Chateau Leoville Barton, 1996 Red Wine
St Julien 2eme Cru Classe
Bottle size: 75cl
ABV: 12%
Price:
$179.92 USD
Description
Château Léoville Barton 1996 is a stunning example of Saint-Julien’s timeless elegance and power. This vintage presents an alluring bouquet of blackcurrant, cedar, and earthy tobacco, with subtle hints of leather and pencil shavings that develop beautifully with age. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied with a firm structure, supported by finely grained tannins that have softened gracefully over the years. Layers of dark fruit, spice, and minerality unfold, leading to a long, refined finish that’s both vibrant and complex. This wine is a classic Bordeaux from an excellent vintage, still showing remarkable freshness and precision, and has plenty of life left for further aging. Château Léoville Barton 1996 is a true collector’s gem, embodying the finesse and longevity that Bordeaux aficionados seek.
Condition
Very good
Reviews
***93 Points - Outstanding - Neil Martin***
The 1996 Leoville Barton appears more youthful than the 1996 Langoa Barton in the glass with a healthy deep garnet core. The aromatics unfurl gracefully in the glass revealing briary, wild hedgerow, black truffle and sandalwood scents -- firmly in secondary aroma stage but with appreciable presence and intensity. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannin that form its firm and classic structure, spice, white pepper and cloves infusing the slightly animally red berry fruit. This is an adorable Léoville Barton that is occupying a very "happy" place at the moment -- superb precision, old school claret at its best. Decant for an hour no more, then enjoy.
*Neil Martin for The Wine Advocate, Tasted July 2016*