Château Langoa Barton Saint Julien 2019

The powerful tannins give this wine structure. They go with the jammy black fruits and richness. Spice and a complex texture are promising in this fine, stylish wine. Drink from 2026.

The 2019 Langoa-Barton has a much more classically-hewn bouquet with blackberry, gravel, freshly rolled tobacco and smoke billowing from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with sweet ripe tannins. It doesn't quite have the depth of its peers, though it is very well balanced, but it closes up shop on the finish. Cellar this for another 8-10 years. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.

A timeless classic for patient readers with cold cellars, the 2019 Langoa Barton is performing beautifully in bottle, unwinding in the glass with a rich bouquet of cassis, plums, cigar wrapper, pencil shavings and loamy soil. Medium to full-bodied, deep and elegantly muscular, its concentrated core of fruit is framed by lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins that assert themselves on the youthfully firm finish. Forget it for a decade and reap the rewards for the following four.

A soft, seamless, beautifully textured Saint-Julien, especially in the vintage, the 2019 Château Langoa Barton gives up lots of red and black currant fruits as well as textbook damp earth, leafy herbs, chocolate, and spring flowers. It's complex, medium to full-bodied, has beautiful tannins, and no hard edges. Drink this beauty any time over the coming 20-25 years. The blend is 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc.

Ripe and juicy, with a youthfully compact core of steeped plum, blueberry and black currant fruit. The finish is scored by violet and singed apple wood notes, with a tug of tar peeking in as well. Offers ample fruit and inner freshness, so this should open up soon enough. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2038. 7,950 cases made.