2023 Château Léoville Barton Saint-Julien Grand Cru Classé

Château Léoville Barton has been a family heritage for 300 years. Founded in 1722 when Thomas Barton left his native Ireland to settle in Saint Julien and started a wine business there. In 1826, his grandson, Hugh Barton, purchased a 50-hectare vineyard located in the Saint Julien appellation. In the 1855 historic classification, the Château was already awarded the "Second Classified Growth" classification. The property was managed by various generations over the years until Anthony Barton raised Château Léoville to the level of international recognition it enjoys today. The Barton story continues with his daughter, Lilian, and her two children, who are now writing the chapter of the 10th generation.

The vineyard is nestled in the heart of the St Julien terroir beneath the most beautiful slopes of Garonne gravel, flowing from the Gironde. The clayey gravel subsoil enables excellent growing conditions and ensures consistently high quality in both wet and dry years. Dynamic farming practices are employed in the vineyard, such as plowing the soil; weeds and grass grow abundantly to achieve good biodiversity, and no pesticides or herbicides are used.

The 2023 Léoville Barton is a beautiful classic in the making, unfolding in the glass with aromas of cassis and blackberries mingled with notes of pencil shavings, licorice, and violets. Medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, it is layered, concentrated, and supple, with beautifully refined tannins, lively acidity, and a long, penetrating finish. Benefiting from the Barton family's new, highly functional winery, as well as experiments with more discreet choices in the barrel, it is somewhat reminiscent of the estate's great 2016 vintage. The 2023 blend consists of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc.

Ratings: 97 Jane Anson, 97 Markus del Monego, 96-97 James Suckling, 96-97 Alexandre Ma, 95 Falstaff Magazine, 94-96 The Wine Independent (L. Perrotti-Brown), 94-96 Wine Advocate, 93-95+ Jeb Dunnuck, 93-95 Vinous (A. Galloni), 92-94 Vinous (N. Martin)

FUN FACT: It is worth mentioning that we purchase the (Bordeaux) wines directly and never acquire them through intermediaries, as we would then not know the journeys the wine has made or how it has been treated. The wines come directly from the cellars of the Chateau to our climate-controlled warehouse in Dordrecht, where all our wines are stored. There is a great deal of counterfeit wine on the market. You can authenticate the bottle via the Leoville Barton website based on the number on the bottle. Click here for authentication. The wine is located in our climate-controlled Wine Warehouse, and if you come to pick up the wine, you will often receive a nice discount. You will see your discount immediately when you select 'Pick up' on the checkout page. We are located in Dordrecht, almost next to the A16, with ample parking. Click here for our address.