Château Langoa Barton 2022

Wonderful on the nose, smoky, blackberry, cassis, wet stone; powerful palate, pure-toned fruit, the tannins make their mark, of high quality, impressive length. As so often, full of charm and a hit in terms of value for money.

The 2022 Langoa Barton has turned out superbly in bottle. Offering up aromas of cassis, blackberries, pencil shavings and violets, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, with velvety tannins, lively fruit and a long, penetrating finish. Seamless, integrated and intense, Langoa’s more morcellated vineyards mean that this estate has, if anything, gained even more from the Barton family’s new vat room than its big brother Léoville Barton, as each parcel can now be fermented separately, optimizing its potential. This is the best young Langoa Barton I can remember tasting.

This is a suave rendering of the vintage, offering a vivid beam of boysenberry and blackberry purée that’s gently succulent and generous in feel but stays racy and defined by an underlying iron note. Violet, ink and anise accents are infused throughout, lending brightness and range through the pure finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2027 through 2042. 5,500 cases made.

A rich nose full of chocolate, cherries, espresso and perfume. Smooth and supple, this is full of juicy berry fruit—crystalline and pure—with a chalky mouthfeel. I love the touches of wet stone, cool cola, fresh mint and blueberries. It feels extremely finessed and totally moreish. It’s a bit richer than some in terms of tannins, they’re more crushed velvet in texture, giving a certain thickness to the palate, and it really works. Lively with great energy and focus. A lovely wine.

The 2022 Langoa Barton has a showy nose, blackberry and blueberry fruit, quite floral in style with well-integrated oak. The palate is medium-bodied with plush, very ripe tannins. Thankfully, the acidity maintains freshness but this is another Saint-Julien that feels dictated by the summer heat and detracts from its complexity. I believe there are better bottles to be found. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting in London.

Cassis with a touch of spicy edge, and a shot of sweet cranberries, tobacco, flowers, and blackberries set the aromatic profile. The palate shows volume, freshness, and roundness, finishing with loads of sweet, ripe, dark red fruits, creamy tannins, and blackberries. This clearly shows a new face for Langoa Barton with more fruit and softer tannins. The wine is a blend of 56.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, and 2.5% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2028–2050.

Possibly the finest vintage I've tasted from this château, the 2022 Château Langoa Barton has a gorgeous perfume of red and black fruits intermixed with smoky tobacco, fresh flowers, and cedar. I love its overall balance, and it's medium to full-bodied, has a pure, layered mouthfeel, and present yet sweet, polished tannins. I love it even today, yet it deserves 4-6 years of bottle age and will cruise in cold cellars over the following two decades or more.

The last few years have seen Langoa, in that classically understated Barton way, turn into a barnstormer, with the value that was once reserved for Léoville. It’s great in 2022, with its slightly cooler terroir really coming into its own. Luscious black cherry, sandalwood, campfire, crayon, crushed rocks; this is almost ready to go but will clearly deliver for decades.

On the nose, a warm, sunlit embrace of ripe black fruits, lifted by a lively, sappy touch of fresh mint and garden herbs. A wine brimming with enthusiasm, like a young puppy begging for affection. On the palate, silky concentration combining energy, verve, and spice, elevated by a sumptuous salinity.

Sweet spice notes, black berries, and licorice on the bouquet of Langoa Barton, which also reveals a hint of cocoa beans and candied nuances. With good density, the wine unfolds elegantly, seamlessly, through to the finish. Its supple tannins provide a comfortable framework, ensuring freshness and longevity. A harmonious wine that can already be enjoyed in its youth, while wisely setting a few bottles aside.

Black color. Intense, refined, fruity, pure, subtle, and noble nose. Delicate on the attack, very aromatic mid-palate, with classy texture; the wine melts on the finish, long, perfumed, and with a gentle sappy sweetness. For now, it shows more nuance than at times, but also more tenderness. Blend: 56.5% cabernet sauvignon, 41% merlot, 2.5% cabernet franc. Alcohol: 14.2°.

93-95 Barrel sample. Ripe and juicy, this wine also has a fine structure. Rich black fruits set the scene for the wine's future with tannins and acidity marching together.