Bordeaux’s Left Bank is home to some of the most esteemed wines in the world. Resting in the heart of Saint-Julien, two legendary châteaux stand as paragons of that excellence: Léoville Barton and Léoville Poyferré. Though they share a common history as part of the once-massive Léoville estate, each has since developed its own distinct identity, showcasing the grandeur of Bordeaux in unique ways.
Léoville Barton traces its origins to the early 19th century when the Irish merchant Hugh Barton acquired a portion of the original Léoville estate. Unlike many Bordeaux châteaux, Léoville Barton has remained in the same family for over 200 years, maintaining a commitment to tradition and timeless quality. The estate is known for producing structured, classically styled wines with deep concentration, firm tannins, and exceptional aging potential. With no actual château on-site (the wines are made at neighboring Langoa Barton), Léoville Barton focuses purely on winemaking, emphasizing terroir-driven expressions of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Léoville Poyferré, on the other hand, took a different path after the division of the Léoville estate. Acquired by the Cuvelier family in 1920, the château has undergone significant modernization while preserving its Bordeaux heritage. Under the guidance of Didier Cuvelier, the estate embraced a more refined and opulent style, integrating meticulous vineyard management and modern winemaking techniques. With a slightly higher proportion of Merlot in the blend, Léoville Poyferré wines are often more approachable in their youth, offering lush fruit, velvety tannins, and remarkable depth.
Both estates exemplify the excellence of Saint-Julien but appeal to different palates. Léoville Barton offers a more traditional Bordeaux experience—powerful, structured, and built for long-term aging—while Léoville Poyferré leans toward a more polished, fruit-forward expression with impressive richness. Whether you prefer the classic austerity of Barton or the seductive allure of Poyferré, both wines stand as benchmarks of Bordeaux craftsmanship. A bottle from either estate promises a journey through history, terroir, and the artistry of fine winemaking.
On our 3-day sale you can enjoy these wines at pricing you’ll rarely find anywhere else. With such a temptingly delicious opportunity at hand, what more is there to say?
We offer 7 wines from these producers, Reserve de Léoville Barton, Saint-Julien 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $47.50, that’s $45.12 at 5% off and $42.75 at 10% off, 20 bottles in stock now
Jane Anson 92 points “Attractive, with personality and texture to the loganberry and blackberry fruit. The muscular tannins have juice running through them, and overall this has plenty of lift and tension while remaining appealingly unfussy.”
Decanter 92 points “Shiny glossy fruit on the nose, floral and pretty. Bright pink in the glass full of blackcurrant and cherry aromas. Nice plushness on the palate with chewy tannins that have a touch of dryness/chalkiness and drive of fresh red fruit, with some creamy, chalky aspects coming in on the finish. Nicely balanced. It’s balanced and fresh, light and playful. Not showy, but easy. Touch of cedar wood on the edges at the finish. Drinking Window 2023 – 2030.”
Wine Spectator #1 Wine of the Year in 2019!Château Léoville Barton, Saint-Julien 2016 750ml Displayed Price: $199, that’s $189.05 at 5% off and $179.10 at 10% off, 5 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 97 points “This is so vivid as it brims with pastis-soaked plum, blackberry, black currant and blueberry paste flavors, all carried by a perfectly integrated brambly spine. Tar and ganache notes give the finish an extra kick while everything stays within the mouthwatering roasted apple wood frame. Both regal and rambunctious, this is St.-Julien to a T.”
Château Léoville Barton, Saint-Julien 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $135, that’s $128.25 at 5% off and $121.50 at 10% off, 13 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 97 points “Cassis, crushed plum and steeped blackberry fruit is all packed into this wine, along with tar, violet and roasted apple wood notes, plus a terrific tug of warm earth. Shows lots of energy in reserve, with a tightly knit finish pulling everything together. Cellaring required. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2026 through 2040. 11,600 cases made. — JM”
Wine Enthusiast 97 points “Editor’s Choice. In this wine, fine and rich tannins partner with powerful black-plum and black-currant fruits. Densely textured while also having swathes of rich fruits, the wine shows both a firm side and one that offers total deliciousness. As it matures, both these aspects will come together. Drink from 2027. -Roger Voss”
Jeb Dunnuck’s #7 Wine of the Year!
