Château Léoville Barton, 200 years of elegance and authenticity in Saint-Julien

Bordeaux is home to dynasties whose history goes hand-in-hand with that of the vineyards. The Barton family is one of the most emblematic. This year, Léoville Barton is celebrating its 200th anniversary: the Château has belonged to the same family for two centuries – a singularity (but not the only one) which makes this Franco-Irish Great Growth a highly unique estate. Read on to discover the history of a Saint-Julien legend.

In the Médoc, some stories are written over time. The story of the Barton family falls into this rare category: a continuous presence in the heart of the Saint-Julien appellation for two centuries. In the beginning, however, nothing was written in the stars. Thomas Barton, an Irish negociant, came to Bordeaux in the early 18th century at a time when other illustrious personalities (Phelan, Lynch, Kirwan to name a few) also left the Emerald Isle. Here he founded a negociant firm with a European outlook. After the French Revolution, his grandson Hugh Barton set down family roots in the Médoc when he purchased Château Langoa in 1821, followed by a few vineyards belonging to the Léoville estate when the opportunity arose in 1826. The history of Léoville Barton, which is celebrating its 200th anniversary this year, thus began. “Langoa was the result of real determination. Léoville almost happened by chance”, Lilian Barton-Sartorius adds today with a smile. It looks like fate does things right sometimes, since Château Léoville Barton was labelled a second great growth in the Saint-Julien appellation during the 1855 classification.

Anthony Barton, the gentleman of the Médoc In the rich history of this Saint-Julien Great Growth, one person played a key role, Anthony Barton. Arriving in the Bordeaux region after the Second World War, this man, who was in no way destined for a career in wine, would become one of the pivotal figures in the revival of the Saint-Julien appellation. In the 1950s, Bordeaux’s reputation was a far cry from what it is today, with struggling estates, run-down cellars and uncertain markets: “It was a difficult time for everyone, the châteaux were in ruins and we only bought new barrels when we had enough money. When it rained, my parents went to Langoa with a bucket”, Lilian Barton-Sartorius recalls. After working under the auspices of his uncle in the family’s negociant firm, Anthony Barton gradually turned his attention to the vineyards. From the 1980s onwards, he led a profound transformation in Léoville via regular investments in winemaking facilities, improvements to the vineyards, tailored oenological consulting – a decisive choice – and, above all, a clear vision: consistently producing high-quality wines which truly reflect their terroir. This rigour, combined with a certain intuition, restored the estate to its former glory and fostered the general renewal of the Médoc wine region. Under the aegis of the “gentleman of the Médoc”, Léoville Barton became a favourite among connoisseurs of Bordeaux Grands Crus, known for producing gourmet wines with excellent ageing potential.

The Irish spirit In 2009, Lilian Barton took over the estate from his father and continued his work by echoing the values he had been taught. Today, the next generation is already well-established, with Mélanie, the first oenologist in the family’s history, and Damien who focuses on sales and export markets. Lilian Barton-Sartorius is particularly fond of this complementarity: “It’s nice that the children are by my side to continue the family adventure.” The Château’s owners are pursuing the efforts of their ancestors and maintain the same approach from the vineyard to the cellar, i.e. expressing the magnificent Saint-Julien terroir as faithfully as possible, without any pretence. This vision was rewarded in 2019 by the prestigious American magazine Wine Spectator, which voted 2016 Château Léoville Barton the best wine of the year!

From the very start, Léoville Barton has cultivated its charming Irish accent. Not surprisingly, Ireland and the United Kingdom are two of the estate’s historic markets which have significantly contributed to its reputation. “The Irish almost consider it to be their wine”, Lilian Barton smiles, drawing on its history infused with legendary anecdotes. The most famous one? In 2011, when Queen Elizabeth II undertook the British monarchy’s first official visit to Ireland in a century, Léoville Barton was served during the ceremonial dinner!

To celebrate its 200th anniversary, the Grand Cru classé definitely plans on highlighting its Bordeaux/Celtic dual identity. In particular, intimate dinners are scheduled with people from New York, Hong Kong and, of course, Dublin who share longstanding ties with the estate. “We prefer to meet people and chat rather than a big impersonal party”, Lilian Barton explains. This is ultimately a way of staying true to what has defined the estate’s identity for two centuries: understated elegance and a profoundly human vision of wine. Château Léoville Barton will also showcase this vision when it hosts the En Primeur tastings of the Saint-Julien, Listrac-Médoc and Moulis-en-Médoc appellations from 20 to 23 April: “We shall make little nods to Irish hospitality” Lilian Barton concludes. We expect no less!