Leoville Barton 2020

Type: Red Wine      Volume: 750ml

Winery: Leoville Barton

Country: France     Region: Bordeaux

District: Saint-Julien

Grapes Varieties: 85.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.5% Merlot

Classification: 2nd Growth - 1855 Classification     Production: 9100 Cases

Alcohol: 13.5% abv     Packing: Original Wooden Case of 12 bottles

Ratings and Tasting Notes:

JS=96 Aromas of dark berries, ash, tar, blackcurrants and lead pencil, following through to a medium to full body, with firm and integrated tannins and a medium, chewy finish. Needs four to six years to soften and come together. Very tight and nicely structured. Try in 2027 and onwards.

WS=96 A bold, strapping young wine, with vivid plum, cassis, kirsch and black licorice notes that meld steadily as they cruise through, carried by a bolt of graphite and finishing with a flourish of violet, anise and apple wood. Mouthwatering in the end. Built for the cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2030 through 2045.

AG=96. WA=95+ 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.