1989 Château Léoville Barton
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Tasting notes
The 1989 Léoville Barton has a slightly disjointed nose, like its peers, unable to shake off its rusticity with hints of oxtail that tinctures the black fruit. It becomes more floral in the glass and retains charm. The palate is medium-bodied with predominantly black fruit, more expressive than the Gruaud Larose 1989. licorice hints emerge with time. It just feels a bit short on the balsamic-tinged finish. Not bad, though nothing akin to their modern-day masterpieces. Tasted at the 1989 dinner at Piccolino in London.
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More reviews and scores
The bottle of 1989 Léoville-Barton is probably the best I have encountered over the years; indeed, it is better than a bottle opened by Lilian Barton-Sartorius when I visited the property a few weeks earlier. It has a comely old-school claret bouquet of red fruit infused with cedar and loamy scents, and maybe some dustiness, but I have come to expect that in older vintages of this Saint-Julien. The palate is medium-bodied, pure and elegant, with svelte tannin and moderate acidity and a surprisingly sweet, almost precocious finish thanks to that year’s hot summer. It has softened in recent years and yet there is still good backbone and grip to this wine. Just enjoy. Tasted at the 1989 Bordeaux dinner at Hatched in London.
A hint of boiled cabbage on the nose initially but that blew off to reveal a wine that's not yet at its peak. Very refined and round. Very Barton. (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.