This is an impressively endowed vin de garde that should age effortlessly for 20-30 years. How Anthony Barton continues to fashion uncompromisingly primordial Bordeaux that are always among the biggest and densest of all the St.-Juliens is beyond me, but he does it year in and year out. Moreover, when it’s time to set the price, he appears to have the consumer foremost in his mind. The 2004 is a classic Leoville-Barton meant for long aging. Concentrated, with loads of smoke, creme de cassis, forest floor, and earthy notes emerge from this impressive, but oh, so backward wine. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030+.

Picking began on 30 September for the Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend from Léoville-Barton; after fermentation, the ageing was done in 60% new casks. The wine is now showing some development, with slightly fading colour and the beginning of cedar, smoke, and earth notes to the blackberry fruit. Although everything was balanced and reasonably elegant, it lacked the depth and concentration to carry it to the next level for many tasters at our horizontal tasting, but I had it third from the top in its flight.

Good medium ruby. Perfumed aromas of cassis, black cherry, licorice and violet. Suave entry, then lush, dense, concentrated and seamless, with terrific inner-mouth perfume and palate coverage. Subtly sweet flavors of black cherry, tobacco and minerals are framed by harmonious acidity. Finishes with very suave, horizontal, fine-grained tannins and terrific subtle mineral length.

Tasted at the French Embassy in London. At six years of age, the Leoville Barton is developing quite a refined bouquet with brambly red-berried fruits laced with cedar and a touch of sage. The palate is medium-bodied with rounded, ripe red fruits, a generous dose of cedar and firm, dry tannins that segue into a dry, aristocratic finish. Conservative, but charming. Drink now-2025. Tasted November 2010.

Currant and dark chocolate, with hints of mineral. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a long, caressing finish. Balanced. A more delicate and refined style.

With a tobacco, truffle, cedar wood, cigar box and blackberry personality, this is just starting to open. Firm, classic and traditionally styled, there is still some tannin to be resolved Give it another 5 years. Tasted Jan 2015