Château Leoville Barton 2011, St. Julien 750ml
Firmly structured, dense and medium-bodied with moderate tannin, this austere and backward yet well-endowed 2011 needs 5-7 years of bottle age. Whether the fruit holds up to the tannic structure remains to be seen, but the dark ruby/purple color, purity and impressive depth as well as concentration augur well for future positive development. Forget this 2011 for 5-6 years and drink it over the following 15-20.
Robert M. Parker, Jr., Wine Advocate #212, Apr 2014, 88+ points. Drink: 2019 - 2039
Leoville Barton's 2011 is head and shoulders above its sister offering, Langoa Barton. Although not as backward as I expected given the general style that emerges from Anthony Barton's beloved St.-Julien estate, this wine will need time in the bottle once it is released in several years. An opaque purple color is followed by aromas of damp earth, underbrush, black currants, cedar and hints of vanillin and incense. Medium to full-bodied and moderately tannic with good acidity as well as excellent delineation and purity, it should be forgotten for 4-5 years, and drunk over the following two decades.
Robert M. Parker, Jr., Wine Advocate #200, Wine Advocate #200 Apr 2012, 90-92+ points. Drink: 2016 - 2036