Chateau Leoville-Barton & Château Langoa-Barton

Two “Grand Cru Classé of Saint Julien” synonyms of “tradition” and “family”.

The Chateau Leoville-Barton (2nd Grand Cru Classé), as well as the Château Langoa-Barton (3rd Grand Cru) Château Mouvezin both belong to the Barton family.

The Barton family is present in the Medoc since 1725.

This family emigrated from England to Ireland where it lived and created a business selling sheepskins. At that time England heavily taxed products from Ireland. To circumvent this tax, the Barton family had the idea to channel its products through Bordeaux. In fact in the 18th century Bordeaux still enjoyed a very favorable English commercial law … as a legacy of the British occupation of Aquitaine.
After some time, in order not to be denounced by some traders from Bordeaux, the Barton family (Thomas Barton) had to buy imported wine from England and Ireland. Little by little the family wine imports were more and more, and the family became a wine merchant.

In 1821, following the strong movement of purchasing and creating vineyards in the Médoc, Hugh Barton (son of Thomas Barton) bought the Château Langoa Barton.
Regarding the Château Leoville Barton it was originally part of the Domaine de Leoville. This property belonged to Alexander Gasq, Lord of Leoville. At the death of the Marquis, the vineyard would have been shared between the heirs.
The game of estates and sales / redemptions will lead to what we know today, the 3 Châteaux: Leoville Barton, Leoville Poyferré and Leoville Las Cases.
In 1826 Hugh Barton acquired the property that would become Leoville Barton through the purchase from one of the heirs of the Marquis de Las Cases, became a national property.
However, the acquired property did not include buildings but only vines. This is the reason why the wines of Chateau Leoville Barton are vinified and aged in the cellars of Château Langoa-Barton.

For the story the property that Thomas Barton wanted to buy in first was Château Lafite.

The Chateau Mauvesin Barton (Moulis en Médoc) was acquired much more recently, in 2011.

The specificity of the Château Léoville-Barton ?

A portion of Cabernet Franc that is more important than in other properties. This allows, among other things, to recognize the estate wines during a tasting.

Why did you choose to follow the steps of the family?

It is summed up in a few words “passion” and “family first.” I allow myself to quote Damien “even if nobody had pushed this industry is something strong to say that we are now in the 9th generation. ‘
For information, the fact that this family owns nine generations of the same castle in fact holds the “record” Longevity in Médoc.

Damien (à gauche) et Anthony (à droite) Barton

How do you see the emerging?

“I go a BD in techno, BTS Viti-eno and I am starting a Master of Management. I’d then do a course on marketing at La Rochelle. My sister as well as she is much more technical than me. I think when the time is knocked at our door, we divided the work in different fields. Me everything business, marketing, management, and my sister everything vines and cellars. ”

We expect that in a few years, the ninth generation at the helm of the Château Leoville Barton will be a duo brother & sister. A family duo in the line, that is to say, passionate and excited for that family heritage as their fundamental value.

Side anecdote:

At the end of the war, a man came to the Chateau and asked to see Anthony Barton, he asked to buy the Château and offered an exorbitant price. An exorbitant price in normal times is already tempting but as the crisis in the vineyard means a lot more!
The price was so mad that Anthony Barton replied, “It will be foolish to refuse such an offer,” the man wearing a big smile took that as a yes, unfortunately Mr. Barton added to his response ” Yes, but I am crazy. ” A story, a family heritage, does not have a price!

Advice to drink your wine?

“We drink wine whenever we want. Wine is not a collectible, more than that, you should know how to be surrounded by good friends. Wine is a product that is made to be shared in a friendly atmosphere. ”
Personally I agree 300%! Wine is a product of socialization. A good wine will not cause the same pleasure, will not have the same “flavor” according to the people with whom it is shared.

Thanks to Damien Barton Sartorius and Antony Barton  for their hospitality.

Jonathan Choukroun Chicheportiche

Château Léoville-Barton, Château Langoa-Barton
33250 Saint-Julien-Beychevelle
05 56 59 06 04
Website