Château Langoa Barton Saint-Julien Grand Cru Classé 2015

We’re completely stoked to have this 95 point Third Growth Bordeaux from a historic Saint-Julien producer for a stunning price – the only tragedy is that we don’t have much, much more! 35% off a tremendous showing of Bordeaux’s Left Bank – what a day!

The Barton family is woven into the history of Bordeaux, having been on the scene since the 1700s, when Irishman Thomas Barton settled there and opened a wine merchant company in 1722. His grandson, Hugh Barton, purchased Château Langoa (renamed to Château Langoa Barton) nearly 100 years later, in 1821 – a breathtaking estate with 20 hectares planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc vines in the Saint-Julien appellation of the Left Bank’s Médoc region. In 1855, it was awarded the Third Growth classification and today is run by the 9th and 10th generation of Bartons, Lilian Barton Sartorius and her son Damien. The family also owns the Second Growth property of Château Léoville-Barton, located next door to Langoa Barton, and the estates even share cellars – some of the largest in the region.

The beautifully aged 2015 is a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, with 38% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc, all meticulously hand picked and aged for 16 to 18 months in 60% new French oak. The grapes grow in plots overlooking the Gironde River with gentle slopes and soils loaded with quaternary gravel over top clay sub-stratum. The vines average an age of 35 years and experience no chemical weeding or pesticides, keeping the plants and land in the most pristine and natural shape as possible. Moreover, 2015 was a dry and warm vintage – a powerhouse combination that yielded exceptional wines with excellent freshness, structure, and elegance!

The mixture of a classically great year and adept farming and winemaking lends a fineness to this wine that truly sets it apart. Lush, vibrant, and supple, this absolutely overdelivers at our unparalleled price point of under $65! Aromas of red currants, boysenberry preserves, and dark plums intertwine with milk chocolate, graphite, and smoldering herbs for something so rich, so layered, and at the same time, so delicate and lovely! More dark berries race in on the palate alongside wild thyme, smoky oak, sweet tobacco, freshly ground espresso, and creme de cassis for a structured and bright style that has as many soft edges as it does brute strength. A wonderful expression of Left Bank Bordeaux from a long-standing producer for a swoon-worthy price...you deserve to have a few of these in your cellar! After all, it’ll only develop more nuances in the next decade or two, so get enough to try every few years!

PAIRING IDEAS: Pan sear some beef medallions in a garlic and herb brown butter sauce to bring out the rich, herby, smoky notes of this luscious wine, and top your medallions with some Boursin cheese and crispy onions. Bon appetit!