Château Léoville Barton, 2ème Cru Classé, St Julien, 2010
We are concerned that the 2004 Barton may exhibit a vague goût de camionette, as we found one upside-down on it’s roof among the vines on our previous visit in January this year, after trying to escape from the Pauillac gendarmes. Luckily, we had no concerns whatever for the 2003. We had heard ahead of our tasting that the 2003 Léoville-Barton was head and shoulders above the local competition, and were glad to find this to be true. Never flashy, never over-made, always honest and seriously good, Barton is occasionally a stunner – as it is this time round. Very good concentration on the nose, with slightly less of the usually strong dark-fruit character (Barton sometimes shows hints of tar and rubber from barrel), the fruit on the palate is tightly packed, a mix of blackberry, loganberry and cassis, with excellent clarity and a hint of bitter chocolate. It has a beautifully seductive, soft exterior. The overall impression is one of polish, balance and great length. Similarly, a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot and 10 Cabernet Franc, cropped at 40hl/ha.
critic reviews
Softened plum in colour, still very closed on the aromatics but there's no hiding the quality underneath, chocolate drops, blueberry, damson, confident architecture packed with chalky tannins. A big vintage that needs more time. 60% new oak barrels for ageing, harvest 28 September to 8 October.
Two bottles of the 2010 Léoville Barton were opened, the first showing just a little oxidation, the second thankfully fresher although maybe not quite as representative as I would like. Black fruit, earthy scents and touches of undergrowth come through. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, plenty of graphite infused black fruit, but it feels a little blunt on the finish and does not quite convey the length of its peers. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.
The 2010 Leoville Barton is deep garnet in color, and the nose is a little tired, with notes of stewed plums and dried cherries over hints of balsamic, tobacco, spice box and fried herbs. The medium to full-bodied palate has a solid backbone of firm, chewy tannins and plenty of freshness supporting the mature fruit, finishing spicy.