Langoa Barton - Saint-Julien 2020

Vinous

95-95

par Neal Martin le 28/02/2025

The 2020 Langoa Barton has a wonderful, precise, mineral-driven bouquet with subtle marine scents (oyster shell and Crustacea) that emerge with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins. Stylistically, it's not unlike the Léoville Barton, though this has more control and tension toward the persuasive finish. Glorious—one of the finest releases in recent years and better than the showing just after bottling. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

Alexandre Ma

92

par Alexandre Ma le 18/04/2023

Wine Advocate

94

par William Kelley le 06/04/2023

The 2020 Langoa Barton has turned out superbly in bottle, offering up generous aromas of black cherries, crème de cassis, licorice and pencil shavings deftly framed by classy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and fleshy, its concentrated core of ripe but vibrant fruit is framed by sweet, powdery tannins and lively acids. Beautifully balanced, it's somewhat more open out of the gates than the excellent 2019 and will offer an especially broad drinking window.

Wine Spectator

93

par James Molesworth le 31/03/2023

Solidly built, with a bright violet note leading the way, followed by cassis and blackberry flavors that are vivid and defined. Shows apple wood and bramble notes that add a grippy, juicy feel to the finish, while an iron note adds cut and drive. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2036. 6,400 cases made.

Jeb DUNNUCK

95

par Jeb Dunnuck le 30/03/2023

Tasted on multiple occasions, the 2020 Château Langoa Barton comes from a mix of different sites in Saint-Julien, which makes it a great representation of the vintage and appellation. The blend is 53.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc. It exhibits a deep ruby/purple hue to go with a beautiful bouquet of red and black cherries, currants, leafy tobacco, and cedar pencil, with a touch of damp earth that emerges with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied, balanced, and elegant on the palate, it has plenty of mid-palate depth and richness, velvety tannins, and a great finish. This plush, up-front, expansive, wonderfully textured Saint-Julien will benefit from just a few years of bottle age and cruise for two decades. It's the finest example from this château I've tasted. Bravo!

The Wine Cellar Insider

94

par Jeff Leve le 22/03/2023

Here you find a powerful, fresh blast of ripe, dark currants, blackberries, mint, cedar, tobacco, herbs and spice that meld perfectly with the powerful, ripe, long, waves of red fruits. The chewy finish offers more refinement than usual in its lingering fruits and tannins. Clearly, all the work they have been doing at Langoa Barton has paid off, as this is the best vintage of Langoa I have ever tasted! Drink from 2027-2050.

Alexandre Ma

92

par Alexandre Ma le 15/03/2023

Wines Critic

94

par Raffaele Vecchione le 10/03/2023

Very elegant and refined showing juiciness and sensory equilibrium, it reveals notes of black prunes, liquorice, blackberries, sandalwood, incense, fondant chocolate and peppermint. Full bodied, sift tannins and a smooth, tasty finale. Better from 2025.

Vinous

92

par Antonio Galloni le 24/02/2023

The 2020 Langoa-Barton is a total charmer, just as it was from barrel. Succulent red cherry fruit, cedar, sweet pipe tobacco and crushed flowers give this radiant, mid-weight Saint-Julien gorgeous aromatic presence. There's good energy to keep things in balance. I imagine the 2020 will drink well pretty much right out of the gate. It is already so alluring.

Vinous

93

par Neal Martin le 15/02/2023

The 2020 Langoa Barton has quite a plush, violet-tinged bouquet, higher-toned than the Léoville Barton, though without the same unerring complexity. This just wants to go out and have fun. The palate has an irresistible rondeur, velvety smooth with black plum, hints of cassis and a sweet and persistent finish. Joyful.

Jamessuckling.com

97

par James Suckling le 16/01/2023

This is very linear and structured, with blackcurrant, pine-needle, graphite and cedar aromas and flavors. Intense. Full-bodied, chalky and intense. Superb. Best of the trilogy. Drink after 2027.

TASTED

94

par Andreas Larsson le 06/07/2021

Fine intensity and purity, herb infused dark fruit with some new oak toast and coffee notes. Ample and ripe yet with fine polish and good proportions, dense and flavour intense with great length.

