Appellations

Leoville Barton 2022

St Julien, Second Growth

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Tasting Notes

The 2022 Léoville Barton is performing brilliantly in bottle, wafting from the glass with aromas of cassis, pencil shavings, pen ink, cigar box and spices. Medium to full-bodied, suave and velvety, it's dense and concentrated, with terrific energy and persistence. As readers will remember, it's the first vintage produced in the estate's new winery, which more than doubled the number of vats, permitting sub-plot by sub-plot harvesting and vinification, along with a number of other technical improvements that translate into enhanced purity and precision.

Score: 97 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2027-2055 Date: 06 March 2025

One of the stars of the Médoc and a wine likely to equal or surpass its 2019 and 2016 counterparts, the 2022 Léoville Barton unwinds in the glass with deep aromas of cassis, pencil shavings, spices and tobacco leaf, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and layered palate that's vibrant, pure and seamless, with beautifully classy tannins and a long, penetrating finish. The 2022 is a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11.5% Merlot and 5.5% Cabernet Franc; and it's the first vintage produced in the estate's new winery, which more than doubled the number of vats, permitting sub-plot by sub-plot harvesting and vinification, along with a number of other technical improvements which translate into enhanced purity and precision.

Score: 96 - 97 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Date: 28 April 2023

Retains signature character and architecture, combined with a come-hither ripeness that is all about the 2022 vintage. A brilliant wine, luscious and supple with cassis and bilberry, damson and black cherry along with cocoa bean and mandarin. Delivers confidence and ageability. The Barton family continue to make this wine unmissable.

Score: 98 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2046 Date: 06 March 2025

The 2022 Léoville Barton, the second vintage made in the new winery, was the first to be completely gravity-fed instead of using pumps. It has a magnificent bouquet that fulfills my admittedly lofty expectations given its showing from barrel, blessed with an almost pixelated quality that previous vintages perhaps lacked. The nose is very precise with pure black fruit and fine mineralité. Elegant and poised, the medium-bodied palate features finely chiseled tannins and just the right amount of bitterness on the finish. Very persistent—a Saint-Julien you just don't want to finish. This ranks among the finest in the appellation.

Score: 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2070 Date: 12 February 2025

The 2022 Léoville Barton is superb. Soaring aromatics are immediately arresting. Beautifully precise and nuanced, the 2022 is all finesse. The style of this warm, dry vintage is very much in evidence, and yet Léoville Barton retains a gorgeous sense of classicism. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2022 is very, very young. Its quality and pedigree are beyond reproach.

Score: 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2052 Date: 28 January 2025

The 2022 Château Léoville Barton is another pretty, elegant wine from this talented team. A blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11.5 % Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, its ruby/purple hue is followed by a beautiful perfume of ripe red and black fruits, smoked tobacco, graphite, and violets. Playing in the medium to full-bodied end of the spectrum, it has fine tannins, a supple, elegant mouthfeel, and a great finish. It's surprisingly approachable yet I wouldn't be surprised to see this firm up over the course of its élevage.

Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Date: 05 October 2023

Very polished and poised with blackberry and blueberry character. Medium body with tight and focused tannin tension. Lively finish. Harmonious for the vintage.

Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com Date: 13 April 2023