Château Léoville Barton

33250 Saint-Julien-Beychevelle

Tél. : +33 (0)5 56 59 06 05

château@barton-family-wines.com

www.leoville-barton.com  

Château Léoville Barton

All you need to know about Château Léoville Barton, Second Cru Classé in 1855 in the Saint-Julien appellation

Renamed “Léoville Barton” after Hugh Barton bought part of the Léoville vineyard in 1826, this second Cru Classé in 1855 belongs to the Irish Barton family, whose Lilian Barton Sartorius (9th generation Barton and daughter of the charismatic Anthony Barton) presides over the destiny of this Saint-Julien d'excellence. Also owners of Château Langoa Barton, the Barton family is the oldest family to own a Great Classified Growth, and has been for over 200 years.

An Irish dynasty at the helm of Léoville Barton.

Located in the Saint-Julien appellation, between Saint-Julien-Beychevelle and the commune of Saint-Julien, Château Léoville Barton is one of the oldest estates on the Médoc's Left Bank. The former “Mont Moytié” owes its fame in the 17th century to Blaise Antoine Alexandre de Gasq, then at the helm of a winegrowing estate that included no less than 300 hectares of vines, the largest in the Médoc at the time. In those days, the estate was already renowned for the quality of its plots, offering a combination of gravel mixed with clay and limestone, depending on the plot. An asset that is sure to express itself in the wines. An important anecdote: the price of “Domaine de Léoville” wines is one of the most expensive in the world, in line with other neighbors already among the greatest wines of their time, such as Château Lafite-Rothschild and Château Latour, two prestigious properties in Pauillac which became Premier Grand Cru Classé in 1855. The “Domaine de Léoville” was then divided into three at the time of the French Revolution, one part becoming Château Léoville Poyferré, another Château Léoville-Las-Cases (with the Las Cases heirs retaining the largest share of the vineyard at 97 hectares), and the final part for Léoville Barton. All three properties were classified as Seconds Grands Crus Classés in 1855.

In the case of the “Domaine Léoville”, it was an Irish family who wished to set their sights on Léoville, since Thomas Barton, founder of the Barton et Guestier wine merchant in 1725, wanted to acquire the estate. But at the time, due to the “droit d'aubaine”, a law preventing foreigners from acquiring French property, it was not until this law was abolished in 1819 that this could happen. In 1821, his grandson Hugh Barton purchased Château Langoa Barton, followed by other neighboring plots such as Léoville-Monbalon and Château Latour in 1822, and finally part of the “Domaine de Léoville” in 1825, to create Château Léoville Barton.

Château Léoville Barton thus becomes part of the Barton dynasty, and remains so for ten generations to the present day. The Barton family has thus been present for almost three centuries, an exceptional case.

In 1855, the château was classified Second Grand Cru Classé in Saint-Julien. In the 20th century, Ronald Barton (Anthony Barton's uncle) - who restored the vineyard to its former glory, so badly had the vines deteriorated over time - had to flee the estate momentarily in 1940 during the Occupation, as Hugh Barton had done in 1793 during the French Revolution, to return to Ireland. He returned to his land as soon as Germany capitulated in May 1945, to work on one of Bordeaux's most legendary vintages, 1945 being exceptional. Ronald Barton, still head of the Barton & Guestier family trading house, would go on to vinify other highly successful or exceptional vintages with his teams, covering the period from 1947 to 1959 and beyond (including 1947, 1949, 1953, 1955, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1970, 1975, 1982).

Anthony Barton, the admired Gentleman Farmer.

In 1983, Anthony Barton - the “gentleman of the Médoc” or “the man of inimitable English class” as Pierre Lurton calls him - a fishing enthusiast and said to be an ace Charleston dancer - took over the management of both properties at his uncle's request. After arriving discreetly in France in 1951 at the age of 21, Anthony Barton, who had difficulty integrating into French society after completing his studies, joined the family trading house before resigning in 1967: in fact, Anthony Barton was pushed, like other members of the family, towards the exit when the Seagram group acquired a majority stake in the family trading house. Optimistic and proactive by nature, he took advantage of this to set up his own trading company, “Anthony Barton Fine Wines”, in 1968, at the age of 38. In 1986, his uncle died. Anthony then settled permanently in his place of work, the Langoa Barton and Léoville Barton estates, to oversee the day-to-day running of the businesses: places steeped in history, but with a consequent burden: these historic buildings require time-consuming, cost-intensive upkeep.