Vinous

90-92

par Antonio Galloni le 01/06/2021

The 2020 Langoa Barton is an absolute delight. It offers the radiance of the year but in the mid-weight, understated style that is such a Langoa signature. Bright red cherry fruit, blood orange, mint, rose petal and cedar give the 2020 a whole range of bright aromas and flavors that bristle with energy. This is such a pretty wine.

Yvesbeck.wine

93-95

par Yves Beck le 28/05/2021

Superbe bouquet marqué par des notes de mûres et de poivre noir. Beaucoup d'éclat, d'expression fruité en bouche où le vin affiche également de l'ampleur grâce à des tannins puissants, mais soyeux, et donc parfaitement intégrés. Tès belle expression aromatique, idéalement soutenue par une structure acide juteuse et vive. Finale fruitée et persistante. Une très belle rèussite de Langoa Barton! 2025-2045

Jeb DUNNUCK

94-96

par Jeb Dunnuck le 28/05/2021

Loads of red and black currants, lead pencil shavings, tobacco, and dried flower notes emerge from the 2020 Château Langoa Barton, a gorgeous looking 2020 offering medium to full-bodied richness, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It has the concentrated, backward vibe of the vintage yet brings remarkable opulence and texture. It's impressive

Vinous

92-94

par Neal Martin le 27/05/2021

The 2020 Langoa Barton has a really gorgeous, very pure bouquet of crushed violets infusing black cherry, blueberry and black plummy scents. The new oak seems a little more pronounced compared to recent vintages and yet it is in sync with the fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent ripe tannins that disguise the structure underneath, the counterbalancing acidity line keeping everything focused and fresh. This is quite an audacious Langoa, and you what? It pulls it off.

Decanter.com

92

par Jane Anson le 25/05/2021

Not quite as generous as Léoville Barton, replaced with classicism and subdued tannins, as we see the impact of a slightly cooler terroir. Juicy finish, black fruits, plenty of life and lift through the palate. Enjoyable, but closed in with clove spice that is very clear on the finish. Tasted twice. A yield of 34hl/ha. Harvest September 14 to 28.

The Wine Cellar Insider

93-95

par Jeff Leve le 21/05/2021

Spicy, sweet, fresh, vibrant aromas of currants, cedar, cigar box, herbs and spice meld perfectly with the powerful, ripe, long, waves of red fruits. Here you find, bite, and crispness to the fruit, a full-body with grainy tannins needing time to expand and soften. The finish, with its tobacco, red currant, cranberry and spice keeps on going. Give this a decade and it should really start to shine. 93-95

Wine Advocate

93-95

par Lisa Perrotti-Brown le 20/05/2021

Sporting a deep purple-black color, the 2020 Langoa Barton needs a little swirling to unlock youthfully muted scents of warm cassis, black cherry preserves and boysenberries, plus hints of menthol, graphite, tilled soil and bouquet garni. The medium-bodied palate is delicately played with impressive freshness delivered by the red berry and herbal sparks within a black-fruit core, with grainy tannins to support, finishing long and invigorating.

Anthocyanes

95-97

par Yohan Castaing le 11/05/2021

Profond, dense, complexe tout en étant frais et légèrement mentholé, le nez de Langoa Barton 2020 possède des notes de cassis, de mure, d'épices et de graphite avec un boisé léger. La bouche est charnue et juteuse, de très beaux tanins structurent l'ensemble sans être ni trop dense, ni trop imposants. Bien qu'un peu terrienne et légèrement austère, cette bouteille n'en est pas moins délicieuse et d'une réelle précision. Un futur grand vin en devenir. Une réussite dans le Médoc.

Bernard Burtschy

94-95

par Bernard Burtschy le 10/05/2021

Falstaff

92-94

par Peter Moser le 10/05/2021

Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, dezente Randaufhellung. Nuancen von Zedernholz, feines Cassis, Noten von Lakritze, nussiger Touch, dunkle Beerenfrucht unterlegt. Mittlere Komplexität, frische schwarze Kirschen, lebendig strukturiert, wirkt schlank und frisch, ein Hauch von Nougat im Nachhall, ein ele- ganter Speisenbegleiter.

My Bettane + Desseauve

94-95

par Bettane & Desseauve le 07/05/2021

Jamessuckling.com

93-94

par James Suckling le 23/04/2021

Very pretty blackberry and blueberry character with blackcurrants and mint. It’s medium-to full-bodied with linear, tight tannins that are polished and fine.