The 2001 Chateau Léoville Barton was the winning bottle in the March Installment of Pick My Next Bottle. I did not decant the wine and served it with a grilled flank steak and Brussells sprouts roasted in bacon fat. I bought this wine on release and have cellared it properly ever since.
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, cigar box, saddle leather and graphite. Warm, supple and approachable. There is an abundance of rich, lush fruits. Currants, cassis, tobacco leaf and earth on the palate. The finish is long and silky with mostly resolved tannins. A Léoville Barton of elegance and grace. Best over the next 3-5 years.
My rating: 94 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.
Wow…sounds amazing mature Leoville Barton. I have a 2014 that we’re saving for a future Christmas ⛄ Thank you for sharing
Mature Leoville Barton for sure. Usually even older bottles have pronounced, gritty tannins.