Appellation: Saint-Julien 

Size 750mL

Ratings:

95 Jane Anson

"As with most of these St Juliens, the colour is medium intensity ruby with lovely reflective pools. Sweet notes of smoked caramel, graphite and campfire stealing in along blackberry and cassis fruits. Overall the fruit register is dark, with tannins that are perfectly integrated but still present, confident and holding the fruit in place. The same sappy saline minerality that I found in the Gruaud Larose, not generous but enticing. 60% new oak, 32hm/h yield."

91 points Jeb Dunnuck

"A more mid-weight, elegant expression from this château, the 2012 Château Léoville Barton is nevertheless an outstanding wine with plenty to love. Revealing a vivid ruby hue as well as beautiful cassis and darker currant fruits, it has lots of graphite, cedar pencil, and spicy notes, medium body, a light, elegant mouthfeel, and soft, ultra-fine tannins. This complex, elegant Barton shines with just an hour of air and will continue drinking nicely over the coming 10-15 years."

92 points Decanter

"Stylish, sweet, fresh-tasting. Midweight but well balanced and a good result in this vintage. 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc." (SP)

91 points James Suckling

"Floral and fruity red with hints of vanilla. Medium to full body, fine tannins and a crisp finish. Loosely knit. This needs three or four years to come together."

93 points Vinous

"The 2012 Léoville-Barton has a touch more precision and drive compared to 2012 Langoa-Barton, blackberry and raspberry, cedar and mint, almost Pauillac in style. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, quite feisty and vibrant with good concentration on the finish. This is quite a serious Saint-Julien, and it has the substance to age well in bottle. Excellent. Tasted twice at Bordeaux Index's Ten Year-On tasting and blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting. (NM)"