1986 Leoville Barton
By Chateau Leoville Barton
1986 Leoville Barton from Chateau Leoville Barton, St-Julien, Bordeaux
The 1986 vintage is one that holds a special place in the hearts of Bordeaux enthusiasts, caught amidst a decade where the region's capabilities were tested by Mother Nature's caprices. In this milieu, the 1986 Leoville Barton from Chateau Leoville Barton stands out for its defiant grace and structured complexity reflecting both the might of St-Julien and the perspicacity of its vintners.
Exquisite Terroir and Masterful Vinification
The unerring harmony between terroir and human touch is captured exquisitely in this vintage. The 1986 saw weather conditions that were anything but forgiving, with a demanding summer leading into an equally challenging autumn. Yet, it was this very act of balance — the push and pull between man, vine, and climate — that has bestowed upon this vintage an admirable fortitude. A testament to the skilled vinification practices at Chateau Leoville Barton, the wine articulates the robust cassis essence indicative of St-Julien's illustrious pedigree with layers of complexity.
A Vintage that Commands Respect
Encoded within each bottle of this profound claret are flavours that resonate with the tenor of time — dark fruits interlace with whispers of tobacco and earthy underbrush. On the palate, a poised structure meets with agile tannins that has matured magnificently over three decades plus. For fine wine investors looking at potential appreciations in value, it's essential to note its stable upward trajectory as well as its critical acclaim.
As we approach nearly four decades since its creation, the 1986 Leoville Barton from Chateau Leoville Barton continues to charm and captivate. Its story is not solely etched in history but dynamically unfolding in cellars across the globe as each cork is popped and each glass generously poured.
Investment Merits and Enological Virtues Intertwined
The rich tapestry of flavours, refined ageing potential, and consistently climbing interest among collectors elevates the 1986 Leoville Barton from mere enological delight to a beacon of Bordeaux investment prowess. It offers an indelible insight into a château synonymous with quality — a memento not just of a year in winemaking but also a timeless emblem of St-Julien's unwavering standard.
Market price (CAD)
$2,880.00
12x75cl
Highest score
94
POP score
123.57
Scores and tasting notes
Tasted with Anthony Barton at the Saint Julien restaurant, this behemoth of a wine is definitely starting to pump on cylinders. As before, it needs considerable decanting, but it unfurls beautifully in the glass to reveal blackberry, dark plums, a touch of sandalwood and warm gravel. Coming direct from the property, there is a touch more fruite compared to other bottles. The palate is medium-bodied with great depth and breadth: less masculine than before, mellowing nicely with layers of lifted blackberry, plum, wild strawberry and cedar that leads to an extraordinarily long finish. There is a sense of harmony and composure to this wine that makes it utterly beguiling. Top class. Tasted November 2011.
Neal Martin - Wine Journal Mar 2012
Still backward (frustratingly so), this wine shows a very dark ruby color with a hint of pink at the rim. The aromatics are beginning to emerge from just pure fruit-driven notes to secondary characteristics. Sweet earth, truffle, black currant, underbrush, and licorice emerge with coaxing. In the mouth, the wine is powerful, dense, with high tannin., impressive concentration, and a formidable, sort of old-style personality. The best 1986 Medocs are terrific wines, but have never been wines that show a lot of charm. Like so many of its siblings from the Medoc, one admires the wines more than actually enjoys them,. I still have high hopes that everything will come together. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2030. Last tasted, 5/02.
Robert Parker Jr - The Wine Advocate, 31 December 2002