Léoville-Barton St-Julien 2008

96 points Wine Enthusiast: "A dense, beautifully structured wine. It shows intense, ripe fruit with balanced acidity. It’s the fine tannins that give it such class, surrounding the fruit, promising long aging. This is a classic for Léoville-Barton. (Apr 2011)"

94 points Chris Kissack (Winedoctor): "A dark and restrained nose, with little blackcurrant notes to the fore, and perfumed black cherry and damson behind, with some smoky depth and complexity, but otherwise it is still essentially a quite primary and fragrant style, albeit with a delicious twist of plum cream. The palate is elegantly poised, fresh and broad, with a seductive texture for the vintage and appellation, combined with cottony-ripe tannins and a silky depth, with fresh acidity. Overall it is charming, substantial, ripe, with a flourish of tightly grained tannins in the finish. A wine still very much on the way up, and one that will still be drinking well five or ten years from now. Very good indeed. (Feb 2018)"

94 points James Suckling: "This was always one of the wines of the vintage with currant, cassis and chocolate aromas and flavors. Full body, chewy and polished tannins and a fresh and fine finish. Tight now but so beautiful. Decant a couple of hours before serving. (6/16/16)"

93+ points Neal Martin (Vinous): "The 2008 Léoville Barton has a lovely, heart-warming bouquet of ripe blackberry and cedar, touches of graphite, precise and supremely well focused. Classic Barton. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh and lively with impressive density; structured with a firm backbone on the graphite-tinged and tensile finish that suggests that it deserves another 3-4 years in bottle. Excellent. (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirit’s annual 10-Year On tasting.) Drink: 2022-2045. (Feb 2018)"

93 points Stephen Tanzer (International Wine Cellar): "Bright ruby. Sexy, ripe nose combines cassis, Cuban cigar tobacco, licorice and minerals. Sweet, tactile and intense, with concentrated, sharply delineated flavors of dark fruits and minerals. Densely packed, ripe and deep. Offers a lovely combination of silky texture, firm structure and the aromatic lift and nuance of the vintage's best examples. Should age gracefully for at least 15 years. (Jul 2011)"