Community Tasting Note
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nskelsey wrote: 90 points
February 1, 2022 - I opened this up to celebrate the life of the great Anthony Barton who sadly died a couple of weeks ago. Leoville Barton has always been a classic, 'old school' claret that I've regularly bought for 50 years although along with other Chateaux has begun to change over the last few years in making slightly more approachable wines for drinking at a younger age. 'Old style' consists of tannin, long maturing and notes of tobacco, leather, cedar (pencils) and so on, whereas 'new style is a little bit more fruit driven and ready for consuming earlier. Due to past experience I gave this 8 hours in a decanter, but with hindsight maybe it should have had 8 days. My God the '86 is 'Old School'. I bought this wine when I was 33...and I'm now 68 and the bloody thing still isn't ready; I'm going to be dead soon! Now in its 36th year the first impression is the dry layer of tannin that thickly coats your palate. Fortunately there is still the fruit to give you hope that it can sort itself out, but it is barely in the drinking window. Every 2-3 years I consume a bottle and every 2-3 years it has barely budged. When I'm 71 I'll let you know what the next one is like, but don't hold your breath. So far I am 8 bottles down and still not a lot to show for it. Back in the mists of time Parker said this wine was a monolith that could possibly last 50 years. He was wrong; at this rate it still won't be ready to start drinking until it's at least 50! Mr Barton you are a legend and every time I open up one of your wines I will be celebrating a life well lived in bringing so much pleasure to me. On a bright note the 1990 is drinking very nicely. Happy days!
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2 Comments
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sawyer02139 commented:
2/1/22, 9:10 PM - Awesome commentary!
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johnnyrichardson commented:
2/2/22, 12:09 PM - tee hee!...this made me laugh, I'm 71 going on 72 and also have four bottles left from a case bought en primeur in 1987. What a tannic beast, only one of the eight bottles we consumed over the past 35 years has been anything like ready and I put this down as a fluke. Luckily my son-in-law was born in 1986 so I'm giving him the remaining four bottles in advance for his 70th birthday. Happy days indeed!