St Julien Reserve de Leoville Barton 2016
Country
France
Region
Bordeaux - Second Wines
Producer
Chateau Leoville Barton & Langoa Barton
Grape(s)
Cabernet Sauvignon (72%)
Merlot (20%)
Cabernet Franc (8%)
Type
Red
Style
Complex
Oaked Style
Lightly oaked
Body Style
Medium bodied
Dry/Sweet Style
Dry
Alcohol Content
13%
Closure Style
Cork
Organic/Biodynamic
No
Sustainable
No
Vegetarian/Vegan
Vegetarian
No
Vegan
No
Allergens
Sulphites
Yes
Milk
No
Egg
No
Region
A second wine is the term for a premium wine made by an estate that is second only to their Grand Vin. These wines are produced from the same vineyards as the grand vin but at a more accessible price and can be a great introduction to their `older sibling`. In the vineyard and winery, these wines generally receive the same treatment as the grand vin however, the overall blend and maturation are different.
Producer
The family home of Anthony Barton, Chateau Langoa Barton, oversees a small estate of just 15ha with a dominant planting of Cabernet Sauvignon on the Medoc pebbles. The chateau is pictured on the label of Chateau Leoville Barton, the sister estate to Langoa, which is also made here. Both wines are made with meticulous care to preserve the best of traditional methods and the distinct subtilties in character of the two wines. The origins of the 45ha Leoville Barton estate date back to 1826, when Hugh Barton purchased part of the big Leoville estate, hence the name. Seven generations of the family have continued to preserve the quality of this 45 hectare estate.
Tasting Notes
The Reserve de Leoville Barton is the combined second wine of both Chateaux Langoa and Leoville Barton. In keeping with the Barton style, Reserve de Leoville Barton is both powerful and elegant with rich black fruits including plum and blackberry and made complex by exotic aromas of cedar and spice. The palate is firm and assertive with fine tannins, integrated oak and lingering plumy fruit that characterise the best of Saint Julien.
Food
Ideally drunk as a partner to roast meats, especially lamb or beef, game and casseroles with wild mushrooms and well flavoured cheeses.
