Château Léoville Barton 2023

As so often, a noble-scented nose, playful and seductive, dark berries, cherries, underpinned by a mineral note; gripping on the palate, with sensational tannin quality. The wine shows tension and plenty of elegance, dense yet featherlight, with excellent length. A grace.

Flowers, blackberries, tobacco, cedar, and spice box aromas pop with ease in the perfume. Parked in the middle of classically-reserved, and modernity, there is a chewy, salty edge to the wealth of currants in the mid-palate, and in the finish that really works here. The wine is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2030-2060.

Deep dark ruby colour, opaque core, purple reflections, brightening on the rim. Fine herbal savouriness, cassis, dark cherries, floral nuances, candied orange zest in the underlay. Juicy body, red cherries, fine tannins, freshly structured, mineral and clinging, full of finesse with an animating style, shows length and good ageing potential, a delicate wine.

87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 13% vol., 50 hl/ha. Seductive, dense blueberry-driven bouquet with licorice, violets, blueberry drops and Brazilian tobacco. On the complex palate, silky texture, balanced verve, tight-knit tannin framework and a linear body, very profound. In the concentrated, never-ending finish, noble cassis spice, lilac and deep, dark minerality. An incredibly elegant St. Julien that impresses with precision and energy. Tasted four times; at the estate I reach for the higher score.

Step into the heart of what St Julien does best here: firm, muscular yet thoroughly juicy tannins; concentrated blackberry and cassis fruit that is ripe yet full of finesse, with exactly the right precision and tension. This is a wine where one glass won’t be enough, and it reminds you that in 2022 the wines were exceptional but atypical for many Bordeaux lovers. Here you have an understated, gloriously drinkable St Julien from the long-term owners, the Barton family, that will go the distance. Aged in 60% new oak.

Score: 94–96. Serious, perfumed, eloquent, the nose evokes a majestic library, with period wood-paneled walls and a large bouquet of spring flowers on the central table. The palate is more intense, voluptuous, enveloping the mouth with plush red fruits (raspberry, red cherry) and brushed velvet tannins.

With vivid — and subtle — notes of cassis, iris, violet and seashell minerality, this seamless wine impresses in 2023. Prominent tannins (it is, after all, dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon) show refinement, with plenty of palate depth and classy juiciness leading to a long finish that denotes both lightness and depth. A quintessential St-Julien. Ageing in 60% new oak will ensure a long-lasting wine that would be fine upon release but will benefit from a decade of ageing in your cellar.

A lovely aromatic, elegant nose—precise, mellow, fresh, and nicely floral—with some breadth, fine yet deep intensity, and a touch of graphite. It shows notes of blackberry, cornflower and, more subtly, ripe red berries, alongside hints of sweet spices, infusion, and an almost roasted-juicy bigarreau cherry nuance, as well as discreet touches of camphor and smoke, plus a subtle hint of nutmeg, graphite, and a fine textured feel. The palate is beautifully handled—fresh, balanced, silky—and offers a tangy backbone, freshness, tension, and minerality. It reveals notes of juicy/fleshy blackberry and violet and, more lightly, dense/fresh wild red berries, with touches of cornflower and violet, as well as hints of nutmeg, toasty notes, cardamom, salinity, pulpy blue fruits, vanilla, and toasted almond. The tannins are tasty, supple, and fresh. Iodized touches on the finish/savory persistence. Freshness and elegance with a stretched/slender profile.

95-97. Barrel Sample. The wine is elegant with a smoky character, black currant freshness giving juicy acidity and structure in the background. This fine wine symbolizes the freshness of the vintage.

This red’s sappy intensity belies the overall modesty of the vintage, offering an enticing wave of kirsch, plum compote and blackberry reduction that melds with melted black licorice and roasted apple wood. Youthfully grippy, but a velvety accent emerges on the ink-stained, lingering finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2027 through 2042. 11,700 cases made.