Langoa 04

[rjsussex]

Thought I'd cross-post the below for Langoa fans who might have missed it on the other thread (Houndsong's) bout 04s:

"And Richard was very much with Richard on the 2004s last evening when I celebrated securing a third case of Langoa at more or less opening price (c£18 all in) by cracking open my second bottle. I think I extolled it mightily on this Board after the first bottle - but - wow -

This is extraordinary for Langoa: lovely lustrous colour; rich and quite farm-yard nose (the funkiness, quite old-style Cordier in damp-undergowth, came and went); very full fruit, huge tannins but so buffered by the blast of rich-cedary fruit on the very long finish that they're digestible already. I must compare this with Lagrange and Poyferre: from memory they may be more pure and polished but the Langoa I'm sure is the more explosive mouthful of great St Julien fruit and length.

I've just learned from Liv-Ex (name?) that Neal M has recently given it 93 - above Lafite! (and 93 is same mark as Barton) - in a big 04 retrospective and Jancis loved it when first bottled (18).

I've yet to start my case of Barton.

Do ransack your suppliers for this amazing Langoa!

Richard"

[Nicklasss]

These 2004 seem nice. I'll look for the 04 Langoa. I have a few in the cellar (Branaire, Trotanoy, Sociando-Mallet, Léoville Las Cases). The only one I tried is the LLC and it was, again, a really good LLC.

Nic

[Chasse-Spleen]

Nice note. I've never seen such a positive note about Langoa Barton before and to be honest, I've never tried it. But now, maybe I will. I like the '04 style. Thanks!
-Chasse

[Tom In DC]

Langoa seems to do well in the bigger. tannic, "tough" years. In my experience, the label has wrapped excellent bottles in 1975, 1978, 1986, 1989 and 1994. In '75 and '86, the Langoa is nearly as good as the respective Leo-Bart.

I'll be on the lookout for the '04...

[rjsussex]

Thanks for replies. Langoa 90 was really very lightweight, I recall. 99 was good but way below Barton. My impression is that it's only in the last few vintages that the quality and sheer volume of Langoa has been ratcheted up to the level of Barton or nearly. Prices for 05 and 06 en primeur were also sharply hiked (I didn't buy either). So the 04 may be the window of value!

Here's the Liv-ex article from their blog. The table of prices and scores didn't want to copy: sorry for the gap. (Liv-ex's price of £225 in bond for the 04 is actually quite a lot more than I paid but is presumably the correct best-market price today - and is, as they say, a bargain-price for the quality.)


Liv-ex Fine Wine Market Blog

27 January 2009
Leoville versus Langoa

The 'Bartons of St Julien' - Langoa and Leoville - are widely viewed as two of the most consistent (and consistently well priced) of all the classed growth Left Bank chateaux.

The properties have been in the Barton family's hands for more than 180 years - the longest period of single-family ownership in Bordeaux. Langoa Barton, the smaller of the two estates at 15 hectares, was bought by the family in 1821. The 47 hectares of Leoville Barton were added five years later, as part of the break up of the grand estate of Leoville - which once also comprised the land now occupied by fellow St Julien 2nd Growths Leoville Las Cases and Leoville Poyferre.

Interestingly, both Bartons are made at Langoa - indeed, the building pictured on the front of a bottle of Leoville (shown above) is actually the Chateau Langoa Barton.

Leoville historically attracts a higher prices than its smaller sibling and is generally felt to be the 'bigger', more robust wine. Perhaps most importantly, it was declared a 2nd Growth in the 1855 classification whereas Barton was ranked as a 3rd.

Both wines received a boost last week when Neal Martin awarded them 93 points in a large retrospective of the 2004 vintage. This is the same score he gave to Lafite Rothschild, and not far off the scores awarded to the very top wines of the vintage: Margaux, Palmer and Haut Brion (all 95 points).

Martin also made some interesting comments on the respective quality of the two estates:

"You know, the common consensus is that Léoville Barton is by rote, superior to Langoa, but the more my experience grows the less I think that is valid... I have become more and more convinced that Langoa is just as good, occasionally even better than its sibling. I cannot think of any [other] Left Bank wine that not only represents great value but comes with such a propensity to age so gracefully."

We thought it would be interesting to see if Martin's thoughts are shared by the other major critics.

[[table here that didn't copy from the article - sorry - Richard]]

It is clear that the only critic to consistently rate Leoville Barton significantly higher in every vintage is Robert Parker. James Suckling appears to favour Leoville in the hotter vintages only (2000, 2003 and 2005), whereas both Robinson and Martin score the the properties more or less evenly. Nevertheless, Langoa remains significantly cheaper, particularly in the most sought after vintages. The 2004 vintage of Langoa Barton - described by Martin as "masculine, beautifully balanced...a wonderful Saint Julien" - is perhaps the most attractively priced of the lot at just £225 a case. Both properties, however, can be seen to deliver strong value across the board.

[rjsussex]

Nic - forgot to add - the Soc Mallet 04 is sensational.

R

[Claudius]

Guys,
I'd say that Langoa has been on the upswing since the mid 90s, particularly 96.
it seems to fly under the radar a bit.

What is interesting is that St Julien wines are now so consistent.
GL has been patchy over the last decade or two, as has Beychevelle, but all the other Grands Crus are now consistently fine.

[JimHow]

Had an '86 Langoa at the Elliot Hotel restaurant in the Back Bay of Boston back in the day, it was one of my early Bordeaux enticements.

I had a 2000 Langoa shortly after it hit the shelves and it was as sweet as cotton candy. I may have to uncork one of my five remaining bottles to check on the progress.

[rjsussex]

I agree with Claudius about St Juliens - it has always been my favourite commune, ever since 64 Las Cases was my unforgettable induction into claret back in the early 70s. I've easily more St J from 99-06 in my cellar than any other commune. 06 GL I bought after tip-offs that the property had really bounced back. Another tip-off for 06 which I bought was the obscure Moulin de la Rose (I have the rather backward 2000), made by a cousin of the Delons of Las Cases. Also bought Gloria 06 on strong recommendations. (These 06s, of course, bought in the context of not buying the extravagantly priced 05s!) And LP's Moulin Riche must be the best value second wine of all.

Beychevelle seems a bit pricey for current quality? Is Branaire going a bit too modern in recent vintages? (Agree with a recent post here on the very suave 01, drinking well now.)

And I don't need to mention on this Board that Lagrange is a consistent cracker and cracking value!

Best

Richard

[Comte Flaneur]

Thanks Richard

Crikey, if it is good as Lafite...at a 2004 tasting in NYC in September 07 the Lafite was head and shoulders over everything else in a strong field

I see Bordeaux Index has it for Stg210 ib, where did you get yours from?

[rjsussex]

Thanks Comte -

First 2 cases were en primeur at c£160 ib from a very keenly priced outfit called Vintage Holdings; third case was halves at £10 a half all-in from Lay and Wheeler sale.

Very much doubt any more from either of those sources.

Best

Richard

[Claudius]

Richard,
I've been drinking french wine for 30 odd years, and the wines that turned me on to Bordeaux were Ducru Beaucaillou, Gruaud larose, Leoville Barton and Beychevelle and LMHB.
The fruiter palate fo St Julien seemed to suit my tastes and as far as LMHB goes, it has a quite unique flavour profile that I really like (even more than HB).
So maybe I still have an affinity with their wines that I don;t quite have with the other appelations.