Ch.Leoville Barton 1986 750ml

Wine Advoctae #Bordeuax Book, 4th Edition, Jan 01, 2003, by Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Still backward (frustratingly so), this wine shows a very dark ruby color with a hint of pink at the rim. The aromatics are beginning to emerge from just pure fruit-driven notes to secondary characteristics. Sweet earth, truffle, black currant, underbrush, and licorice emerge with coaxing. In the mouth, the wine is powerful, dense, with high tannin., impressive concentration, and a formidable, sort of old-style personality. The best 1986 Medocs are terrific wines, but have never been wines that show a lot of charm. Like so many of its siblings from the Medoc, one admires the wines more than actually enjoys them,. I still have high hopes that everything will come together.

During the French Revolution, Marquis de Las Cases Beauvoir was forced to flee France and as a consequence the Leoville estate was broken up. This gave birth to the 3 separate Chateaux Leoville Barton, Leoville Las Cases and Leoville Poyferre.

Château Léoville Barton is the smallest portion of the great Léoville estate and has been owned by the Barton family since 1826. There is no château and the wine is made at Langoa Barton.

Léoville Barton's 48 hectares of vineyards are located in the east of the St-Julien appellation and lie on gravelly-clay soils. They are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon 72%, Merlot 20%, Cabernet Franc 8%. The wine is matured in oak barriques (50% new) for 18 months.

Since Anthony Barton took over the reins from his Uncle Ronald in the mid 80s, quality has soared at Léoville Barton and the wine has gone from being a solid mid-league performing 2ème Cru Classé to one of the most exciting and scintillating wines in St. Julien.

Meats, Beef and Venison