Saint-Julien

2008

2nd Growth

75% Cabernet Sauvignon
23% Merlot
2% Cabernet Franc

Region: Bordeaux 

ESTATE HISTORY

300 years of family heritage

1722 - Thomas Barton left his native Ireland to settle in Bordeaux, founding a wine merchant company.

1826 - His grandson, Hugh Barton, purchased 50 hectares of vines located in the Saint Julien appellation. In the historic 1855 classification the château was to be awarded the rank of "Second Classified Growth".

The property was managed by the various generations over the years until Anthony Barton raised Château Léoville Barton to the level of international recognition it enjoys today. The Barton story continues with his daughter, Lilian, and her two children, now writing the chapter of the 10th generation.

TERROIR

The vineyard nestles in the heart of the St Julien terroir among the most beautiful slopes of Garonne gravel, facing the Gironde river. The clayey gravel subsoil allows excellent growing conditions whatever weather the vintage brings.

VITICULTURE

The plowing is traditional, without weeding or herbicide.

WINEMAKING

The harvesting is done entirely by hand. After the de-stemming, the berries are carefully sorted, crushed and poured in wooden vats thermo-regulated, according to their plots. The alcoholic fermentation lasts from 7 to 10 days and the extraction is always respectful of the juice by adjusting the number of pumping depending on the cuvées and the vintages. The maceration is about 3 weeks then the juice is drawn in barrels, lot by lot. The wine is then aged between 16 and 18 months in French oak barrels of which 60% are brand new, in a cellar maintained at 15 °.
The wines are topped up 3 times a week to avoid any contact between the wine and the air, the racking is traditional using the so-called "à l'esquive" method.

TASTING & FOOD PAIRINGS

The purple colour, mingling aromas, candied plums, apricot and spices, then fleshy, powerful, elegant, refined flavours, leave an overwhelming sense of pleasure. The sensations slide smoothly through to the palate into a silky world of subtle, suave tannins, giving the best possible expression of this exceptional terroir.

Wine Spectator 91

James Suckling 94

Neal Martin 93+

Robert Parker 92

Wine Doctor 94