2003 Château Léoville Barton St. Julien Bordeaux France Wine Tasting Note

Not as flamboyant as it was in its youth, there is still a lot to like here with its lusciously-textured layers of black and red fruits, tobacco, herbs, and currant profile. Full-bodied and concentrated, drink now or wait a decade for more secondary characteristics.

7,249 Views   Tasted May 30, 2022

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This just keeps getting better as it ages. Still young and vibrant, the wine manages to avoid the trappings of the growing season and instead provides an earthy, cedar, tobacco, dark red fruit and licorice filled perfume. Rich and lively on the palate, with layers of sweet, ripe, round, dark red berries, the wine tastes as good as it feels. With 1 hour of air, this is good to go.

I really like how this is showing. In many top vintages for Leoville Barton, 15 years of age makes it a baby. Not with the 2003. The wine is concentrated with layers, of deep, fleshy, red fruits, soft, supple tannins and the finish delivers the goods. Drink it now, or wait 5 years, either way, it is a winner!

This is probably the only early drinking vintage of this chateau, which normally takes years to develop. Concentrated, full bodied and with round tannins, the fruits are fresh and lively. This should even get better as it develops more secondary characteristics.

As you know, the extreme weather in 2003 worked better for some Bordeaux chateaux than for others. In 2003, Leoville Barton hit it out of the park. Showing no signs of heat, jam or too much ABV, the wine is all about the rich, fleshy, lush, dense textures and layer on layer of perfectly ripe, dark berries that tastes as good as it feels on your palate.

Tobacco, forest floor, truffle, cigar box, ash, blackberry and fresh herb notes create the complex set of aromatics. On the palate, the round, black cherry and spicy sensations are a treat. Probably close to mature, there is no reason to wait to pop a cork. But there is no hurry either. Drink this delicious wine over next 10-15 years.

Time has been good to 2003 Leoville Barton. It was a good wine when last tasted a few years ago and it's only gotten better. Secondary notes of tobacco, earth, cassis, cedar chest and cigar box are poking through. Silky tannins, purity of fruit and a long, rich, round palate are perfected by the long, lush, fleshy finish. Drink now, or wait another decade before popping a cork. I'm happy to own it in my cellar, which at the end of the day is strongest comment a taster can make.

Normally, this wine is very rustic and masculine. But in 2003, I find the ripeness of the fruit helped produce a great style of wine for this traditionally styled St. Julien. Cassis, coffee and licorice entice your nose. The serious fruit, ripe tannins and pure cassis that pours over your palate lets you know this will be a very special wine for Leoville Barton when it matures.