Leoville Barton 1996 from half bottle.

I remember tasting this en primeur and liking it enough to buy a case of half bottles.

A few years later we drank through around a dozen bottles at a local restaurant with lousy food, a superb view and the Barton selling for around $65. This is where the joke about BYOF originated.

So fifteen years later, time to try it again. It is a gorgeous, very old fashioned claret. The tannins are not quite resolved, but the fruit is fresh, and it has a cedar and leather profile i have seen in other Bartons. Strong finish. 95

Thanks!

I need to track some down. Wasn’t there another recent vintage you were raving about?

I still have a few bottles from that period. Glad to hear that they are still in good shape!

I’ll take the helpful directional data point, even if from 375.

Last time I had, 4 years ago from one of my at-release 750, it was tight and quite unyielding.

The Langoa 2005. The only vintage of Barton wine I can recall where I preferred the Langoa to the Leoville.

this (750ml) just showed up at my local costco of all places. looks like I should add a few to the cellar

Thanks for the report Mark. A 750 of 1996 Leoville Barton that I drank in May, cellared since release, was showing some nice early aged complexity. I thought it would develop even more in a few years.

Thanks for the data point Mark! Bought a handful of bottles from the original owner earlier this year, and am doing my best to be patient. 2025 seems like a good time to pop a cork.

It is drinking well enough now that you could open a bottle. I like the different stages that a good Bordeaux goes through once it clears its adolescent dourness.

30 of these (750s) at Blacksmith Wines for $139 per.