Langoa Barton 2020

The 2020 Langoa Barton has a wonderful, precise, mineral-driven bouquet with subtle marine scents (oyster shell and Crustacea) that emerge with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins. Stylistically, it's not unlike the Léoville Barton, though this has more control and tension toward the persuasive finish. Glorious—one of the finest releases in recent years and better than the showing just after bottling. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. 2030 - 2060

The 2020 Langoa Barton has turned out superbly in bottle, offering up generous aromas of black cherries, crème de cassis, licorice and pencil shavings deftly framed by classy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and fleshy, its concentrated core of ripe but vibrant fruit is framed by sweet, powdery tannins and lively acids. Beautifully balanced, it's somewhat more open out of the gates than the excellent 2019 and will offer an especially broad drinking window. Drink 2028-2060.

A terrific wine for the money, Langoa Barton bursts from the glass with bold, juicy black fruit and measured wood spice. The palate is supple on entry, juicy with layers of cassis, dark plum and morello cherries. Underneath, ripe and broad tannins supply ample structure for the fruit, but the balance is less on the deep, enveloping structure of the Léoville Barton. There is so much to like here, this is deep, spicy and endowed with ripe but not overbearing fruit, always in balance with admirable acidity. A true Grand Vin, it will be delicious from a decade old, perhaps even a year or two earlier.

This is very linear and structured, with blackcurrant, pine-needle, graphite and cedar aromas and flavors. Intense. Full-bodied, chalky and intense. Superb. Best of the trilogy. Drink after 2027.

Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2020 Langoa Barton comes bounding out of the glass with eager-to-please notes of kirsch, juicy blueberries, and cassis, plus wafts of fallen leaves, underbrush, and allspice. The medium-bodied palate is plush and juicy, with open-knit black fruits and plenty of freshness, finishing with a spicy kick. It's fabulously delicious right now, but give it another couple of years to fully integrate and then drink it over the next 20 years+.

Restrained and serious, in keeping with the character of the vintage. Lovely silky tannins, unrolls slowly, with plenty of black fruits, mint leaf and pencil lead, this is delicous, restrained power, building on their success of recent vintages. 34hl/ha yield, harvest September 14 to 28.

Full bottle 1,345 g. Cask sample taken 6 April. 53.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 8.5% Cabernet Franc.
Healthy deep purplish crimson. High-toned, fully ripe nose that is rather seductive before a glossy, polished-tannin dry finish. Promises well for the future while being relatively charming even now. Not the most concentrated 2020 but everything is in balance. Well done. Sappy, dry finish. Very St-Julien. Some restraint despite the initial seduction. 13.5%
Drink 2028 – 2046

The 2020 is a blend of 53.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and 8.5% Cabernet Franc that will be aged in barrel for 18 months. This will be the last vintage produced in the current cellar with a new one close to completion. Deep ruby-purple in the glass. Dark fruited, with cassis and sweet cherries on the nose, laced with nutmeg, vanilla and cedar. The palate is fleshy and full of the same dark fruit. Despite the ripeness, there is an elegance and balance with dried herbs and savoury spice. The tannins are mouthcoating but fine and ripe. Intense yet harmonious, this long, juicy wine is another excellent performer from Langoa Barton.

(54% CS, 38% M, 8% CF; 34hl/ha, 13.5% ABV; 60% new)
Light redcurrant and gravel nose; beautifully balanced, with a nice concentration, fresh in acidity, firm in very fine-grained tannins; dense, dry, red-fruit ripe flavor, even and elegant, with excellent length. Taut but not austere, beautifully cut, aromatic, complex, and very good indeed. Complete, restrained, but classy wine. A ripe red fruit and gravel classic. 2028–40+.