Chateau Leoville Barton 2006

WEINWISSER: "Sehr tiefes, dunkles Violett-Purpur mir schwarzen Reflexen in der Mitte. Wunderschönes, feines Bouquet, viele Facetten, parfümiertes Cassis, feine Brombeernoten, süsses Edelholz, Mokka, fast zärtlich über die Nase streichelnd. Feinster Gaumen, cremige Tannine, im blau- und schwarzbeerigen Bereich bleibende Frucht, ein Hauch Kokos, das Finale des erotischen, vielleicht schon früh gefallenden Weins abrundend."

DECANTER: "85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot. A return to a more classic profile, with silky, dark damson and cassis, more structured tannins and great persistence. A lovely, extremely accomplished 2006, although it is still quite closed and backward right now."

JEB DUNNUCK: "From one of my favorite estates in Saint-Julien, the 2006 Château Léoville Barton is now fully mature (yet certainly youthful) and has a complex, layered profile that includes ample red and black fruits as well as perfumed notes of leafy herbs, cedar pencil, tobacco, and hints of crushed stone. Medium to full-bodied, nicely balanced, and textured, it has the more focused, straight, classic style of this château front and center, with integrated yet still present tannins, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. A classy, layered, complex, textbook Bordeaux, it's going to continue drinking nicely for another two decades, with a gradual decline after that."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "The 2006 Leoville Barton has a deep brick color. It skips out of the glass with cheery, carefree notes of black cherry compote, redcurrant jelly, and cassis, followed by wafts of dried roses, cinnamon toast, and crushed stones. The light to medium-bodied palate has a rock-solid structure of chewy tannins and just enough freshness to support the generous fruit, finishing long and earthy."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "Right at the top of its form, this 2006 is one of the finest wines to come out of the vintage. The wine is structured and dense, but with such heartwarming ripe fruit that the tannins are almost submerged. There is just a hint of wood, but juicy black currant continues right through to the end. In a year, the fruit will lessen, and long aging begin."

WINE SPECTATOR: "There's a great dark color to this, with intense aromas of cedar, wood, new leather and crushed blackberry. Full-bodied, with loads of fruit and a firm, powerful palate. Long and mouthpuckering. A muscular baby."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Tasted at Bordeaux Index's annual 10-Year On tasting in London. The 2006 Château Léoville-Barton has a surprisingly rich and opulent bouquet at first, although it calms down with aeration, offering crushed violet and black cherry scents, reminiscent of a fine Margaux. The palate is medium-bodied with a gentle grip in the mouth. Here the class begins to appear with fine balance and poise, but like the Langoa, it lacquers the mouth with tannins and feels very backward, surprising given the vintage. Cellar this for another decade, folks. Tasted January 2016."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Tobacco, cigar box, cedar wood and spicy red fruits make up the perfume. Still deep in color, there is some lightening at the edges of the glass that is becoming apparent. Austere in character, the Cabernet Sauvignon is fresh, crisp and tannic. This definitely needs several more years before it becomes close to user friendly."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Tasted blind. Dark crimson. Very dense and pungent. A Léoville? Real intensity."