97 points William Kelley (Wine Advocate): "A brilliant young wine, the 2016 Léoville Barton unwinds in the glass with aromas of cassis, dark berries and cigar box mingled with subtle hints of loamy soil. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it's seamless and exquisitely balanced, with beautifully refined tannins, bright acids and a long, penetrating finish. Its structural refinement is such that it's far from forbidding to open right now, yet patience will be richly rewarded. Drink: 2026-2066. (Aug 2022)"
97 points Wine Spectator: "This is so vivid as it brims with pastis-soaked plum, blackberry, black currant and blueberry paste flavors, all carried by a perfectly integrated brambly spine. Tar and ganache notes give the finish an extra kick while everything stays within the mouthwatering roasted apple wood frame. Both regal and rambunctious, this is St.-Julien to a T. Best from 2025 through 2040. (3/31/19)"
97 points James Suckling: "Terrific intensity of dark berries, almost peppery blackcurrants and violets with attractive and integrated, spicy oak and an earthy edge. The palate has a super powerful and long, linear core with plenty of fruit flesh strapped in tight for a long and thrilling ride into the finish. A blend of 86 per cent cabernet and 14 per cent merlot. Try from 2024. (12/3/19)"
96+ points Jeb Dunnuck: "Deep purple-colored and a classic Saint-Julien with its pure crème de cassis, graphite, liquid rock, and essence of lead pencil shavings, the 2016 Château Léoville Barton is full-bodied, concentrated, and backward, with bright acidity and ripe yet certainly present and building tannins. This old-school, classic Léoville Barton has a fine thread of acidity keeping the wine focused and fresh. It’s a beauty, but mostly potential at this point, although it does have beautiful fruit. Savvy readers will hide bottles at the back of their cellar, and I wouldn’t start to think about opening bottles for a least a decade. It’s going to be incredibly long-lived. The blend of the 2016 is 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot, brought up in 60% new French oak. Drink: 2029-2069. (2/28/19)"
96 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2016 Léoville-Barton is fabulous. A wine of breadth and power, the 2016 has so much to offer. The black cherry, chocolate, gravel, smoke and licorice flavors are all boldly sketched. A host of expressive savory and mineral notes develop into the substantial finish. Drink: 2026-2046. (Jan 2019)"
96 points Peter Moser (Falstaff): "Deep, dark ruby in colour, with an opaque core brightening at the rim. Aromas are of blackberry confit, with hints of plum and cassis, and oak nuances. Still a bit shy. The tightly-knit palate is juicy and elegant, with fine cherry fruit, integrated tannins, minerality, great persistence, and a savoury cassis touch to the aftertaste. Certain to develop and age well. (5/24/17)"
96 points Chris Kissack (Winedoctor): "A fabulous Cabernet-dominated blend here, this variety accounting for 86% of the total, with 14% Merlot for balance. The élevage was in 60% new oak. On the nose this is dark, smoky and dense, with a superb and obviously concentrated fruit character here. The fruit profile shows a slightly dried concentration to it, yet it has obvious freshness too, being ripe with blackcurrant, black olive, praline and damson fruits. This is an absolutely classic style, pure and precise, deftly carrying great concentration, and showing a very impressive backbone of ripe, glossy and tightly knit tannins, which sits within the fruit very comfortably, and which persists nicely in the finish. An excellent result. Well done. (Dec 2018)"
97 points Wine Spectator: "This is so vivid as it brims with pastis-soaked plum, blackberry, black currant and blueberry paste flavors, all carried by a perfectly integrated brambly spine. Tar and ganache notes give the finish an extra kick while everything stays within the mouthwatering roasted apple wood frame. Both regal and rambunctious, this is St.-Julien to a T. Best from 2025 through 2040. (3/31/19)"
97 points James Suckling: "Terrific intensity of dark berries, almost peppery blackcurrants and violets with attractive and integrated, spicy oak and an earthy edge. The palate has a super powerful and long, linear core with plenty of fruit flesh strapped in tight for a long and thrilling ride into the finish. A blend of 86 per cent cabernet and 14 per cent merlot. Try from 2024. (12/3/19)"
96+ points Jeb Dunnuck: "Deep purple-colored and a classic Saint-Julien with its pure crème de cassis, graphite, liquid rock, and essence of lead pencil shavings, the 2016 Château Léoville Barton is full-bodied, concentrated, and backward, with bright acidity and ripe yet certainly present and building tannins. This old-school, classic Léoville Barton has a fine thread of acidity keeping the wine focused and fresh. It’s a beauty, but mostly potential at this point, although it does have beautiful fruit. Savvy readers will hide bottles at the back of their cellar, and I wouldn’t start to think about opening bottles for a least a decade. It’s going to be incredibly long-lived. The blend of the 2016 is 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot, brought up in 60% new French oak. Drink: 2029-2069. (2/28/19)"
96 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2016 Léoville-Barton is fabulous. A wine of breadth and power, the 2016 has so much to offer. The black cherry, chocolate, gravel, smoke and licorice flavors are all boldly sketched. A host of expressive savory and mineral notes develop into the substantial finish. Drink: 2026-2046. (Jan 2019)"
96 points Peter Moser (Falstaff): "Deep, dark ruby in colour, with an opaque core brightening at the rim. Aromas are of blackberry confit, with hints of plum and cassis, and oak nuances. Still a bit shy. The tightly-knit palate is juicy and elegant, with fine cherry fruit, integrated tannins, minerality, great persistence, and a savoury cassis touch to the aftertaste. Certain to develop and age well. (5/24/17)"
96 points Chris Kissack (Winedoctor): "A fabulous Cabernet-dominated blend here, this variety accounting for 86% of the total, with 14% Merlot for balance. The élevage was in 60% new oak. On the nose this is dark, smoky and dense, with a superb and obviously concentrated fruit character here. The fruit profile shows a slightly dried concentration to it, yet it has obvious freshness too, being ripe with blackcurrant, black olive, praline and damson fruits. This is an absolutely classic style, pure and precise, deftly carrying great concentration, and showing a very impressive backbone of ripe, glossy and tightly knit tannins, which sits within the fruit very comfortably, and which persists nicely in the finish. An excellent result. Well done. (Dec 2018)"
| Product SKU | 344525 |
| Producer | Léoville Barton |
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| SubRegion | Left Bank |
| Appellation | St-Julien |
| Varietal | Cabernet/Bordeaux Blends |
| Vintage | 2016 |
| Size | 1.5L |
| Color | Red |
| Ships To |
