Château Léoville Barton 1996 comes from an excellent Bordeaux vintage for the northern Médoc, which illustrates why it is the finest winemaking district on the planet.

Château Léoville Barton is the smallest division of the Léoville estate and has been owned by the Barton family since the early 19th century. The wine is a powerful, tannic masterpiece that develops the classic Saint-Julien cedary character with age. Barton’s prices are also a breath of fresh air in today’s heady market.

“On three separate occasions, Leoville Barton 1996 proved to be spectacular… A very deep garnet core. A quintessential Saint Julien nose: blackberry, touch of sous-bois, mocha and a light brushing of roasted herbs (thyme.) The palate is full-bodied, very sweet core, almost dare I say too sweet with a slight cassis/ fig element that seems incongruous both to Leoville Barton and the style of the vintage. Harmonious, very fine tannins...” eRobertParker.com