WTN: 2004 Leoville Barton

[David M. Bueker]

Picked up a dry aged, prime sirloin, grilled it up medium rare & popped the cork on the first 375ml bottle of the 2004 Barton from my case that I picked up last Saturday.

Long version: If it wasn't for 2000, 2003 and 2005 (potentially) people would be lining the streets to get this wine. This is the real deal - top-flight Bordeaux with all the red and black fruit, tannin, acid & mineral depth you really could ever want in a wine. Is it tannic? You bet it's tannic, but it has the fruit to hold up with the tannins. This is going to give substantial pleasure for the next year or so, shut down hard (I think) and then blossom again in 10-12 years as a classic Barton, not unlike some of its less heralded predecessors (e.g. 1995, 1988, 1985). This is very fine Bordeaux.

Short version(s): Yum, 92 points, ****, 18, two thumbs-up

Damn damn damn. I've been waiting to buy some '04s after the pre-'05 inventory clearance sales started, but a semi-local retailer recently sent me a list and had this wine for $40/bottle, which AFAICT was the lowest price in the country. Alas, because of the speed of 2nd class mail and the similar insights of other patrons, it was gone by the time I inquired. Now, back to waiting for prices to fall...

Mark Lipton

Agreed. I like this wine a lot.

thanks for notes. Haven't popped one of mine yet, but between you and Matt thinking maybe I should just search out more.

Thanks so much for the TN. I've always had a soft spot for Leoville Barton as the '89 was the first wine I ever bought any wine on futures, and I still have a few of those.
JP

Going for approx 57.00 / bottle down this way

Richard

David, thanks so much for the note. Some of us are considering this in a 2004 tasting we're doing this weekend. Not sure if it will be in the final line-up, but based on your note, I'll push for inclusion!

Michael

Michael-

I'd be very interested in hearing about this in head to head competition. Hope you get it in the lineup.

Just picked up two bottles today. Paid $51 at the local BevMo (they ordered it for me!)

Since I have two bottles, should I save 'em both, try one now and save the other? I have a lot of other wine that I can certainly drink now, too, but the tasting notes were pretty intriguing.

[David M. Bueker]

Save them. Older Barton is a pleasure worth waiting for.

I was just provided with an opportunity that I had to do some research on... thank goodness for the search button out here!!! I've been presented with an opportunity to buy some of this wine at 24,50€ per bottle. What I'm reading here and from prices on wine-searcher.com, I should jump on this and jump quick.

For a family who is REALLY enjoying living in Germany and having fun with the whites over here, I can't think of a reason to NOT grab a case of this red... can you?

Not uinless that case has been sitting out in the sun for 3 weeks... seems like a crazy good price to me.. ...