2018 Leoville Barton
By Chateau Leoville Barton
2018 Leoville Barton from Chateau Leoville Barton, St-Julien, Bordeaux
As a sentinel of prestige in Bordeaux's illustrious St-Julien appellation, the 2018 vintage of Leoville Barton from Chateau Leoville Barton commands the attention of fine wine investors with its distinguished pedigree and cellaring potential. The Chateau, known for crafting wines of profound structure and longevity, has seemingly outdone itself in this particularly expressive year.
A Vintage Poised with Potential
Marked by a growing season fraught with challenges – from hail to an incredibly warm summer – the 2018 Leoville Barton emerges as a testament to the resilience and adaptability of the estate's terroir. Precision and expertise in viticulture and vinification are on full display here; parameters that shrewd investors often seek when diversifying with tangible assets like fine wine.
The result is a sumptuous exhibition of concentrated dark berries, tempered by an earthy minerality that whispers the story of its St-Julien roots. The wine showcases a robust tannic backbone, yet there is an underlying grace – perhaps attributable to the unanticipated equilibrium afforded by last-minute reprieve rains. This harmony pairs sumptuously with hints of cigar box and graphite, betraying its noble heritage and subsequent ageing capability.
An Artful Expression of Mastery and Mother Nature
The 2018 Leoville Barton is no mere repetition of previous vintages; it soars as an individual expression that eloquently captures a singular moment in Bordeaux's historical tapestry. With a bouquet that blossoms further with decanting, serving to unravel layers of complexity, this vintage confirms its position as one to watch – and indeed hold – for discerning aficionados whose palates are enticed by power balanced with poise.
In concluding my analysis, I find that the 2018 vintage of Leoville Barton from Chateau Leoville Barton thoroughly deserves its accolades. A triumph over adversity, it is a varietal tapestry woven with deft hands, likely to reward those who patiently steward its maturation. As such investments go, this St-Julien gem steadfastly represents not just the character of a stellar vintage but the enduring legacy of Bordeaux's fine wine narrative.
Market price (SGD)
$1,168.51
12x75cl
Highest score
97
POP score
41.18
Scores and tasting notes
A stunner, showing a great degree of purity, with long flavors of cassis, plum and blackberry preserves, seamlessly integrated with the graphite structure. A very vivid, defined, precise wine.—J.M.
James Molesworth - Wine Spectator - April 2019
They are just hitting it out of the park at Léoville Barton at the moment, keeping the relaxed and effortless feel of a great St-Julien but loading up on the complexity and concentration that lies behind it. You don't see all the mechanisms, but you know they are there. This is going to age exceptionally well, but there's a freshness and juiciness to the structure already that suggests it's going to be great fun to drink along the way. It has glass-staining extraction, with plenty of cassis, graphite and liquorice flavours - everything's turned up high. 60% new oak.
Jane Anson - Decanter - April 2019
This is very structured and powerful with lots of blueberry and blackcurrant character. Full-bodied and muscular with so much intensity and density. Extremely muscular. Yet, it’s agile.
James Suckling - jamessuckling.com - April 2019
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Léoville Barton simply sings of crushed black cherries, blackcurrant cordial and wild blueberries with touches of violets, dark chocolate, allspice and cardamom with a waft of stewed tea. Full-bodied, rich and decadently fruited in the mouth, the generous fruit has a solid structure of firm, ripe, grainy tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing long and layered.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Advocate, 23rd April 2019
The 2018 Léoville-Barton is fabulous. Graphite, gravel, crème de cassis, mint, violet, spice and exotic spices are some of the many notes that infuse this stunningly beautiful unctuous Saint-Julien. In 2018 Léoville-Barton has an extra dimension of volume and resonance, yet it never loses its super-classic mid-weight structure and regal bearing. The blend is 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Merlot.
Antonio Galloni - Vinous - April 2019
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Léoville Barton needs a little swirling to coax out delicate notions of fresh blackberries, mulberries and cassis, plus touches of pencil shavings, clove oil, charcoal and black truffles. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers a great intensity of earth and mineral-laced black fruit flavors, supported by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing on a lingering ferrous note. Give it a good 4-5 years in bottle and drink it over the next 20 years+.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Advocate, 31 March 2021