Château Léoville Barton 2006

Tasting Notes and Tips for Château Léoville Barton 2006

Tasting

Color

The color reveals a deep, dense ruby-purple hue, reflecting fine concentration. The wine shows a dark crimson core, gradually lightening toward ruby tones at the rim of the glass.

Nose

The bouquet is rich and opulent, dominated by aromas of blackcurrant and black cherry. Notes of dried fruit such as prune and red plum accompany these primary fragrances. With aeration, the nose reveals tertiary aromas of tobacco, leather, and cedarwood, along with mineral touches of crushed stone. Spicy nuances of cinnamon, black pepper, and ginger complete this complex aromatic profile.

Palate

The attack is imposing, unveiling a concentrated, powerful structure. The palate offers intense flavors of black fruit – blackcurrant, black cherry, plum – that persist throughout the tasting. The tannins are both powerful and remarkably supple, with a silky, refined texture despite their substantial presence. The finish impresses with its length, stretching over several dozen seconds with mineral notes and a slight bitterness that confirms the wine’s aging potential.

Food and Wine Pairing

This wine pairs perfectly with a roast lamb shoulder with Herbs de Provence or a rack of lamb. It also elegantly complements a grilled ribeye, a beef tenderloin with red wine sauce, or a beef bourguignon. Duck preparations, notably duck breast, also make excellent pairings. Feathered game such as roasted quail, woodcock, or pheasant matches harmoniously with this vintage. A wild mushroom risotto or aged cheeses such as Comté, Gruyère, or Saint-Nectaire round out the pairing possibilities.

Serving and Cellaring

Château Léoville Barton 2006 is ideally served at a temperature between 16 and 18°C. Decanting for one to two hours before serving is recommended to allow the wine to fully reveal its aromatic complexity and soften its structure. This vintage can be enjoyed now and will continue to evolve favorably until around 2040.

A Classified Growth from Saint-Julien with a Classic Character and a Refined Structure

The Estate

Acquired in 1826 by Hugh Barton, Château Léoville Barton is a Second Growth in the 1855 classification at the heart of Saint-Julien, in the Médoc. The estate represents a rare example of family continuity in Bordeaux, remaining in the Barton family through the agricultural landholding group of the Langoa and Léoville Barton châteaux. Its 50-hectare vineyard, facing the Gironde and adjoining Langoa, is vinified and aged at Langoa Barton, notably in old oak vats. Today, Lilian Barton Sartorius runs the estate with the same quality-driven philosophy passed down through eight generations.

The Vineyard

The vineyard of Château Léoville Barton spans 50 hectares in the heart of the Saint-Julien appellation. The plots benefit from a privileged exposure facing the Gironde estuary. The terroir sits on a mound of Garonne gravels, made up of Günz-era gravel mixed with sand and clay, providing optimal drainage. The clay-gravel subsoil ensures ideal water regulation. The vines average 40 years of age, with some parcels even older, ensuring concentration and complexity. The harvest is carried out exclusively by hand, allowing rigorous selection of grapes at optimal ripeness.

The Vintage

The 2006 vintage benefited from favorable weather conditions, enabling the grapes to reach excellent ripeness. The moderately warm summer, balanced by coolness that preserved acidity, contributed to the vintage’s structural elegance. Autumn conditions allowed harvesting in sunny weather, with grapes showing optimal phenolic ripeness and remarkable concentration.

Vinification and Aging

Vinification of Château Léoville Barton 2006 took place in traditional 200-hectoliter wooden vats, with electronic temperature control. Maceration lasted three to four weeks to extract color, tannins, and aromatic precursors. Aging lasted 18 months in French oak barrels, 60% new and 40% one-wine barrels. Regular rackings were carried out to refine the wine while maintaining beneficial contact with the fine lees.

Grape Varieties

Cabernet sauvignon (78%)
Merlot (20%)
Cabernet franc (2%)