Château Leoville-Barton 2018 – Saint-Julien

The nose is fruity, elegant, racy and offers a racy minerality, a fine freshness, a beautiful finesse of the grain as well as concentration (but full of finesse). It reveals notes of ripe cassis, fresh/ripe blackberry and small notes of ripe/fresh raspberry associated with a touch of cornflower, cherry as well as fine hints of liquorice, discreet hints of spices and an imperceptible hint of sugared mild tobacco (in the background). The palate is fruity, fresh, mineral, well-balanced, precise and offers a good definition, juiciness, a beautiful acidulous frame, tension, richness (full of finesse), a beautiful finesse of the grain as well as a ripe, fleshy and finely crunchy fruit. On the palate this wine expresses notes of juicy/fleshy cassis, fleshy/juicy raspberry and small notes of red berries associated with fine touches of liquorice, zan, sweet spices, toasted as well as an imperceptible hint of nutmeg (in the background). Tannins are elegant, fine, and very finely firm. There is a discreet hint of toasted hazelnut and toasted almond on the finish/persistence.