Château Léoville Barton 2013
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A Glimmer of Delicious Promise in a Tough Year
Château Léoville Barton is a Classified Second Growth winery located in the heart of the Saint-Julien appelllation. The Barton family, originally from Ireland, established roots in Bordeaux in 1722. Thomas Barton established a wine dynasty when founding a negociant business, and Hugh Barton continued the legacy when purchasing Château Langoa in 1821 and plots of land from Léoville domaine, thus establishing Château Léoville Barton. Today, ninth generation Lilian Barton and her two children Melanie and Damien Barton Sartorius run Château Léoville Barton.
The 2013 vintage was a difficult year in Bordeaux, yet despite viticulture obstacles some wines were able to shine. The growing season was cold and wet, creating a slower growing cycle, mildew and much smaller yields than normal. An August hailstorm destroyed crops, however a glimmer of hope and warm weather Indian summer in mid-August allowing grapes to ripen.
The Château Léoville Barton 2013 was one of the few select wines that were superb for this vintage. Despite the tough growing season, this wine and the Château prevailed. This wine, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, is rich and long-lived with notes of plum, black cherry, black currant, wood, leather and a touch of minerality. On the palate, it offers solid tannins, delicious acidity and a long finish.
The 2013 Léoville-Barton has a more backward bouquet compared to the Langoa-Barton 2013, but there is more perfume here with blackberry, a touch of sea spray and cold limestone. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe tannin, a crisp line of acidity with finesse and elegance on the finish, which is one of the best you'll find in Saint Julien. This finishes with a flourish after a conservative opening and it should yield a decade of pleasure, maybe more. This is a solid showing in a tough vintage.