Since 2010, Anthony Barton's daughter Lilian Barton Sartorius, the 9th generation of Bartons, has been at the head of the family's estates and trading house. Along with her husband, Michel Sartorius, who has been in the wine business since 1990, after joining his wife in the wine trade in 1989, Lilian Barton is in charge of sales on the French market, and international sales. In 2011, the family acquired Château Mauvesin (now called Mauvesin-Barton), a 50-hectare estate in the Moulis appellation. The terroir is not as easy as at Saint-Julien, since it's farther from the estuary and closer to the forests and inland Medoc region, but still offers an interesting playground and a real challenge. The property is also equipped with equestrian facilities: a godsend for Anthony Barton's granddaughter, Mélanie, who is an experienced rider and has occupied the property since 2013.

In January 2022, the great Anthony Barton passed away, leaving behind him a long Barton history, but one that his daughter, current President of the family group, his son-in-law and his two grandchildren, Mélanie and Damien, continue to perpetuate the fabulous saga of a discreet, benevolent, charming family dedicated to the excellence of Bordeaux wines.

A terroir of excellence, with the recognizable Léoville pedigree.

Back in the 18th century, the strength of the “Domaine de Léoville” - before it was split into three parts to form Léoville Las Cases, Léoville Barton and Léoville Poyferré - lay in its awareness of quality, thanks to the diversity of its soils, with superimpositions of clay and limestone: a combination that still gives each grape variety its own complementary typicity, depending on the plot, to produce a wine with a truly recognizable personality. In other words, a well-balanced Saint-Julien of great finesse, never ostentatious.

The terroir of Léoville Barton (50 hectares), like that of the 17-hectare Langoa Barton (3rd Grand Cru Classé in 1855) - Saint-Julien classé, probably the least known on the consumer market (but well worth a visit) - rests on a gravelly soil with a clay subsoil. At Léoville Barton, Cabernet Sauvignon dominates (55%), with 35% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. At Langoa Barton, these same grape varieties account for 75% of the total, with Merlot at 25%. Very old vines (the oldest parcel dates back to 1953), with an average age of 40 years, are strongly present to preserve a certain style, that of the great Cabernet Sauvignons of Saint-Julien and more generally of the Médoc. In fact, 2 hectares a year are replanted with this in mind. 

Since 2012, over 12% of the vineyard has been farmed organically, with an increase every year. In 2020, Léoville Barton will obtain the HVE (High Environmental Value) label.

When it comes to ageing, Léoville Barton, like Langoa, has always favored a gentle approach, without falling into the trap of over-extracted, over-long vatting. The subtle character of Saint-Julien wines must be preserved, with fruit in full relief, and the Bartons adapt to the morphology of each vintage without going overboard. The vinifications carried out by the Barton family teams are just like them: cautious, reasoned, subtle and balanced. The vat room is well worth a visit for wine heritage enthusiasts. Very traditional, with its 200 hl oak vats (Château Lynch-Bages, Château Margaux, Château Montrose, Château la Tour de By, etc. are the rare estates to have preserved this type of historic vat room, while having since modernized their vinification unit), Léoville Barton's vat room cultivates history without having forgotten to equip its wooden vats with a thermoregulation system, essential for temperature control during the fermentation phase. The wine is then transferred to the large barrel cellar for 18 to 24 months' ageing, depending on the vintage.

Saint-Julien of excellence unostentatiously.

