Château Léoville Barton 2016 magnum

De eigen, bondige, en-primeur notitie die ik op op het château maakte, in april 2017: "Power vanuit de kern. Zowel transparant als vol. Zeer evenwichtig en overtuigend. Klassieke vitaliteit, meest essentiële grand vin die ik proefde. Straightforward. Zeer degelijk en erg goed fruit. Grote aanrader." 19/20

Wine Spectator Wine of the Year 2019. James Molesworth: "This is so vivid as it brims with pastis-soaked plum, blackberry, black currant and blueberry paste flavors, all carried by a perfectly integrated brambly spine. Tar and ganache notes give the finish an extra kick while everything stays within the mouthwatering roasted apple wood frame. Both regal and rambunctious, this is St.-Julien to a T. Best from 2025 through 2040."

Neal Martin op Vinous, januari 2019: "The 2016 Léoville Barton has a beautiful bouquet of blackberry, gravel and hints of black truffle and pencil shavings, blossoming with aeration yet remaining classic in style. The palate is medium-bodied with gorgeous ripe tannins that exert gentle grip. Lightly spiced and wonderfully focused, leaving the tongue tingling with glee long after the wine has departed. This is one of the finest wines from the estate in recent years. Drink 2022-2040." 95/100

Antonio Galloni op Vinous, januari 2019: "The 2016 Léoville-Barton is fabulous. A wine of breadth and power, the 2016 has so much to offer. The black cherry, chocolate, gravel, smoke and licorice flavors are all boldly sketched. A host of expressive savory and mineral notes develop into the substantial finish. Drink 2026-2046." 96/100

Xavier Auerbach, februari 2019: "Cabernet in excelsis - in a pure and restrained style, but remarkably accessible and without the huge tannins of e.g. the 2005, although it reminds me of the linearity and clean lines of that vintage." 93/100

Jeb Dunnuck, maart 2019: "Deep purple-colored and a classic Saint-Julien with its pure crème de cassis, graphite, liquid rock, and essence of lead pencil shavings, the 2016 Château Léoville Barton is full-bodied, concentrated, and backward, with bright acidity and ripe yet certainly present and building tannins. This old-school, classic Léoville Barton has a fine thread of acidity keeping the wine focused and fresh. It’s a beauty, but mostly potential at this point, although it does have beautiful fruit. Savvy readers will hide bottles at the back of their cellar, and I wouldn’t start to think about opening bottles for a least a decade. It’s going to be incredibly long-lived. The blend of the 2016 is 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot, brought up in 60% new French oak. Drink 2029-2069." 96+/100