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: 1988 Léoville-Barton, St-Julien

1988 Léoville-Barton, St-Julien

SKU #950457 93 points Wine Spectator

Outer quote mark Shows plenty of mint, currant and mineral character on the nose. Full-bodied, with big and soft tannins. Plenty of mushroom, berry and fruity character. Opulent and beautiful. (JS, Web Only-2009) Inner quote mark

92 points Vinous

Outer quote mark The 1988 Léoville Barton has a lovely nose of brambly black fruit, melted tar, tobacco leaf and undergrowth, very traditional in style but after three decades, remaining fresher and more vibrant than many of its peers. The palate is medium-bodied and possesses more fruit and greater density than the Langoa-Barton. I love the acidity here - very fresh - no sign of hardness or greenness, adorned with a spicy, black pepper and sage-tinged finish that suggest this Saint Julien will offer another decade’s worth of pleasure. Excellent wine from Anthony Barton. Tasted at the château. Drink through 2030. (NM) Inner quote mark (5/2018)

Jancis Robinson

Outer quote mark Magnum. This is what claret is all about. Utterly correct, bone dry, straight-backed, not opulently fleshy nor fruity (cf Ch Brown 2010) but fresh and racy. Super-appetising. A health drink? Certainly not for sipping without food but this went admirably with the duck provided for us 1950s babes. 17.5/20 Inner quote mark (1/2018)

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Outer quote mark Like several other 1988s, this wine’s rather hard, unyielding, early style has given way to a classically structured Bordeaux with a very youthful color (younger than the 1989), deep, earthy, cassis fruit intermixed with wood, smoke, mineral, and a hint of roasted herbs. The wine has excellent depth, medium to full body, moderate tannin, and a very youthful, vigorous feel. It is approachable, but seems destined to outlive the more renowned and expensive 1989. Somewhat of a sleeper of the vintage. (RP) Inner quote mark (1/2003)

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1988 Léoville-Barton, St-Julien

Price: $179.99

Quantity:

WS: 93

VN: 92

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Varietal:

Cabernet Sauvignon and Blends

- Cabernet Sauvignon has come a long way from its role as a blending varietal, however dominant, in the wines of Bordeaux. Today it is the most planted red varietal in the world. Identified as a descendent of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, the late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon needs to be planted in warmer climates to fully ripen. Its small berries can easily be identified for their distinctive blue color, thick skins and high tannins. And while the varietal has its own definitive characteristics: green pepper-like aromas and black currant flavors among them, it is perhaps most prized for its ability to convey terroir, vintage and winemaking. A relatively new varietal, Cabernet Sauvignon started making inroads into the wines of the Médoc and Graves in the late-18th century. Today it is also dominant in the up-and-coming Entre-Deux-Mers region of Bordeaux and can also be found in Southwest France. It is the companion varietal to Sangiovese in Italy's Super Tuscans and is planted all over Europe, stretching to lesser-known winegrowing regions like Russia and Lebanon. In the Americas Cabernet Sauvignon has found champions in every nook and cranny of California and among winemakers in Washington, where it complements plantings of Merlot. In South America, Cab thrives in Chile, but can also be found in smaller amounts in Argentina and even in Mexico.

Country:

France

- When it comes to wine, France stands alone. No other country can beat it in terms of quality and diversity. And while many of its Region, Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne most obviously, produce wine as rare, as sought-after and nearly as expensive as gold, there are just as many obscurities and values to be had from little known appellations throughout the country. To learn everything there is to know about French wine would take a lifetime. To understand and appreciate French wine, one only has to begin tasting them.

Sub-Region:

Bordeaux

Specific Appellation:

Saint Julien

- St. Julien, the smallest of the four famous appellations of the Haut Medoc, is known for highly extracted, finely structured, Cabernet-based reds. It is nestled between Pauillac to the north and Margaux to the south. Like St. Estephe, there are no first growths in this area. Leoville-las-Cases, Leoville Poyferre, Leoville Barton, Ducru Beaucaillou, and Gruard Larose are the second-growths of St. Julien followed by Lagrange which is the only third-growth. Beychevelle, Branaire Ducru, St. Pierre, and Talbot, which are all fourth-growth wines, round out the grand cru classe chateaux. In the last several vintages, wineries from this appellation have been out-performing their traditional rankings making many of the wines from this region some of the best values in red wine today.