98
The Wine Independent
Lisa Perrotti-Brown
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20 Dec 23
The 2020 Leoville Barton has a deep garnet-purple color. It is incredibly primary and youthful with expressive scents of crème de cassis, ripe juicy plums, and black raspberries, opening out to hints of vanilla pod, coffee, star anise, and tilled soil. Medium-bodied, the palate is beautifully restrained, with lovely tension and firm, very fine-grained tannins, finishing so long and achingly graceful. Wow!
Drinking Date: 2028 - 2055
96
Vinous
Neal Martin
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12 Nov 24
The 2020 Léoville Barton has a very concentrated and opulent bouquet with lavish blueberry and bilberry fruit and a veneer of new oak that will be subsumed in the near future. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent, ripe tannins. Cedar and touches of baking powder infuse the layered red fruit, segueing into a spicy, persistent finish. Classy. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
Drinking Date: 2027 - 2060
95
Robert Parker Wine Advocate
William Kelley
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06 Apr 23
A superb wine, the 2020 Léoville Barton exhibits generous aromas of blackberries and crème de cassis mingled with hints of licorice, pencil shavings and classy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, broad and fleshy, with a concentrated core of fruit, sweet tannins and a nicely defined finish, it bears some similarities with the estate's demonstrative 2000 vintage, even if the two growing seasons were quite different. I suspect it will tighten up with more time in bottle, hence the plus sign next to my score, but right now, the 2020 is unusually accessible out of the gates.
Drinking Date: 2027 - 2055
95
Inside Bordeaux
Jane Anson
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20 Feb 23
Silky tannins, quiet classicism, juicy black fruits, crushed rocks, liqourice and mint, beautiful definition. What an example of how good St Julien can be in this vintage, with rose peal and tomato leaf aromatics also. Brilliant. Right up alongside their excellent 2019. Good old Leoville Barton, a reliable old friend that never lets you down. 60% new oak.
Drinking Date: 2030 - 2048
17.5
Jancis Robinson
Julia Harding
-
25 Jan 24
Tasted blind. Black core with purplish rim. Smells rich, ripe and sweet yet still fresh-fruited. Darkly oaky and inviting. Powerful, dense tannins and enough fruit to fill them out but this needs a lot of time. Freshness on the finish. Precise and balanced even with all this tannic power, and very long. The tannins seem to add freshness. (JH)
Drinking Date: 2035 - 2050