CHATEAU LANGOA BARTON 3eme Grand Cru Classe, Saint-Julien 2021 Bottle

Description

IN BRIEF
Château Langoa Barton 2021 opens with composed intensity: blackcurrant, Morello cherry and red plum threaded with pressed violet, rose petal, cedar and graphite. Air brings crushed bay, dried herb and a hint of leather. Medium–full-bodied, it has a smooth, focused start, bright acidity and fine, well-judged tannins that provide structure without weight. Pure dark fruit and plum are framed by black olive and a discreet liquorice twist; the mid-palate reveals toasted cedar, dark chocolate and warm baking spice, while a stony mineral seam and saline thread drive a long, resonant finish. Oak is judicious and integrated. Drink now with decanting or cellar 10–20 years. Top scores: Wine Enthusiast 95; WA 93; James Suckling 93; Vinous 93; Decanter 93. Highly recommended.

ABOUT THIS WINE
Château Langoa Barton 3ème Grand Cru Classé, Saint Julien 2021 opens with composed intensity, a textbook Saint Julien profile marrying floral lift with concentrated black fruit and firm backbone. The bouquet shows blackcurrant, Morello cherry and red plum, threaded with pressed violet and a fresh rose petal note, while cedar, graphite and a savoury tobacco leaf add poise and complexity. With air the aromatics broaden to reveal crushed bay, dried herb and a faint leather nuance that underlines the estate’s classic terroir.

The 2021 vintage in Bordeaux was marked by a warm, early season followed by a late heat spike and relatively dry summer, producing ripe, concentrated grapes yet preserving freshness where careful canopy management and later harvesting were applied. At Langoa Barton the team focused on selective picking and gentle extraction to retain aromatic lift and finesse, vinifying parcels separately in small vats and employing cool macerations and moderate cap work to avoid harsh tannin. Elevage combined a proportion of new and one-year oak, used judiciously to add structure and spice while keeping varietal clarity.

On the palate the 2021 is medium to full bodied, offering a smooth, focused entry followed by bright natural acidity and well judged, fine tannins that provide structure without excess weight. Primary fruit is pure and concentrated, dark berry and plum flavours framed by black olive and a discreet liquorice thread. The mid palate develops layered interest, showing toasted cedar, dark chocolate and warm baking spice from measured oak ageing, while a stony mineral seam and saline thread lend forward momentum and precision to the finish. Oak is judicious and integrated, adding gentle vanilla and clove spice that support the fruit core.

Texture is polished and tactile, the wine balancing silk and tensile grip as it evolves in the glass, revealing savoury strata of leather, graphite and a faint ironstone note. Secondary notes of forest floor, cured meat and dried herb emerge with time, adding nuance without obscuring primary clarity. The finish is long and resonant, returning to black fruit, bittersweet cocoa and a chalky mineral echo that invites another sip.

Drink now with careful decanting for immediate complexity, or cellar for ten to twenty years to allow tertiary layers of truffle, cedar chest and sous bois to integrate fully. Serve at 16 to 18°C with roast lamb, braised beef, game or mature cheeses to complement its structural depth and savoury finesse.

WINE ENTHUSIAST 95 points
Decorated with a label celebrating 200 years of the Barton family in Bordeaux, the wine has touches of toast aromas with smokiness. On the palate, tannins give a dry core to the wine. It is ripe, but with a great freshness. Drink from 2028. — Roger Voss

THE WINE ADVOCATE 93 points
Reviewed by: William Kelley Date: 2025 - 2045
The 2021 Langoa Barton offers up attractive aromas of dark berries and plums mingled with sweet spices and cigar box. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and seamless, it's polished and fleshy, with an enveloping core of fruit, beautifully refined tannins and well-integrated acids.
Published: Feb 08, 2024

JAMES SUCKLING 93 Points
Complex yet subtle aromas of currants, tar, lead pencil, redwood, violets and blackberries follow through to a medium body, with ultrafine tannins and a crunchy and vivid finish. Just a hint of chocolate at the end. Special label to commemorate the winery’s 200th anniversary. Sleek and refined, but give this three or four years to soften.

VINOUS 93 points
The 2021 Langoa Barton comes in a specially designed, one-off, hand-drawn label and a sustainable cardboard box instead of wood, to celebrate the bicentenary of family ownership. The aromatics have actually moved up a step since I tasted it from barrel: intense blackberry and wild strawberry fruit, crushed violet and just a hint of eucalyptus. The oak is neatly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with surprisingly plush black fruit, a suave and harmonious Langoa with a dash of spice toward the finish. This is packed full of flavor and will be difficult to resist in its youth. - Neal Martin

DECANTER 93 points
Tasted by: Georgina Hindle (at Bordeaux, 01 Dec 2023)
Drinking Window: 2026 - 2045
An expressive nose full of dark fruit, spiced and herbal elements. Clean and clear, juicy and lively, more of a light, lean delicate take, everything is there just a subtle version of the blackcurrant and strawberries, acidity and tannin profile. I do like it though, it's well made and still has an enjoyable juicy core and long finish. Likely to be extremely pleasant and easy to drink in a few years still with typicity. Same score as Primeurs but this was lovely to taste again.

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ABOUT CHATEAU LANGOA-BARTON
Château Langoa Barton, a historic Saint Julien estate long associated with the Barton family, is celebrated for producing poised, classically styled Bordeaux that balance refinement with tensile structure. Situated on the gravelly soils typical of the Médoc, the vineyards benefit from excellent drainage and favourable exposure, conditions that favour Cabernet Sauvignon while allowing Merlot and small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot to add early charm and aromatic complexity. The estate has been under the steady stewardship of the Barton family for generations, a continuity that has shaped its measured approach to viticulture and winemaking and preserved a recognisable house style rooted in site expression.

Vineyards are managed with parcel by parcel attention, thoughtful pruning and canopy work, and yield control to ensure concentration and clarity of fruit, with increasing emphasis on sustainable practices to support long term vine health. In the winery traditional methods sit alongside modern precision, grapes undergoing meticulous sorting and gentle handling before fermentation in temperature controlled vats, where extraction is tailored to achieve balance between ripe tannin and aromatic lift. Ageing takes place in French oak, a portion of which is renewed each vintage, to provide structure and subtle spice while respecting the purity of fruit and the wine’s inherent elegance.

The Grand Vin of Langoa Barton typically shows a composed bouquet of blackcurrant and dark cherry, cedar, tobacco leaf and a fine mineral thread reflective of Saint Julien terroir, framed by firm yet refined tannins and a bright supporting acidity. With cellar time the wines develop layered tertiary notes and greater silkiness, rewarding patient ageing while remaining recognisable for their freshness and focus. Second and reserve cuvées offer earlier accessibility yet echo the estate’s stylistic emphasis on balance and typicity. Through consistent stewardship, careful parcel selection and a restrained, terroir driven philosophy, Château Langoa Barton continues to produce wines that combine elegance, structure and enduring character.