Leoville and Langoa with Damien Barton Sartorius

It's no secret that I have always loved the wines of Leoville Barton and felt that the wines of Langoa Barton are criminally under-rated, particularly vis a vis their ability to age. A visit from Damien Barton Sartorius proved an occasion to open some fun wines that I had been waiting to open for quite some time, so here we are:

• 1996 Bollinger Champagne La Grande Année 94 Points

  France, Champagne

  Rich and ripe in a very Grande Annee sort of style, this doesn't disappoint. Lots of lovely, lush fruit but like most Grande Annee this doesn't seem destined for a particularly long life.

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• 1985 Bollinger Champagne R.D. Extra Brut 94 Points

  France, Champagne

  I love the Bolly RD and the 95 shows such beautifully fresh citrus fruit with a creamy character and button mushroomy notes. Totally delicious. Perhaps at its apogee now.

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• 1982 Bollinger Champagne R.D. Extra Brut 95 Points

  France, Champagne

  Really terrific Bolly RD showing what the label can really do in its marriage of completely fresh, lively fruit and the mature notes that make aged champagne so fascinating. Even better on the palate than on the nose, the 82 has life ahead though it may not be destined to improve per se.

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• 1953 Château Langoa Barton 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  The 1953 Langoa is the realization of a wonderful dream - fresh raspberry fruit, woodspice, and leather knitted together in a creamy, supple frame. The tannins have all but melted away on the palate. Sensual. Langoa ages so, so beautifully.

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• 1953 Château Léoville Barton 95 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  The 1953 Leoville Barton seems so much more serious and stern than the absolutely winsome Langoa alongside. But with a little air, this shows its hand and a winning hand it is - beautiful redcurrant, loads of mineral, and accents of leather and cedar. Quite classically mature Leoville Barton on the nose. A touch less vivacity and impact on the palate, which shows the mahogany and fallen leaves nose of mature claret. Nevertheless, a bracingly lovely bottle of mature Leoville Barton that I would drink with great pleasure any time.

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• 1928 Château Langoa Barton 96 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Absolutely ravishing Langoa - rich blackcurrant, beefy meat, Christmas pudding spice, licorice, cedar, and leather. Loads and loads of substance here. So healthy and invigorating. I could really drink this is quantity. This really is a testament both to how excellent a year 28 was and to how well Langoa can age. Langoa doesn't deserve to be in anyone's shadow, and in my book it isn't. From a Corney & Barrow bottling, decanted and served after 10 minutes.

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• 1959 Château Léoville Barton 98 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  The 1959 Leoville Barton is in many senses not only a classic example of Leoville Barton but of mature claret at its best. From a very top shoulder bottle with a healthy cork, this shows a blackcurrant, cedar, lavender, herbes de Provence nose - but on the palate this is absolutely resonant and resounding. Tremendous depth, purity, and focus. This is really what it's all about. Fabulous. This particular bottle was decanted about 10 minutes before service but I would be inclined to decant any future bottles a bit longer as they are nowhere near drying out.

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• 1999 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie 94 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  So easy and accessible, the 99 Jamet Cote Rotie shows a super classic nose of roasted meat, cherry, earth, and leather. Potent, but in no way heavy - actually quite fresh, which for me marks out the Northern Rhones really worth drinking. Wonderful presence on the palate. terrific stuff.

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• 2009 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanée 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée

  Nothing to particularly knock the socks off, but a perfectly typical Vosne raspberry and spice profile married with the supple, forward MG and 2009 style. Lovely.

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• 2002 Mongeard-Mugneret Richebourg 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Richebourg Grand Cru

  The 2002 Mongeard-Mugneret shows a super effusive, Vosne spice nose with lots of red fruit. Lots of layers and elegance, here. Good persistence on the palate. Not really in the top tier of Richebourg, but a really nice example of Vosne nonetheless.

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What's not to love? The 53s complemented each other beautifully, the 59 was a complete dream, and the 28 was so stunningly delicious. Some beautiful Bolly to start and eclectic others to follow didn't hurt.