Château Léoville Barton - Saint-Julien 2000

Jamessuckling.com

96 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe4/28/2014

This wine has always been soft and delicious, with an almost decadent character of strawberry tart, earth, meat and spices. It’s full and very soft, with refined tannins and a very long finish.

La Revue du Vin de France

19 / 20

the12/1/2009

Très grande bouteille d'une rare intensité de matière. D'une superbe couleur, il s'ouvre sur une expression de menthol, de zan et de fruits noirs. Les tanins sont encore structurés, mais fins et extraits avec précision. Encore serré en finale, mas de grande longueur, c'est un grand vin stylisé.

Wine Advocate

96 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/30/2003

Absolutely spectacular from bottle, but frightfully closed and backward, with massive power and structure, the saturated purple-colored 2000 Leoville Barton is one of the greatest wines ever made at this estate. The wine has smoky, earthy notes intermixed with graphite, camphor, damp earth, jammy cassis, cedar, and a hint of mushroom. Enormous, even monstrous in the mouth, with tremendous extraction, broodingly backward, dense flavors, and copious tannins, this should prove to be one of the longest-lived wines of the vintage and one of the most compelling Leoville Bartons ever made. However, anyone unable to defer gratification for at least a decade should steer clear of this behemoth. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2040.

Wine Spectator

97 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe3/31/2003

Amazingly rich and silky. Lots of chocolate and blackberry aromas with hints of raspberries. Full-bodied, with silky, round tannins. Great concentration. Long, long finish. This is the biggest, most powerful ever from Léoville Barton. Best after 2012.

Wine Advocate

95-97 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe2/28/2002

Undoubtedly one of the most majestic wines ever made at Leoville-Barton, this behemoth displays even more power and structure than it did last year. A prodigious, saturated purple-colored effort, it boasts layers of concentrated fruit along with notes of graphite, camphor, damp earth, and jammy cassis. Immense, even monstrous in the mouth, it possesses awesome extraction and richness, but the boatload of tannin will keep it from being fully appreciated for at least a decade, possibly longer. It is an authentic vin de garde for patient wine connoisseurs. Amazing vino! Anticipated maturity: 2012-2040.

Wine Advocate

96-99 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/30/2001

One of the vintage's undeniable superstars, Leoville-Barton has produced the finest wine I have ever tasted from this winery. To put this in another perspective, this is a wine I purchase and cellar because of my admiration for the proprietor, Anthony Barton, and the fact that his wine is a classic St.-Julien. The 2000 Leoville-Barton transcends anything made at this property in the last fifty years.

An opaque purple color is accompanied by reluctant aromas of cassis, earth, oak, and licorice. The spectacular quality becomes even more evident in the mouth. The wine is enormous, but symmetrical, with thrilling levels of concentration, beautifully integrated acidity, tannin, and wood, and a finish that lasts for nearly a minute. This is a massive, complex effort with uncanny balance for a wine of such size and magnitude. It is one of the wines of the vintage and a modern day classic! Anticipated maturity: 2008-2040