Château Léoville Barton, Saint-Julien 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 1 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points “The flagship 2019 Château Léoville Barton is brilliant, showing both the style of the estate as well as the vintage beautifully. It’s never the biggest or richest wine, yet it has a classic, vibrant, structured style that ages beautifully. Pure cassis, black currants, scorched earth, new leather, and graphite are just some of its nuances, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a lively spine of acidity, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. This textbook Léoville Barton demands a decade of bottle age and will keep for 30-40 years.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 97 points “Like its stablemate Langoa Barton, the 2019 Léoville Barton is a timeless classic, made for patient connoisseurs. Offering up aromas of blackcurrants, plums, pencil shavings and licorice, it’s full-bodied, deep and concentrated, its deep core of fruit framed by a chassis of rich, powdery tannin that makes itself felt on the youthfully firm finish. While it’s clearly built for the long haul, its structural seamlessness and mid-palate plenitude mark it out as one of the finest wines from this château in recent times. Could it be a more concentrated modern-day version of Anthony Barton’s brilliant 1985?”
Château Léoville Poyferré, Saint-Julien 2014 750ml Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off, 36+ bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 95 points “The 2014 Léoville Poyferré is gorgeous. Dark, sumptuous and ample on the palate, it possesses remarkable depth. Dark cherry, plum, smoke, scorched earth, licorice and menthol all flesh out as this radiant, deeply expressive wine shows off its considerable pedigree. The 2014 is going to need time to fully come together, but it is super-impressive. Tasted two times.”
Château Léoville Poyferré, Saint-Julien 2016 750ml Displayed Price: $149, that’s $141.55 at 5% off and $134.10 at 10% off, 2 bottles in stock now
Decanter 98 points “Relatively closed right now, as are all the St-Juliens, this takes time to open in the glass but does so to reveal lots of northern Médoc character in the liquorice and brambly fruit puree, with touches of caramel and sweet cassis. It’s hewn out of slate boulders with layers of tannin – a lovely construction that’s deepened even further during ageing. 2% Cabernet Franc finishes the blend. Matured in 80% new oak. Michel Rolland consults. Drinking Window 2024 – 2040.”
Château Léoville Poyferré, Saint-Julien 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $159, that’s $151.05 at 5% off and $143.10at 10% off, 14 bottles in stock nowJeb Dunnuck 100 points “Every bit as good as the 2009, and I think better than the 2010 and 2016, the 2018 Château Léoville Poyferré is a total thrill that tops out my scale. Based on 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, its dense purple hue is followed by an incredible, full-bodied monster of a wine that, despite massive amounts of fruit, tannins, and extract, still stays weightless and ethereal, with incredible purity. Loaded with notions of crème de cassis, spring flowers, tobacco, violets, charcoal, and cedar pencil, it’s extraordinarily concentrated, flawlessly balanced, and has a finish that won’t quit. This is a legendary wine in the making. Give bottles 7-8 years, a decade would be even better, and it will keep for 40-50 years. Hats off to the Cuvelier family for another extraordinary wine!”
Wine Advocate 97 points “A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, aged in 80% new oak barriques, the 2018 Léoville Poyferré comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant scents of Morello cherries, plum preserves and blackberry pie, giving way to nuances of cedar chest, unsmoked cigars, vanilla pod and sassafras, plus a waft of crushed rocks. The palate is full-bodied, rich and decadent, delivering hedonic black fruits and lots of spicy accents with a velvety texture and seamless freshness, finishing long and satisfyingly savory. This is a very impressive showing that is delicious out of the gate but has the backbone to give a good 30 years or more of pleasure.”
Decanter 97 points “Deep, silky, and satiny in texture, you can practically stroke this in the glass! The round mouthfeel tells of ripe fruit and generous alcohol but there’s not a trace of heat, and the balance is gorgeous. Tannins match you step for step, stopping for breath in all the right places. They keep the luscious black cherry, liquorice and dark chocolate all in place. The 2016 vintage was almost one degree less in alcohol, and certainly this is a little less architectural in its construction, but that extra percent has clearly gone a long way to covering the tannins in silk. 3.7pH. IPT90. Tasted several times.”
