They are just hitting it out of the park at Leoville Barton at the moment, keeping the relaxed and effortless feel of a great St-Julien but loading up on the complexity and concentration that lies behind it. You don`t see all the mechanisms, but you know they are there. This is going to age exceptionally well, but there`s a freshness and juiciness to the structure already that suggests it`s going to be great fun to drink along the way. It has glass-staining extraction, with plenty of cassis, graphite and liquorice flavours - everything`s turned up high. 60% new oak. 96 points

82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot. 60% new oak.Black core, purple rim. Sweet intense nose of elderberry and small, wild berries. Extremely wholesome, dense, firm but with lots of fruit at the core. Oak well in check and the tannins finer than many, dry and layered but harmonious. For the long term. Dry and almost chalky on the finish. 17 points

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Leoville Barton simply sings of crushed black cherries, blackcurrant cordial and wild blueberries with touches of violets, dark chocolate, allspice and cardamom with a waft of stewed tea. Full-bodied, rich and decadently fruited in the mouth, the generous fruit has a solid structure of firm, ripe, grainy tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing long and layered. 94-96 points

The 2018 Leoville-Barton is fabulous. Graphite, gravel, creme de cassis, mint, violet, spice and exotic spices are some of the many notes that infuse this stunningly beautiful unctuous Saint-Julien. In 2018 Leoville-Barton has an extra dimension of volume and resonance, yet it never loses its super-classic mid-weight structure and regal bearing. The blend is 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Merlot. 93-96 points

A very classic top-rank left-bank blend here, with 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Merlot. The declared alcohol is 14.03%. This starts off a little muted on the nose, but with time and a little work it opens up, revealing scents of creamed cherry fruits, along with notes of black pepper and liquorice. The palate is dark, brooding, richly formed, concentrated and rich, with a sheer wealth of texture, fresh acidity and a rich and broad bed of heavy-velvet tannins. The flavours are all very dark and delicious, with notes of liquorice and black bean, and while very fine it is that tannic structure I find most striking. This is a tour de force, a hugely impressive example of this wine. The élevage will be in 60% new oak and 40% second-fill oak. 97-99 points