Leoville Barton Tasting Seminar - (1986 - 2011)

Gordon's Wines - Waltham, MA
Tasted Wednesday, January 25, 2017 by RockinCabs with 536 views

Introduction

Gordon's Wine & Spirits is working on expanding its Bordeaux program, and this was the first major event that they hosted with a Bordeaux producer in several years. Damien Barton agreed to make a side trip from the Union Des Grand Cru event in NY to have this event.

Unfortunately less than a week before the tasting FedEx "had to dispose" of 4 cases of Leoville Barton slated for this tasting, and the Gordons team and Damien went scrambling to put things back together. Instead of the largely younger vintages that they had promised, the lineup was changed to include the 86, 95 and 96. This was a special grouping for sure and gave a great impression of the chateau style.

Across the board these were great wines, but what was most striking to me was how classic the style has remained over time. Even more modern vintages like the 2005 retain good continuity with the older vintages.

We started with an intro to Mauvesin (new Barton property), and then dove into the Langoa Barton and Leoville Barton flights.

Flight 1 - Langoa Flight (3 Notes)

The 2001 and 2010 were close in quality to me, but the 2005 seemed overdone and very non-Bordeaux. Others like the 05 quite a bit, but it seemed out of place to me in this flight. If pressed I would have said it was a 2003.

  • 2010 Château Langoa Barton 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Nose: Black Cherry, Blackberry, Florals, Cocoa and a slight bramble/green note. Palate: Dark and slightly earthy, Black Cherry and sage. Shows more cabernet than either 01 or 05. Finish: Big pop of ripe blackberry, ripe tannin and some tarry barrel notes.

    This is a really nice wine with elegant layers. Should develop nicely.

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  • 2005 Château Langoa Barton 88 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Nose: Very showy sexy candied cherry, sweet oak and chocolate/brownie notes. I would never identify this as Bordeaux, much more Napa on the nose. Palate: Sweet Black Cherry and Plum. Lush fruit with Cola, Oak and Chocolate notes. Finish: Oak heavy, but good red berry and spice notes.

    A bit confected wtih more of a napa personality to me.

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  • 2001 Château Langoa Barton 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Nose: Sexy cherry, Tobacco, Vanilin, and bits if cedar and smoke. Palate: Approachable black cherry on entry with green pepper, spice and sweet oak notes. Finish: Very complete and detailed with tobacco, earth and more spice notes.

    Most balanced and elegant of the Langoa's. Great for drinking now.

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Flight 2 - Leoville Barton Flight 1 (3 Notes)

  • 2011 Château Léoville Barton 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Nose: Red berries, ripe cherry, Oak, Violets and Toasty notes. Palate: Red Currant, Cherry Skin, Tar, oak barrel and sweet cellar notes. Finish: Very hard tannins, crisp red fruit and florals.

    This was obviously showing very young, and was the lightest bodied of the wines shown tonight. For a 2011 this is well made, but does not express the Barton character well right now. None of the underripe reputation of 2011 shows through due to severe selection.

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  • 2004 Château Léoville Barton 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Nose: Blackberry, Cassis, Gravel, Smoke, Florals and just hints of eucalyptus. Palate: Gorgeous palate feel with ripe blackberry, plum and gravel. Nuanced layers of earth, olive paste and mint. Finish: fades gracefully with a polished black fruit, quince, gravel and a spice element.

    This might be one of the wines of the 2004 vintage, and it expresses the chateau nearly perfectly. Every element you want in Barton is here. A surprise highlight of this tasting.

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  • 2005 Château Léoville Barton 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Nose: Quite tight on the nose with saline, crushed rock, blackberry, licorice, mineral and mint notes. Palate: Very layered palate feel, very ripe blackberry, cassis, loamy earth and penetrating power. Finish: Continued ripe black fruit, licorice, mineral and great length. Hard tannin underneath the fruit.

    Turned up in a big way from the 2004, but it spills out of its suit a bit today. You can see glimpses of complexity to come, but this has a long evolution ahead. I appreciated the opportunity to check in here 92+, but I could see this going much higher if the ripeness can align with the underlying structure.

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Flight 3 - Leoville Barton Flight 2 (3 Notes)

The 2000 was the elegant powerhouse of the night. It combines the best of the 2005 with the best of the 1990. Elegance, power, polish and just enough tobacco to let you know it is Barton.

Right behind this was the 1996 which continues to be a favorite Barton of mine. Many years ahead on the 96.

  • 2000 Château Léoville Barton 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Nose: Blackberry, Licorice, Clove, Leather and Creosote. Tightly packed and a bit locked up, but there is more to come here. Palate: Black fruit melange with black currant, black berry and fig paste. Spice and mint are present in this highly polished palate. Finish: Long, resonating finish with blackberry, hot stones, spice, cigar and cola.

    The 2000 is at a nice point in its evolution, and it has lots of room to grow. This is a much more polished and precise version of the 2005. Potential to be truely exceptional at maturity ... 95?

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  • 1996 Château Léoville Barton 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Nose: Red/Black fruit notes with Blackberry, Dark Cherry, Tobacco, Cedar and some eucalyptus. Hints of chocolate and toffee beginning to appear. Palate: Bold black and red fruit on the attack with leather, cigar and classic Barton stone notes. Finish: Very lively and bright with tobacco and cedar cutting through red fruited notes.

    Riper than the 95, and just much more balanced. This has the flesh to go much longer in the cellar, and the cedary tobacco personallity makes this a classic Barton.

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  • 1995 Château Léoville Barton 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Nose: Leather, Oak, Cherry Cola and some sweaty horsey notes. Palate: Elegant red fruited approach with oak, tobacco and vanillin. Tannin is quite drying. Finish: Tart fruit, leather, coffee and oak.

    This bottle seemed like it did not have the stuffing to handle the oak treatment. It did have charm, but seemed like a departure from the strapping Barton style. I have had better bottles of this.

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Flight 4 - Leoville Barton Flight 3 (3 Notes)

Sadly the bottle of the 89 that we tasted was cooked. However the 90 and 86 were both excellent.

  • 1990 Château Léoville Barton 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Nose: Blackberry, Cassis, Truffles, Sage and Cigar box. A bit of bottle funk on this initally, but it cleaned itself up. Palate: Nice fresh blackberry, dark cherries, herbs, green pepper and cedar. Finish: Lengthy and full of dark berry, eucalyptus and tomato leaf.

    Very enjoyable, but I was looking for more power from the 90 vintage. I don't suspect this was decanted, and I think it would have benefited greatly from more air. I'll have to revisit this based on the reputation.

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  • 1989 Château Léoville Barton Flawed

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Prune, Raisin, VA and sherry. Cooked bottle. I would not have served this.

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  • 1986 Château Léoville Barton 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Nose: Blackberry, Cigar Box, Mineral, beef blood and charcoal. Palate: Earthy dark fruits, Blackberry, Cassis, Tobacco, Leather and toffee notes. Dark and brooding still, but getting some softer edges on this bottle. Finish: Tannic grip still showing, but nice earth, blackberrry and mineral are very satisfying.

    As usual this was a tannic, strapping wine, but it is what I love about it. Great to revisit this, and it will show well for many years.

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