Château Léoville Barton 2018

Falstaff

Dark ruby, purple reflections, faint brightening on the rim. Multilayered bouquet with attractive noble wood notes, dark berries, a hint of liquorice and notes of fresh orange zest. Juicy, ripe cherry, discreet sweetness, silky, ripe tannins, elegant structure, salty finish and very good length. Shows great harmony, a classic. (2025-2060)

VertdeVin

The nose is elegant, precise and offers complexity full of finesse, a certain power and a multi-layer side. It reveals notes of fresh blackberry, ripe wild strawberry and small notes of small ripe wild black fruits associated with a touch of violet as well as fine hints of toasted, vanilla, a subtle hint of camphor, cardamom, a discreet hint of cuben pepper and ripe almond. The palate is fruity and offers juiciness, freshness, a good definition, gourmandize, a certain tension, suavity as well as a good structure, a small power, a very discreetly tight grain and a beautiful multi-layer side. On the palate this wine expresses notes of juicy/pulpy blackberry, bright cassis and small notes of wild strawberry associated with touches of lily, a racy minerality, small fleshy fruits as well as a hint of fleshy plum, cherry, mocha, toasted hazelnut, a discreet hint of sweet spices, toasted oak and hazelnut. An imperceptible hint of fresh mild tobacco on the persistence. Tannins are elegant, precise and very finely firm. Delicacy full of power.

Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

With a dark, inky, purple accented hue, the perfume pops with all its ripe, blackberry and currants, accompanied by cigar box, forest floor, herbs, cedar and cigar wrapper notes. Full-bodied, concentrated, powerful, yet refined, the finish is deep, long and intense. Wait at least a decade before pulling a cork. It is going to be difficult to pick the best vintage of Leoville Barton from the 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016 and 2018 but it is going to be fun tasting them together over the next several decades. The wine blends 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18%.

Wine Enthusiast

In this wine, fine and rich tannins partner with powerful black-plum and black-currant fruits. Densely textured while also having swathes of rich fruits, the wine shows both a firm side and one that offers total deliciousness. As it matures, both these aspects will come together. Drink from 2027.

Adrian van Velsen - vvWine.ch

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Léoville Barton needs a little swirling to coax out delicate notions of fresh blackberries, mulberries and cassis, plus touches of pencil shavings, clove oil, charcoal and black truffles. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers a great intensity of earth and mineral-laced black fruit flavors, supported by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing on a lingering ferrous note. Give it a good 4-5 years in bottle and drink it over the next 20 years+.

Jeb Dunnuck

This estate has been on fire in recent vintages, and the 2018 Château Léoville Barton is up there with the best of them. Based on 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Merlot that was brought up in 60% new French oak, this classic, flawlessly balanced, straight-up awesome Saint-Julien has loads of cassis and mulberry fruits as well as notes of freshly sharpened pencils, leafy tobacco, chocolate, and earth. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and concentrated on the palate, it has building tannins and healthy acidity, yet the fruit is pure, perfectly ripe, and wonderfully integrated with all the wine's components. As is normal with this cuvée, it closes down with extended air and is going to take a solid 8-10 years of bottle age to reach the early stages of maturity. It's going to evolve for 30-40 years in cold cellars.

James Suckling

Sweet berries, blackberries, raspberries and violets follow through to a full body with extremely creamy, polished tannins that caress the palate. It’s really long and polished. Gorgeous finish. Drink after 2025.