Chateau Leoville Barton - Saint-Julien 2023 (Pre-arrival) (750ml)
Price: $89.99
| Producer | Chateau Leoville Barton |
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| Subregion | Saint-Julien |
| Varietal | Bordeaux Blend |
| Vintage | 2023 |
| Sku | 7792 |
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The vineyard nestles in the heart of the St Julien terroir among the most beautiful slopes of Garonne gravel, facing the Gironde river. The clayey gravel subsoil allows excellent growing conditions whatever weather the vintage brings. The plowing is traditional, without weeding or herbicide. The grape varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon (77%), Merlot (20%) and Cabernet Franc (3%).
87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc
Chateau Leoville Barton Description
The harvesting is done entirely by hand. After the de-stemming, the berries are carefully sorted, crushed and poured by gravity in wooden vats thermo-regulated, according to their plots. The alcoholic fermentation lasts from 7 to 10 days and the extraction is always respectful of the juice by adjusting the number of pumping depending on the cuvées and the vintages. The maceration is about 3 weeks then the juice is drawn in barrels, lot by lot. The wine is then aged between 16 and 18 months in French oak barrels of which 60% are brand new, in a cellar maintained at 15°. The wines are topped up 3 times a week to avoid any contact between the wine and the air, the racking is traditional using the so-called "à l'esquive" method.
James Suckling: 97 Points
The tannins here are cashmere-like. You can touch it, but at the same time it is weightless and beautiful. Medium- to full-bodied and textural. Soars at the end. This is really seamless and dialed in. Third year using the cellar. 87% cabernet sauvignon, 10% merlot and 3% cabernet franc.
Wine Advocate: 96 Points
The 2023 Léoville Barton is a lovely classic in the making, unfurling in the glass with aromas of cassis and blackberries mingled with notions of pencil shavings, licorice and violets. Medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, it's layered, concentrated and suave, with beautifully refined tannins, vibrant acids and a long, penetrating finish. Benefiting from the Barton family's new highly functional winery, as well as experimentation with more discreet cooperage choices, it's somewhat reminiscent of the estate's terrific 2016. The 2023 blend is 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc.
Wine Enthusiast: 96 Points
The wine is elegant with a smoky character, black currant freshness giving juicy acidity and structure in the background. This fine wine symbolizes the freshness of the vintage.
Vinous: 95 Points
The 2023 Leoville-Barton marries the classicism the chateau is so well-known for with an extra kick of textural intensity from the heat of the year. It's powerful, dark and serious, with compelling notes of black cherry, lavender, spice and blackberry. This is an especially dense, somber Leoville-Barton endowed with tremendous presence. The blend is 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, the first time Franc has appeared in the blend. This will need time to soften, as the tannins are imposing.
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