Leoville Barton 2009 (750ML)

96 JS / 96 DE / 95 VM / 95 WS / 94 WA / 93+ RP

#6 Wine Spectator Top 100 List 2012

Very floral, with fresh mushrooms and currants on the nose. Full body, with powerful tannins, yet polished and refined. Lovely length. Vibrant acidity. Well structured. Try after 2018. - James Suckling

This stands out above its sibling estate by some distance in this vintage - in fact I would say that the closing of the gap between Léoville and Langoa has been the biggest marker of the past decade for them. This is a gorgeous 2009 - rich, measured and slow-burning, full of rippling tannins and good acidity and freshness. The gorgeous, subtle smoke notes aligns with St-Julien freshness and elegance, with a punch of power. Great stuff. - Drinking Window 2020 - 2042 - Jane Anson, Decanter Feb 2019

The 2009 Léoville-Barton is one of the few Saint-Julien '09s to suggest just a smidgen of brettanomyces on the nose, although frankly it does not detract from its allure, with lovely meat juice and brown spice aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, juicy and slightly chewier than its peers, well judged acidity with ample density and rondeurtowards the finish. It might benefit from another year in bottle but otherwise, this is just a wonderful, life-affirming and disarmingly charming Léoville-Barton. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media March 2019

This is powerful Cabernet, with gutsy weight, but also polished feel to the fresh plum, warm blackberry sauce, bittersweet ganache and roasted apple wood notes. Long and tarry through the finish, but still invigorating despite its heft. Needs some time to round fully into form. Best from 2017 through 2035. 21,000 cases made. - James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

Medium to deep garnet colored, the 2009 Leoville Barton gives up expressive cherry cordial, warm cassis and blackberry tart scents with nuances of menthol, cigar box and fallen leaves. Medium-bodied and elegantly played with loads of freshness and soft tannins, it has a long, perfumed finish. LPB, Wine Advocate, March 2019

Head and shoulders above its stablemate, Langoa Barton, proprietor Anthony Barton’s 2009 Leoville Barton is another massive, excruciatingly rich, tannic, potentially long-aged wine. Meant for consumers with old fashioned tastes, it boasts a dense opaque purple color as well as a bouquet of licorice, forest floor, unsmoked cigar tobacco and a hint of earth. The wine reveals tremendous denseness and richness, a broad, savory mouthfeel and elevated tannins in the finish. However, there is a sweetness to the tannins and no trace of bitterness and astringency, always a sign of a top vintage as well as fully mature grapes. Still a monolithic baby, this 2009 should be forgotten for at least a decade, and consumed over the next 30-50 years. - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate