This has a good depth of colour despite its fifteen years, and it is truly classic in style, with swirling aromas of juniper berry, currant, blackcurrant skin, green peppercorn and bay leaf on the nose. It kicks off on the palate with a deliciously dry and savoury style, before unfolding to reveal a midpalate which is quite beautiful for the vintage, showing a lightly polished and sinewy confidence, with a surprisingly textural and even lightly creamed presence, this substance carrying some very dark flavours, including notes of smoke, black truffle and toast. A very harmonious and complete wine, with a peppery energy and a warm finish, but with real tension to it. Undeniably a great success for the vintage.

As so often, Léoville-Barton stands out for its style and elegance. With fresh fruit and acidity allied to generous tannins, it sums up the character of the 2004 vintage. Very classic in Bordeaux terms: not hugely powerful, but delicious.

Picking began on 30 September for the Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend from Léoville-Barton; after fermentation, the ageing was done in 60% new casks. The wine is now showing some development, with slightly fading colour and the beginning of cedar, smoke, and earth notes to the blackberry fruit. Although everything was balanced and reasonably elegant, it lacked the depth and concentration to carry it to the next level for many tasters at our horizontal tasting, but I had it third from the top in its flight. - Charles Curtis MW

This is an impressively endowed vin de garde that should age effortlessly for 20-30 years. How Anthony Barton continues to fashion uncompromisingly primordial Bordeaux that are always among the biggest and densest of all the St.-Juliens is beyond me but he does it year in and year out. Moreover when it's time to set the price he appears to have the consumer foremost in his mind. The 2004 is a classic Leoville-Barton meant for long aging. Concentrated with loads of smoke creme de cassis forest floor and earthy notes emerge from this impressive but oh so backward wine. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030+.

The 2004 Léoville Barton is less opulent on the nose than the Langoa but offers a little more refinement and terroir expression. A touch of seaweed develops with time. The palate is fresh on the entry. It is one of the most saline Léoville Barton that gets the saliva flowing. It is classic old-school Anthony Barton with a judicious dab of black pepper and menthol furnishing the finish. Excellent. -- Neal Martin

With a tobacco, truffle, cedar wood, cigar box and blackberry personality, this is just starting to open. Firm, classic and traditionally styled, there is still some tannin to be resolved Give it another 5 years. Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/wine-tasting-note/?vintage=2004&wine=Chateau%20Leoville%20Barton

Powerful minerality runs through this wine, wrapping the primary flavors of blueberries into blackness. There's also an herbal edge, the scent of rosemary cutting through the fruit. More extracted and showing more oak than Bartons of times past, this is structured to age two decades from the vintage.