2003 Chateau Leoville Barton 2eme Cru Classe, Saint-Julien 1x750ml

Robert Parker 94

Tasted at Bordeaux Index’s “10-Year On” tasting in London. The Leoville Barton 2003 has a lifted bouquet of blackberry, raspberry coulis, liquorice and flecks of dark chocolate – all very defined and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with a sumptuous entry – seamless tannins, quite plush in the mouth but perhaps missing some complexity and vigour towards the finish. It is drinking beautifully now, though the question nagging my mind is…for how long? Tasted March 2013. [Neal Martin, 03/01/2013]

Anticipated maturity: 2013-2013

Vinous 93

Good medium ruby. Explosive nose of black raspberry, coffee and leather. Hugely rich, dense and sweet, with deep flavors of currant, plum and chocolate complicated by underlying minerality. Wonderfully dense and full on the back end, with broad tannins and palate-staining length. Today, the 2005 comes off as dry by comparison. A standout of the vintage, and likely to be long-lived in the context of the year. [Stephen Tanzer, 01/05/2006]