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Léoville Barton & Langoa Barton
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It is fair to state that the Bordeaux 2022 vintage threw up several surprises. The hot and dry weather conditions throughout the year set record highs for temperature and lows for rainfall. Another surprise was how well the vines seemed to handle these conditions, although yields are down, with berries being very small and thick-skinned. The third and final surprise is how well the resulting wines have turned out, with many showing remarkable freshness and balance, with superb aromatics combined with the structure to age. Not all chateaux fared well, but those who had put in the hours in their vineyards and understood how to handle the grapes when they arrived in their cellars have produced an exciting set of wines.
- The temptation to make comparisons with previous hot, dry vintages such as 1976 or 2003 should be resisted. Instead, 2022 has more in common with 2005, 2009, 2010, and 2018.
- Merlot, often grown on clay soils which retain moisture, particularly on the Right Bank, showed particularly well in this vintage, conveying an unusual level of aromatics and complexity.
- This was a vintage which demonstrated the advances in viticulture since 2003. The use of cover crops between rows of vines aided water retention, unlike the bare soils prevalent in 2003. Canopy management, particularly the use of foliage to shade ripening grapes, has advanced considerably.
- Most vignerons now recognize the crucial importance of harvesting dates. Those who made the wrong decision failed to capture the optimum balance between sugar, acidity, and physiological ripeness.
- The top chateaux are now equipped with an array of fermentation vessels of varying sizes, enabling them to harvest small blocks at the optimum level of ripeness.
- This was a vintage which favoured properties with a high proportion of mature vines. Young vines lack the deep roots to access water, particularly on sandy or gravel soils.
- High tannin and alcohol levels but notably low malic acid levels. The high pH encourages microbial spoilage so wines are more vulnerable to develop volatile acidity and Brettanomyces during élevage.
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TERMS & CONDITIONS
- BOTTLING Prices are for standard 750ml bottles. Wines can be bottled in half bottles, magnums, or other formats for an additional charge. Please provide special bottling instructions before 31 August 2023.
- STORAGE There will be storage charges if we do not receive any shipping instructions before 30 Nov 2024. The charge will be HK$300 per annum per case or per large format bottle (9L-case). Cellarage invoices will be raised on 1 January 2025. If you wish to collect your wine early, we will refund you the remaining full month(s) storage fee on a pro-rata basis.
- SHIPPING COST HK$180 per case inclusive of insurance. Please instruct us in advance for special shipping arrangements.
- OFFER Please note that the following wines are offered ex-cellars Bordeaux. And they are available in units of 6 or 12 bottles per case. The minimum order will be 12 bottles (750ml) per wine. They will be available for delivery in Spring/Summer 2025. Payment upon receipt of invoice.
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*Denotes limited availability | WA = William Kelley | JS = James Suckling |
AG = Antonio Galloni | JR = James Lawther
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CHÂTEAU LÉOVILLE BARTON, SAINT-JULIEN 2022
WA 96-97+, JS 95-96, AG 93-95, JR 16.5+
€74.90 / 750ml
WA 96-97+… One of the stars of the Médoc and a wine likely to equal or surpass its 2019 and 2016 counterparts, the 2022 Léoville Barton unwinds in the glass with deep aromas of cassis, pencil shavings, spices and tobacco leaf, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and layered palate that's vibrant, pure and seamless, with beautifully
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classy tannins and a long, penetrating finish. The 2022 is a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11.5% Merlot and 5.5% Cabernet Franc; and it's the first vintage produced in the estate's new winery, which more than doubled the number of vats, permitting sub-plot by sub-plot harvesting and vinification, along with a number of other technical improvements which translate into enhanced purity and precision.,
JS 95-96… Very polished and poised with blackberry and blueberry character. Medium body with tight and focused tannin tension. Lively finish. Harmonious for the vintage.
AG 93-95… The 2022 Léoville Barton is a total model of classicism, even in this warm, dry year. All of the Léoville Barton signatures are present, even if the wine is still coming together. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, gravel and dried herbs open nicely in the glass, but it is the wine’s energy and overall tension that I find most surprising. This is classic as classic gets. Not interested in making the richest or showiest wines, nor interested in jacking up prices as high as they can be. Readers will find a straightforward (in the best sense of the term) Saint-Julien that captures the best of what Bordeaux can be. Just enough of everything, but not too much of any one thing.
JR 16.5+… Dark-fruit and spice notes. Layered fruit on the palate. Big tannic frame but tannins ripe and refined. Again (see Langoa Barton), the oak present in this sample resulting in a chewy, drying finish. Seems to have the potential but needs retasting.
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CHÂTEAU LANGOA BARTON, SAINT-JULIEN 2022
WA 93-95+, JS 96-97, AG 91-93, JR 16+
€41.00 / 750ml
WA 93-95+… The first vintage produced in the estate's new winery, which more than doubled the number of vats, permitting sub-plot by sub-plot vinification, the brilliant 2022 Langoa Barton offers up aromas of dark berries, cassis, violets and cigar wrapper, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and fleshy palate endowed with terrific depth and
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tension. Polished and penetrating, it should match or even surpass the 2019 and 2016 vintages, and it is sure to be one of the more intelligent purchases of the en primeur campaign.
JS 96-97… Deep fruit, dark spices and graphite with wide yet polished, linear tannins. Full-bodied and intense with depth and structure. Long and chalky at the end. Big wine.
AG 91-93… The 2022 Langoa Barton is vibrant and focused, as the best wines are in this vintage. Crushed raspberry, blood orange, mint, spice and rose petal are all beautifully delineated. There’s a purity to the 2022 that is impossible to miss. I admire its precision and lovely minerality. Langoa could turn out to be one of the Sleepers of 2022, especially among the more affordable wines of the Left Bank..
JR 16+… Dark fruit with a touch of oak spice. Generous fruit on the palate but the oak noticeable in this sample – prise de bois? Freshness there but dry and chewy on the finish. Needs retasting.
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