Chateau Leoville-Barton is a Second Growth classified estate in Saint-Julien, owned by the Barton family since 1826 and currently under the direction of Lilian Barton Sartorius, the ninth generation of the family. The 2022 is a landmark vintage for the estate for two reasons: it is the first to be produced in the estate's newly constructed gravity-fed winery, which more than doubled the number of vats and permitted sub-plot-by-sub-plot harvesting and vinification; and it received the highest critical scores in the estate's modern history, with James Suckling awarding 98 points.

The Wine Advocate (William Kelley) awarded 96-97, Vinous (Neal Martin) 97 describing the wine as a 'precision-tooled Leoville Barton with the sharpness of a samurai sword' that 'constitutes the finest Leoville Barton that I have tasted out of barrel,' and noting it 'marks the start of a new and glorious chapter for the Saint-Julien estate.' Wine Spectator, Decanter and Wine Enthusiast each awarded 97. The 2022 blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11.5% Merlot and 5.5% Cabernet Franc was picked at 30 hectolitres per hectare and matured in 60% new oak.

The combination of the new winery's technological advantages and the exceptional 2022 vintage conditions has produced what multiple critics agree is a generational release from an estate already considered one of Saint-Julien's finest addresses. Neal Martin's note of 'intense black cherry, bilberry and violet aromas, a nuanced estuarine and oyster shell scent, medium-bodied with finely chiselled tannins, fabulous precision, a killer line of acidity and more mineralite on the finish' captures a wine that perfectly balances power and precision.

Cellar for eight to twelve years. Best from 2032 to 2060. Decant three hours before service and pair with roasted beef, venison or aged hard cheese.