for a good five years from now. The fruits are focused and chiselled, with blackcurrant, bilberry and black cherry, set against baked earth, charcoal, graphite and woodsmoke as it opens up, a ton of life ahead, and an appealing sense of crushed mint leaf on the finish. 60% new oak.

The 2018 Léoville Barton has a classy bouquet, a little timid at first, that just requires a few swirls to unleash blackberry and blueberry fruit and hints of crushed violet and desiccated orange peel. It blossoms wonderfully in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, wonderful depth and balance, and quite citric toward the finish, delivering plenty of energy. An excellent Léoville Barton whose sheer drinkability will please many, though I would afford it 4–6 years in bottle.