Leoville Barton 2018 (1.5L)

94-96 Points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "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." 4/19

94 Points, Neal Martin, Vinous: "The 2018 Léoville Barton has a classy bouquet, a little timid at first, that just requires a few swirls to unleash blackberry and blueberry fruit and hints of crushed violet and desiccated orange peel. It blossoms wonderfully in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, wonderful depth and balance, and quite citric toward the finish, delivering plenty of energy. An excellent Léoville Barton whose sheer drinkability will please many, though I would afford it 4–6 years in bottle." 03/21

96 Points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous: "The 2018 Léoville-Barton is a gorgeous, exotic wine. Crème de cassis, lavender, menthol, licorice and cloves race out of the glass. The 2018 marries the natural opulence of the year with a pretty classic sense of structure, making for one of the more compelling wines of the year. I would give this a good decade in the cellar. There is much to look forward to. I especially admire the energy and poise here." 03/21

97 Points, James Suckling, jamessuckling.com: "Sweet berries, blackberries, raspberries and violets follow through to a full body with extremely creamy, polished tannins that caress the palate. It’s really long and polished. Gorgeous finish. Drink after 2025." 01/21

97 Points, James Molesworth, Wine Spectator: "Cassis, crushed plum and steeped blackberry fruit is all packed into this wine, along with tar, violet and roasted apple wood notes, plus a terrific tug of warm earth. Shows lots of energy in reserve, with a tightly knit finish pulling everything together. Cellaring required. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2026 through 2040. 11,600 cases made." 03/21

95-97 Points, Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast: "This wine is well integrated in fine tannins and beautiful black fruits that show great promise for aging. It has a timeless, classic character that has all the freshness of the vintage, as well as the elegant personality of the fine terroir." 4/19

96 Points, Jane Ansen, Decanter: "Well-polished blackcurrant, cassis and bilberry, everything pretty silky and firm. Not fully showing its generosity at this point but no question that it is going to get there soon. Clear charcoal, graphite and woodsmoke as it opens up. A ton of life ahead, and an appealing sense of mint freshness. Lives up to its en primeur promise - this is Léoville Barton at its most confident." 11/20

97 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com: "This estate has been on fire in recent vintages, and the 2018 Château Léoville Barton is up there with the best of them. Based on 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Merlot that was brought up in 60% new French oak, this classic, flawlessly balanced, straight-up awesome Saint-Julien has loads of cassis and mulberry fruits as well as notes of freshly sharpened pencils, leafy tobacco, chocolate, and earth. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and concentrated on the palate, it has building tannins and healthy acidity, yet the fruit is pure, perfectly ripe, and wonderfully integrated with all the wine's components. As is normal with this cuvée, it closes down with extended air and is going to take a solid 8-10 years of bottle age to reach the early stages of maturity. It's going to evolve for 30-40 years in cold cellars." 03/21