The 2001 Léoville Barton was the winning bottle in the September Installment of Pick My Next Bottle. Votes were cast on the blog, Instagram and Twitter. The wine was decanted for almost 2 hours.
The Barton family, the current owners of the estate, trace their Bordeaux roots all the way back to 1722. Léoville Barton, a 2nd Growth, is now one of two chateau from the 1855 Classification of the Medoc that remains in the hands of the same family that owned it at the time it was classified. The 47 hectare St. Julien vineyard of Léoville Barton is planted to 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc.
Crimson in color. 12.5% ABV. Gorgeous nose of red fruits, leather, pencil shavings and cedar. Medium body with medium acidity. Soft and approachable. Cherries, currants, plums and earth on the palate. Medium length on the finish. Nice Léoville Barton but lacking the power of the ’00 and the plush fruit of the ’03. I have not had a large sample from the ’01 vintage but if Léoville Barton is ready to drink I suspect most of the classified growths are in a similar spot. Best over the next 1-2 years.
My rating: 90 points.
Léoville Barton is one of my favorite estates in Bordeaux. The wines are traditional, long lived and fairly priced. For that reason they have good representation in my cellar.