Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Léoville Barton’s 2005 has an inky ruby/purple color and shows fairly high tannin levels, but the balance is slightly better that the Langoa Barton, which is very hard. This is probably a 30-year wine and needs at least another 20 years of cellaring, and while the tannins are high, they are balanced more thoroughly and competently. With deep cassis and red currant fruit, the wine is earthy, spicy, medium to full-bodied, and needs at least another decade. Drink it between 2025 and 2050.

James Suckling

This offers aromas of spices, dried dark fruits, meat and berries. Full and muscular on the palate, with strong tannins and a long, long finish. This is very powerful and chewy, but a little bit tight. This is a wine for the cellar.

Wine Spectator

The Wine Front

VertdeVin

The nose is powerful, aromatic, elegant, precise (everything is in place!) and offers a fine grain. It reveals notes of ripe cassis, wild strawberry and small notes of black cherry associated with fine touches of gray pepper, violet, discreet hints of Sichuan pepper as well as a hint of nutmeg and Bourbon vanilla. The palate is fruity, elegant, slightly restrained, very slightly tight and offers juiciness, a beautiful precision, gourmandize, a fine fluidity, a beautiful matter, an acidulous frame, freshness as well as fleshy / pulpy (of the fruit) side. On the palate this wine expresses notes of ripe / juicy cassis, fleshy / pulpy black cherry and small notes of acidulous raspberry associated with fine touches of acidulous blueberry as well as slight hints of violet, nutmeg, vanilla and very discreet hints of toasted almond. Tannins are elegant and very discreetly marked. There is an imperceptible almost meaty hint in the background / on the finish. Beautiful and gourmande persistence. There are slight hints of ripe almond, chocolate and a subtle hint of Bourbon vanilla on the finish / persistence.

Wine Enthusiast

Power and elegance merge effortlessly in this superb wine. Its pure black currant fruit is tightly coiled, supported by just the right amount of firm tannins. Great aging potential. A triumph.