1996 Château Langoa-Barton
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Tasting notes
The 1996 Langoa Barton felt a little subdued on the nose and I wondered whether there was just a little taint on this bottle (if so, it was very small, but maybe denuded the fruit expression). The palate is medium-bodied with supple and ripe tannin, very classic in style, perhaps austere compared to other vintages although there is a pleasant citric note towards the finish and it feels nicely balanced. Drink now and over the next decade. Tasted July 2016.
Critic scores
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
Bright crimson. Quite sharp nose without much evolution. Round fruit on the front palate is quickly swamped by some pretty dry tannins. This seems a tad old-fashioned. I suspect those tannins will always dominate the fruit. Very drying finish. (JR)
Very, very deep crimson. A lovely mineral nose with lots of fine-grained tannins. Still chewy but already a lovely nose. Long. Smells of cedar. (JR)
About the producer
Hugh Barton purchased this estate, alongside Second Growth Ch. Léoville Barton, in the 1820s. Classified as a Third Growth and run by Lilian Barton with her children Damien and Mélanie today, the 20 hectares of vines produce some of the appellation’s most elegant wines – and at reasonable prices.