Château Léoville Barton, 2ème Cru Classé, St Julien, 2010
Tasted twice. The UGC sample was uncharacteristically weak so we requested a fresh sample, and boy, what a difference. This has real gravitas. The colour when you pour into the glass is opaque, with just the finest slither of purple. So deep and brooding; serious, intense, introverted, then some stary fruit emerges with faint notes of floral fragrance. On the palate the texture of the fruit is very impressive, it’s creamy and mouthcoating, pure crème de cassis, boysenberries and mulberry, vivid and long. This has all the hallmarks of a noble and powerful Leoville Barton full of concentration and depth, enveloped by imposing yet integrated tannins that coat the palate with lingering flavours of Valrhona chocolate, Asian spice and blackcurrant. Glorious! 85.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14.5% Merlot cropped at a paltry 34 hL/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.