Nicely balanced and quite similar to its neighbour, Leoville-Barton, with the same blackcurrant aromas, but with a bit more charm and a bit less density. The fruit is upfront and juicy, and the texture is luminous rather than dense. It finishes long, with succulence and spiciness. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2026
Tasted by: Stephen Brook (at London, 02 Feb 2023)
Part of Bordeaux 2013: 10 years on & 30 wines tasted

The 2013 Langoa Barton has a perfumed bouquet, touches of Asian spice and cedar infusing the black fruit, a touch of cold stone surfacing with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp, minerally red berry fruit, fine tension here with a simple, nicely balanced, fresh cedary finish. It could be described as a "workman-like" Langoa, but in a positive sense of the word. It does its job.

Bright ruby-red. Fresh, precise scents of red berries, aromatic herbs, orange peel and cedar but this seems a little light on fruit to me. Better on the palate, showing spicy tobacco, orange and dark plum flavors with chewy, mounting tannins. The moderately persistent finish reveals repeating herbal notes, and I wonder if this has enough fruit to go more than a decade or so. Currently, I would suggest drinking up within eight years or so from the release date, but it may yet put on some flesh before it hits the market.

Lively cherry red. Scented, a touch leafy but not unripe. Dusty graphite too. This has more fruit in the mid palate than some. Smooth and gentle. Dry, light tannins on the finish. More persistent than many in this vintage. (JH)

Mid crimson. Not especially intense on the nose. Light and unambitious. Ticks boxes rather than beguiles. Just a bit green on the dry end. (JR)