Château Mauvesin Barton 2020

While the creation of Château Mauvesin Barton is a recent event, the Château and the vineyard date back several hundred years. In fact, Château Mauvesin Barton was built as a real fort with towers, machicolations and arrow slits. The estate was first acquired by Jean de Foix Grailly in 1457. At the end of the fifteenth century it became the property of the Riviere family and was to remain so for many years. In 1853, the last Marquis of Mauvesin, Lodois Le Blanc de Mauvesin commissioned the construction of the spectacular Château as we know it today.  In August 2011, the Baricault du Carpia family sold the property to Lilian and Michel Barton Sartorius. Until then, the property produced wine that was sold as Château Mauvesin, but when the estate was purchased in 2011 the Barton family decided to change its name to Château Mauvesin Barton. The Barton family owns two famous Saint-Julien estates : Château Léoville Barton and Château Langoa Barton. 

Château Mauvesin Barton is located in the commune of Moulis-en-Médoc within the Haut-Médoc appellation of Bordeaux. Moulis-en-Médoc lies between the more famous appellations of Margaux and Saint-Julien, approximately 30 kilometers northwest of the city of Bordeaux. Taking advantage of being slightly distanced in this way, Moulis has developed its own identity and this personality can be found in the wines. At the end of the 19th century, the surface area of vineyards in the Moulis appellation grew considerably and the wines produced were already of excellent quality. The Château is located on the Left Bank of the Gironde estuary which provides a temperate maritime climate with warm summers and mild winters bringing optimal quality for grape growing. Château Mauvesin Barton has a 55 hectares vineyard comprising 54% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Cabernet Franc. The vines have an average age of 35 years. 

The Barton’s family with their centuries of expertise and unique experience ensure that each of the four family members and the team plays a distinct role in continuing the tradition and sharing their passion for the wines. The wines of the Château are of the highest quality, thanks to the commitment of the team to preserve the vine and the environmentally-friendly winemaking methods throughout the production process. Indeed, environmental protection is key in each of the family’s estates. At Château Léoville Barton as at Château Langoa Barton over 12% of the vineyard is farmed organically with no synthetic products. It is with this same respect for nature that Château Mauvesin Barton has chosen integrated agricultural methods. 

At Mauvesin Barton, the terroir is composed of gravel, clay and limestone soils. The wines of Château Mauvesin Barton are a reflection of the Moulis en Medoc terroir and the Barton’s family dedication to quality winemaking. Typically composed of a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the wine embodies the elegance and finesse that characterize the Haut-Médoc region. Château Mauvesin Barton wines are known for their deep, dark fruit aromas such as blackcurrant and plum. On the palate, the wine offers a fine balance between ripe fruit flavors, subtle oak influences and well-integrated tannins. The wine pairs with all types of classic meat dishes but also with Asian dishes. 

"Melanie Barton has now been in charge at Mauvesin-Barton for 10 years, and there is a real feeling of the wine having found its voice - a gentle, fruit-forward Moulis with finesse if not a huge amount of power. Delicate with vibrancy, plenty of blackberry fruits with well-defined but soft tannins, they have really done a great job in the vintage, a value pick and I can't remember tasting a better example of this wine during en primeur. They suffered badly from frost in 2021." - Jane Anson, Decanter, (05/25/2021), Ratings: 92

"Redcurrants, black raspberries, spice, and smoked tobacco all emerge from the 2020 Château Mauvesin Barton. Medium-bodied, with a supple, elegant texture, sweet tannins, and a great finish, it's one heck of an impressive Moulis that will keep for a good 10-12 years." - Jeb Dunnuck, (06/04/2021), Ratings: 90-92