As with the ageing process, which is traditional while striving for absolute quality, the wines of Léoville Barton and Langoa Barton are the sign of great “simplicity” in their elaboration. It's worth remembering that the family has never been attracted by the race for high technology or heavy (technical) investment to advance the wines: which would probably have had consequences for wine prices. Anthony Barton has always believed - and history has proved him right - that great wines can be made in any type of container, the key being to understand what you're doing and to apply yourself seriously. Needless to say, the very reasonable prices for second and third Grand Cru Classé 1855 wines such as Léoville Barton and Langoa Barton - for this has always been the policy of Anthony, then his daughter, and certainly his grandchildren - can also be explained by this policy of very well-considered and reasonable investments in both properties. So much the better for the wallets of consumers of great Saint-Julien wines who are particularly fond of these two brands. The wines have the elegance typical of great Saint-Julien, with a particularly careful balance, giving them an almost aristocratic, if not delightfully classic feel.

Léoville Barton produces its grand vin label and a second wine, La Réserve de Léoville Barton (made from slightly younger vines deemed incompatible with the grand vin style). Langoa Barton, a veritable star wine on the other side of the Channel, since the English are crazy about it, also produces its second wine, which is none other than Léoville Barton's second wine, La Réserve de Léoville, but which, depending on the market, takes the name Lady Langoa, particularly for the British market.

Château Léoville Barton 2023

In this highly acclaimed but perhaps more contrasted vintage than its predecessor, 2022, which was more successful overall in Bordeaux, Léoville Barton 2023 is a real success and shows just how much progress has been made in recent decades. In this vintage, harvested from September 12 to October 2, it's a classic Saint-Julien, giving pride of place to the estate's great Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, since the blend incorporates 87% of them, followed by 10% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, all aged in 60% new barrels (we've rightly adapted to the vintage). The nose expresses black fruit aromas such as crushed blackberry and blackcurrant berry with ease and greed. Very fresh and pure. Agitation reveals a mineral touch of pencil lead, with a very graphite-like quality. On the palate, after a lively attack, the wine shows a certain weight with a juicy, ample mid-palate on an elegant, refined tannic structure.  The finish is fruity and long, with the sensation of a dynamic, not to say vibrant wine. A great Léoville Barton, all elegance and perhaps more “modern” than usual with its seductive fruitiness. A wine for laying down!

La Réserve de Léoville Barton 2016

The 2016 vintage was exceptional, following on from the other incredible 2015. The estate decided to incorporate a very large majority of Cabernet Sauvignon into its second wine (at least 70%, and this had been the case since the 2006 vintage), even though it was of excellent quality; however, due to aesthetic concerns, it was judged to be slightly lower than the Cabernets to be incorporated into the Grand Vin. 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc make up La Réserve de Léoville Barton 2016. With its deep, dark color, La Réserve is a concert of aromas based on red fruits, black fruits and a few tertiary balsamic notes, not forgetting a touch of pencil lead. It's quite subtle and very pleasant to smell. The palate is suave in terms of tannic architecture without lacking fleshiness and volume. For a second wine, vintage effect or not, this remains rather above some first wines from certain unclassified Médoc estates. A great deal of care has gone into making this second wine, which, as is often the case, aims to be a wine in its own right, without suffering from being the eternal “little brother” of the Grand Vin or a mere younger copy. We find here the unadulterated style of Saint-Julien wines, to our great delight.

Château Langoa Barton 2023

In a rather different style to its neighbor Léoville Barton, Langoa Barton nonetheless offers wines with the Saint-Julien style we've come to expect. A Barton cru that is less well known than Léoville Barton, at least on the French market, but a real success in the UK, the estate makes wines that are just as elegant as those of Léoville Barton, but different, starting with the amount of Cabernet Sauvignon used, unlike Léoville Barton. In this blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, the 2023 is nevertheless “flattering” and, as usual, seductive. Pleasant, generously fruity nose with floral touches. The palate is balanced and elegant, with less “imposing” structure than in a Léoville Barton. With definite length, Langoa Barton 2023 makes it possible to appreciate the Barton universe earlier, without systematically seeking to compare it to Léoville Barton. In recent years, the wine has gained in precision and density, the age of the vineyard year after year allowing us to enter a little more into the taste of the place.

Château Léoville Barton's great vintages:

1928-1929-1945-1947-1949-1953-1955-1959-1961-1970-1975-1981-1982-1985-1986-1988-1989-1990-1995-1998-2000-2005-2009-2010-2015-2016-2018-2019-2020-2022-2023