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Chateau Leoville Barton Saint-Julien 2016 - First Bottle

Reviews

97 Wine Spectator - Read

#1 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2019 - This is so vivid as it brims with pastis-soaked plum, blackberry, black currant and blueberry paste flavors, all carried by a perfectly integrated brambly spine. Tar and ganache notes give the finish an extra kick while everything stays within the mouthwatering roasted apple wood frame. Both regal and rambunctious, this is St.-Julien to a T. Best from 2025 through 2040. 11,667 cases made.

97 James Suckling - Read

Terrific intensity of dark berries, almost peppery blackcurrants and violets with attractive and integrated, spicy oak and an earthy edge. The palate has a super powerful and long, linear core with plenty of fruit flesh strapped in tight for a long and thrilling ride into the finish. A blend of 86 per cent cabernet and 14 per cent merlot. Try from 2024.

96+ Jeb Dunnuck - Read

Deep purple-colored and a classic Saint-Julien with its pure crème de cassis, graphite, liquid rock, and essence of lead pencil shavings, the 2016 Château Léoville Barton is full-bodied, concentrated, and backward, with bright acidity and ripe yet certainly present and building tannins. This old-school, classic Léoville Barton has a fine thread of acidity keeping the wine focused and fresh. It’s a beauty, but mostly potential at this point, although it does have beautiful fruit. Savvy readers will hide bottles at the back of their cellar, and I wouldn’t start to think about opening bottles for a least a decade. It’s going to be incredibly long-lived. The blend of the 2016 is 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot, brought up in 60% new French oak.

96 Wine Enthusiast - Read

The Barton family’s flagship wine benefits hugely from the age of the vines. This wine is ripe and concentrated, rich in tannins but with the wonderful black fruits that can be conjured from this vineyard. It will age well and is likely to be ready to drink from 2026.

95+ Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - Read

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Leoville Barton delivers a superstar nose of crème de cassis, plum preserves and blueberry compote with suggestions of fragrant earth, unsmoked cigars, licorice and cedar chest. Medium to full-bodied, rich and seductive with firm yet velvety tannins, it has a decadently rich finish.

95 Decanter - Read

This vintage is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, making it comparable to some top Pauillacs. The Barton family has owned these vineyards for centuries and always makes very fine claret, but this is exceptional. Opulent and vibrant nose, crammed with blackcurrant. Depth, grip and concentration, but balanced and stylish too, with notable freshness. For the long haul. Drinking Window 2024 - 2045

95 Vinous - Read

The 2016 Léoville-Barton has a more savory bouquet than its peers: again, slightly tertiary in style, though very well delineated and manifesting lovely incense and pressed violet aromas with aeration. The oak is neatly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fleshy and ripe, and gently grippy, leading to a detailed and quite plush (for the vintage) finish. This is a charming Saint-Julien, a bit of a femme fatale. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting.

Technical Details

Blend86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot
CountryFrance
RegionBordeaux
AppellationSt-Julien
Oak60% new French oak
Alcohol13%

Chateau Leoville Barton Saint-Julien 2016

Cabernet Blends | France

WS97, JS97, JD96+, WE96, WA95+, D95, VN95

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This one hits all the sweet spots: first growth-level quality (without the huge price tag), massive, glowing press, great vintage, and of course, a fine price...indeed, as Decanter noted: “This vintage is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, making it comparable to some top Pauillacs.” (Looking at you, Chateau Latour!). A MUST for savvy Bordeaux buyers! Make sure you get enough to hold in the cellar for a few decades!

Most of you will know the history of Barton, and its connection to Leoville Las Cases and Leoville Poyferre in the Saint-Julien appellation. But did you know that Barton has no actual winery? It’s made at sister property Langoa Barton (purchased by the Barton family in 1812), and the Chateau on the label is actually Langoa. More on the history of this esteemed estate here.

The 2016 is ethereally delicious, polished and ultra-fine. Weightless, yet powerful, supple and refined, and soaring with fruit and flowery spices. It’s an instant classic and one we are thrilled to be able to offer today -- while it lasts, that is!

PAIRING IDEAS: It’s braising season here in Napa and we’d recommend a classic for this Saint-Julien: beef bourguignon. This one has a bit of bacon and mushrooms, which adds more layers and goes deliciously well with the slow-cooked, ultra-tender beef.

MUSIC SUGGESTIONS: French rapper MC Solaar is a fine accompaniment: check out the songs “Solaar pleure”, “Caroline” and “Hasta La Vista” to start and see where it takes you!

About the Producer

Six gernerations of Bartons have been at the helm of this famous estate which is a second growth in the Bordeaux classification of 1855. The chateau was initially built in 1758 by Monsieur de Pontet. The estate was then sold to Hugh Barton, an Irish merchant, in 1821. He named the estate Chateau Langoa Barton but in 1826 and with the acquisition of the neighboring vineyards of the former Leoville domaine which then became Leoville Barton. He only wanted the esteem vineyards and had no need for the winemaking facilities. In 1983, Anthony Barton, the present owner inherited the property from his uncle Ronald Barton who inherited it from his father. Anthony Barton's daughter Lilian Barton Satorius now helps her father run the estate.