2004 Leoville Barton

[marcs]

Well, having teased me into adopting the buying moratorium by feeding me a steady succession of disappointing expensive wines this month, the wine gods changed things up by delivering one of those wines that makes price seem no object and collecting seem rational.

Truth is, I’ve had very hit and miss experiences with this wine, probably because I bought it from a number of secondary market sources with varying storage. Bottles have varied from thin and tart to gorgeously poised with beautifully graceful fruit. Well, this was was possibly the best yet. Just stunning on the nose, the kind of wine that is so exquisitely perfumed you want to dab it behind your ears. I really have a hard time picking apart the scent of wines like this and applying a bunch of fruit cocktail descriptors to it. It’s just so...Bordeaux. How else am I supposed to describe it? If I said it was some kind of weirdly perfect melding of cinnamon-inflected milk chocolate, violets, black pepper, roses, some undefinable kind of berry, and then when you drank it an additional citric tang and slight sourness on the palate, that would really sell the whole experience short, honestly.

Anyway, fortunately for how I feel about my moratorium I still have five more bottles of this, two of which are from the same “batch” as this bottle and three others from Benchmark which is usually pretty reliable.

The Comte recently noted his belief here that LB was underpriced, which I believe is rapidly changing. But it has been priced well below the super seconds, I think because of a belief (which I have shared) that it can’t really reach the heights of those wines — it has reliably been a good solid honest Bordeaux for decades but has seemed to lack a certain extra gear the top wines have. Well, this bottle did seem to have that gear. But if one were to fault it it would be for missing an extra layer of fruit depth/intensity compared to some of the super seconds and the like. It’s possible LB’s terroir lacks just a bit of fruit concentration. But when a wine is as beautifully balanced as this I’m not sure it matters.

[DavidG]

Really enjoying your notes lately, Marcus. Your enthusiasm (or lack of it when appropriate) is catching. More bottles like this and you’ll make it hard for me to maintain my buying freeze.

[OrlandoRobert]

I’ve always thought Leoville Barton needs more time than many of its peers. When you think it’s ready, give it 5 more years.

I see what you are saying, in the so-called great years, LB doesn’t seem to hit the super high-highs of its peers - debatable of course, but I get it - but where LB really shines is in the so-called average or worse years, where it generally out-performs its peers. I personally think it was the WOTV in 1994, for example (excluding First Growths). I wish I had more.

[Comte Flaneur]

If that gap existed - between LB and the other super seconds - I think it has closed now. Closed by LB improving. I think that perception is framed by LB never having any 100point wines, which all of the other super seconds have, barring perhaps Baron. I don’t think the terroir is necessarily lacking either. Lilian Sartorius explained to us that the vines of Leoville Barton have to dig much deeper than those of Langoa, making Leoville a much more complex wine. It still trades roughly half the price of the other super seconds.

It would be great fun to do a blind super second tasting. I wonder if we could arrange that for either Bordeaux or DC in March? Leoville Barton vs LLC, Ducru, the Pichons, Montrose and Cos in various vintages?

[jckba]

Great note marcs and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and subsequently thinking about it. And much like Ian, I think the gap btw the top super seconds and Leoville Barton is def closing and between, the 2010 Barton garnered a triple digit score from Roger Voss of the Wine Enthusiast but I guess his ratings don’t carry the weight of a Wine Advocate or Wine Speculator or Vinous score which just brings me back to the disdain I have with critics giving young wines definitive scores, let alone perfect scores, and not a preliminary score given in a range as is done for barrel samples but I digress ...

But a night of comparing and contrasting super seconds does sound like a great idea and something I would def be interested in provided that the dates work and I can make it.

[stefan]

Thanks, Marc. You helped me make a New Years resolution:

"Buy a lot of Leoville Barton in 2020 while many BWEers are on a buying freeze."

Happy New Year!

[JimHow]

Wasn't 2016 Leoville Barton the Wine Spectator wine of the year?

[jckba]

Wasn't 2016 Leoville Barton the Wine Spectator wine of the year?

Yes and it’s kind of sad when the wine speculator ends up with a better WotY than us.

[marcs]

Wasn't 2016 Leoville Barton the Wine Spectator wine of the year?

Yes and it’s kind of sad when the wine speculator ends up with a better WotY than us.

LOL...zing!

2016 LB price zoomed to $140+ when it got the WOTY designation and now there's not a bottle of LB in the U.S., from any vintage, available on Winesearcher for under $75. I think it's experiencing a semi-permanent price bump.

Personally, I think that LB is a bit below the second growths just in terms of midpalate depth and finish, it just doesn't quite have the depth of fruit they do. Perhaps that's one reason it stands out more in lesser vintages, that gap is not as important then. Even with this 2004, which was brilliant and perhaps the best 2004 left bank I have had, if you wanted to nitpick the fruit depth was a bit lacking on the palate (although great on the nose).

[marcs]

Really enjoying your notes lately, Marcus. Your enthusiasm (or lack of it when appropriate) is catching. More bottles like this and you’ll make it hard for me to maintain my buying freeze.

The buying moratorium isn't about not enjoying wine! Just removing the compulsive buying/collecting part of it for a bit. I plan to enjoy my cellar more than ever this year, hopefully we will be splitting a lot of bottles together.

