Head and shoulders above its stablemate, Langoa Barton, proprietor Anthony Bartons 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.93+ points from Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate96 points from James Suckling95 points from Wine SpectatorWinery Notes: The voluptuous silhouette of this wine proves it is the fruit of a sun-blessed vintage, yet with none of the excesses associated with this. The power is certainly present but not domineering thanks to the lively freshness and complexity; then the magic operates, the palate is ablaze with a myriad of sweet, toasty, tarry and spicy flavours.The 2009 climatic conditions have created a great Bordeaux red vintage. It begins with an especially cold and troubled winter then March brought a little lull with relatively dry weather, sunny, cool at night but mild during the day. The bud burst began the last week of March. The beginning of spring was wet with little sunshine, which contrasts with May, which brought touches of summer: heat and thunderstorms. In June, ideal conditions allowed rapid and consistent early flowering. August was particularly dry and warm without being scorching, and night coolness protected the fruit, acidity and colour of the grapes. A perfect harvest which took place from September 23 to October 3 in dry weather, sunny days and cool nights, to achieve the optimum grape maturity.
