What an evening we all had on the 18th October 2012; the venue was the splendid Dunsley Hall Hotel at nearby Kinver.  People came from far and wide to hear Anthony Barton conduct the tasting of some magnificant examples of Château Léoville Barton and Langoa Barton.

Click here to see our range of Chateaux Leoville Barton and Langoa Barton

Anthony’s inimitable style was witty and informative as well as being gently self-deprecating.  For those of you who weren’t able to join us, here are the tasting notes from the evening’s selection:

2009 Langoa Barton

Bright open floral style nose…blueberries with some nice integrated oak..mature vanilla notes invade the ethereal compote of nervous ripe fruits.

Mid palate is very clean, still showing ripe young red fruits

Carefully poised acidity here that supports the whole.

16 – 17.5pts

Drink from 2018.

 

2009 Léoville Barton

Closed on the nose here compared even to the more modest Langoa.

Big style oak fused with bud bursting red fruits….biscuit , pain grille.

Cabernet reigns supreme in this excellent vintage a factor not lost in this big hearted wine.

 18.5 – 19pts

Drink from 2025

  

2007 Langoa Barton

Some open fruit here, with edgy character…slight dilution compared to the ’09,

Drinking quite well here…maybe not much more room for developement although Anthony thought there was 😉

15pts

 

2007 Léoville Barton

Oak on the nose, followed by juicy red berry cab sav + cloves + liquorice .

Some quince? falls off the edge at finish…

Tanins are softer but less integrated than with 2009…good wine that is for drinking from 2015.

16.5pts

 

2005 Langoa Barton

Perfumed nose , acacia, mulberries, discreet, supple but very alluring….with plenty of backbone…lasting on palate,with cassis and roasted walnuts. Good attack with healthy balancing acidity…

.17.5pts

 

2005 Léoville Barton

Big , a giant block of a wine…very together and precise. Loads of juicy concentrated fruit, this was massive at the EP barrel tasting stage, (although not as severe as with Paulliacs)….now has settled into a quiet monster !

All powerful with gorgeous understated poise…Drink from 2020.

19pts

 

2001 Langoa Barton

Far less sweetness in the ’01 here compared to the’05…..not so ripe in fruit terms… liquorice and spice dominating the wine….medium length and there is a certain edgy interst to this wine. Anthony suggest drinking over next 5-8 yrs…..
15pts

 

2001 Léoville Barton

Pain grille…pleasing opulence to the nose.

Quite some heavy styled fruit here and a surprisingly good effort. Great combination spiced vanilla oak &red berry matured fruit now…..good wine….drinking pleasantly now…really enjoyable stuff. Will last in the medium term for sure….

17.5pts

 

2000 Langoa Barton

Still deep crimson at rim….tart cherry fruit on nose….some smoke from oak here. same notes as with aroma, Striking tone of prickly style…hawthorn?

later is fresh and open in style….loads if ripe fruit…with a chunky chewy mid palate….Cab sav caresses here in nice and compact way…Start to drink now.

17.5pts.

 

2000 Léoville Barton

Solid purple at the rim…more than with the ’01…… Subdued aroma profile provides a rather unappetizing opening. However, all comes good as this wine give effortlessly charming pleasure on the palate. .A gorgeous mid palate of chocolate coated red strawberries, mocha , vanilla, with integrated oak.

 2001 cask samples of this wine (19.5pts)showed enormous promise, we’ll have to wait another 10yrs from now to find out whether such prodigious scoring returns.

18.5pts.

 

1996 Léoville Barton

 Wow….this is so different considering only 4 yrs in age difference….

Seemingly Very relaxed and apoint now…full on maturity but perhaps more advanced that it should be. Reports from our customers holding this wine convey that recent bottles (.) had seemed brighter and less forward by comparison. Drinking now.

18pts (19pts).

 

1989 Léoville Barton

Dark chocolate enveloped by waves of Montecristo No4 . This wine relaxes onto the palete with composure & no little stealth for a Grand Vin with 20 yrs bottle ageing. Orange truffle, dried cranberries underpin a diapason of  accessible flavours that make this wine an incredible treat!

This from one of my favourite vintages, providing consistent drinking pleasure over last 10+ yrs. Drink now.

17pts

Anthony Barton - Decanter Man of the evening

To round off the occasion, we presented Anthony with a hand-engraved decanter produced in Stourbridge.  We hope he enjoyed his visit as much as everyone else at this special event.