Château Léoville Barton 2022

As always, noble and deep, with a bouquet that can hardly be more beautiful; a floral note reminiscent of violets makes the wine even more attractive. The palate is hewn from stone, straight, with precision, breed, and incredible freshness; the tannins are of the highest quality, giving the wine a structure that will allow it to age beautifully. Great elegance, a finish that lasts for minutes. A grace.

Violet and iris notes hint at its purity, while the cold cast iron– and charcoal-accented structure warns that patience is required. In between is a core that offers sleek refinement, with shimmering cassis, plum and black cherry puree. Tightly drawn through the pinpoint finish, but everything is in proportion. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2030 through 2050. 10,800 cases made.

Richly concentrated on the nose with evocative aromas of blackcurrant, tobacco, vanilla, chocolate, clove and violets. Punchy and alive, this has both strength and elegance giving smooth, silky tannins with fleshy fruit and high acidity. It manages to marry quite a muscular frame with beautiful freshness and focus to give a round mouthfeel with plenty of flavour and kick. It's on the opulent side with concentrated blackcurrants and cherries but has a cooling, minty undercurrent too. I like this a lot. Not as openly friendly at this point as some but it's extremely well executed and has great ageing potential.

Tasted blind. Very dark, concentrated crimson. Energy and tension. Polish and minerally with real pace. Not trying too hard. [What a contrast with Langoa.] (JR)

The 2022 Léoville Barton has much more delineation and class on the nose: blackberry, cassis, light crushed stone mixed with violets. The palate is medium-bodied with dense black fruit, very grippy in the mouth, clean and pure with well-integrated oak towards the finish. Very composed and persistent, this has a promising and long future ahead. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting in London.

Once past the floral bouquet, you find luscious blackberries, cassis, black cherries, creamy tannins, cigar box, and lead pencil nuances. The wine delivers intensity, layers of fruit, and a finish that takes hold of your palate, leaving you with a juicy, vibrant, creamy ending that builds and resonates. The wine is a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11.5% Merlot and 5.5% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2028-2060.

Dark ruby in colour with an opaque core, purple reflections, and subtle ochre rim. On the nose, fine nuances of blackberry and cassis, with delicate hints of nougat and bourbon vanilla. The palate is juicy, elegant and very fresh, with ripe tannins, and red berry nuances on the persistent saline-mineral finish, certain potential for ageing. (25/1, +30, PM).

Retains its signature character and architecture, paired with a come-hither ripeness that is quintessentially 2022. A brilliant wine, luscious and supple, with cassis and bilberry, damson and black cherry, along with cocoa bean and mandarin. It delivers confidence and ageability. The Barton family continue to make this wine unmissable.

On the nose, an intoxicating whirlwind of ripe black fruits, bramble sap, graphite and slate. On the palate, the wine is intense, dark in character, carried by a thread of brilliant, juicy, penetrating acidity, and silky, caressing tannins. A dreamlike persistence, like the bewitching scent of a lover leaving their mark on the skin.

Logo on the cork: JL (Lafitte Liège) Intense deep red. Very aromatic nose, ripe, fresh and deep. Fleshy on the attack, fleshy through the mid-palate; what is most surprising in this wine is its velvety texture from start to finish. Beyond the vintage, this is also due to the introduction of a gravity-flow winery. The wine glides across the palate. From the mid-palate onward, it delivers an unprecedented depth of flavours and a remarkable tannic structure. Great persistence—noble, ripe, fresh and liquorice-tinged.

96-98 Barrel sample. This is a beautifully textured wine, with its fruit and tannins in harmony. Its intensity is matched by its balance, giving a ripe, layered and elegant wine with a fine future.