[JimHow]

Ooh you guys got me, Marcus, I’m reeling.

[OrlandoRobert]

Waiting. Which “reeling”?

1. You are hooked and they are reeling you in?

Or

2. You are staggering from the 15% ABV?

[JimHow]

I’m reeling at how small the penises have become here as the site has flirted with descent into berserkerdom.

Happy New Year to true Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts far and wide!

[DavidG]

The 2016 Tour St Christophe is more than just BWE WOTY.
It’s a male enhancement supplement!

Happy New year to all of our BWE brethren!

[marcs]

I’m reeling at how small the penises have become here as the site has flirted with descent into berserkerdom.

Happy New Year to true Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts far and wide!

Posts like this, while amusing, are an uncomfortable reminder that there are NO female BWE posters. Has a woman every made a post on BWE in 20 years?

[AKR]

Maureen D. used to post (infrequently) but its been a long time since I recall anything from her.

The infernos that torment the West have come too close to home for her.

[OrlandoRobert]

I’m reeling at how small the penises have become here as the site has flirted with descent into berserkerdom.

Happy New Year to true Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts far and wide!

Posts like this, while amusing, are an uncomfortable reminder that there are NO female BWE posters. Has a woman every made a post on BWE in 20 years?

Maybe I am old and out of touch, notwithstanding my liberal biases, but IMHO, if anyone is offended by an amusing comment like this, then society must be dismal to them on a daily basis. People need to have thicker skin.

And Jim, it is cold out, so shrinkage could be a factor!

[Claudius2]

Arv
Is Maureen the person who used the handle Moevino or similar?
I met her in SF in 2000 before heading for NYC.
No idea what happened to her after that.

The Australian forums which I was a regular contributor to for decades (and rarely now after being in Singapore for a decade) was also dominated by males yet we did have a few female contributors.
Just as a side issue, dating apps in Australia tell single women that they should join wine appreciation groups and go to tastings as a way of meeting cultured, well off men. No kidding......

[JimHow]

We saw Maureen in Bordeaux last year.
She did an amazing job in that documentary.

[marcs]

Arv

Just as a side issue, dating apps in Australia tell single women that they should join wine appreciation groups and go to tastings as a way of meeting cultured, well off men. No kidding......

How do we get this to happen in the U.S.?

FYI that in reviewing my current holdings and purchases (which I am spending more time doing now that I am not buying), I uncovered another 3 bottles of this 2004 LB, presumably purchased at release or close to it...now realize I have eight bottles of it, which I am thrilled to learn!

[marcs]

BTW a woman once told me why the hobby was so male-intensive -- she said "we all like drinking wine, but your hobby is more like collecting baseball cards, which is like a guy thing"

[jal]

BTW a woman once told me why the hobby was so male-intensive -- she said "we all like drinking wine, but your hobby is more like collecting baseball cards, which is like a guy thing"

Suzanne Camhi posts on Berserkers a little bit. She is a good friend and has probably the most sophisticated palate of anyone I've ever met. She just is not into Bordeaux wines unless they are 25 years or older. She also happens to have an extremely deep and hefty collection.

[marcs]

Yeah, it's not universal but more of a percentage/average thing.

[AKR]

Arv
Is Maureen the person who used the handle Moevino or similar?
I met her in SF in 2000 before heading for NYC.
No idea what happened to her after that.

The Australian forums which I was a regular contributor to for decades (and rarely now after being in Singapore for a decade) was also dominated by males yet we did have a few female contributors.
Just as a side issue, dating apps in Australia tell single women that they should join wine appreciation groups and go to tastings as a way of meeting cultured, well off men. No kidding......

Yes I think that was her handle, as she used to be called Moe.

The whole world of modern dating/apps/culture seems pretty awful to me.

[robert goulet]

Thanx for the note...I'm still sitting on the 1 I have..going to give it a few more yrs

[marcs]

Thanx for the note...I'm still sitting on the 1 I have..going to give it a few more yrs

It will last but as my note indicates it is DAMN good now. Depending on your tastes I'm not sure it will get better, it was peak for my tastes frankly...

[Racer Chris]

Yesterday someone posted a note on Cellartracker of the '12 LB which I have a single bottle of. The note suggests it's open for business now but I'll likely sit on my bottle for at least a couple more years.
I did drink a bottle of the '14 just over a year ago, and while good, it definitely could use some time in the cellar.

[OrlandoRobert]

Chris -

Your dime, your decision of course, but LB needs time. This stuff is not cheap, and if you only have one, stick it away and pop when more likely ready. If any Bordeaux needs time, it is generally LB. I recently enjoyed a 2000 and felt it needed 5 more years. And a buddy of mine recently popped an 05 with me, I just thought to myself, what a shame in this structured vintage.

[Racer Chris]

I appreciate the info re LB aging requirement. Its pricey enough that I need a special occasion to consider opening a bottle. Besides, I buy enough cheap (<$20) Bordeaux to keep me away from higher tier stuff most of the time.

[brodway]

i agree with Orlando

most of the classified 2000 Bordeaux is just starting to enter drinking window...and the sub $25 2000's bottles have kept me happy for a very long time. planning on popping the Malescot soon....will report on it

[DavidG]

Piling on. Heed the Oracle of Orlando's advice on '12 LB and bury that puppy for at least a couple of Blanquitos.