CHÂTEAU MAUVESIN BARTON
2020 Cru Bourgeois Supérieur Moulis-en-Médoc
We wrote last year that 2019 was the best ever from young Melanie Barton - but it seems she has surpassed herself once again. The 2020 (her 10th year here) is so attractive and so complete. She is certainly in a good groove now. Charming nose that invites you in. Palate follows with high-toned fruit line. Delicate and floral too. Some red fruits - really pretty. Not broad not as dense as so many wines this year - but real poise and elegance. Good and 'claretty' feel is hard to resist. (6% Cabernet Franc, 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot)L&S (May 2021)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
Aromas of black cherries and mulberries with hints of licorice and dried orange peel. Medium-bodied with silky texture and firm, slightly chewy tannins. Structured and compact with succulent fruit and a lingering finish with some savory notes to it. Drink or hold. Rating: 92 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2023)
The 2020 Mauvesin Barton is silky, gracious and full of charm. Sweet floral aromatics and bright red berry fruit give this midweight, understated Moulis tons of immediacy and appeal. Such a pretty wine. Drinking range: 2025 - 2035 Rating: 89-91 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Jun 2021)
This is a fairly firm Mauvesin with a deep purple hue, a bright blackberry-themed perfume, a sleek palate and a perky, mint-flecked finish. There is a tension throughout the experience that points at the slightly compressed vintage and also the firmness of the acidity which refreshes the palate beautifully. Many wines in this vintage have a feeling of slight unripeness but Mauvesin feels complete in spite of its tender alcohol level and this makes it a resounding success in 2020. Rating: 16.5+ Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (May 2021)
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. Drinking range: 2023 - 2032 Rating: 92 Jane Anson, Decanter (May 2021)
Château Mauvesin Barton
Château Mauvesin was purchased by the Barton family in 2011 after having been in the same family since the late 15th century. There are 49ha of vineyard in a single block around the elegant château (built 1853), with another 9 alongside in the Haut-Médoc rather than Moulis appellation. The main block is currently planted with 46% Merlot and 16% Cabernet Franc on calcareous clay, and 36% Cabernet Sauvignon planted on the gravel and sandy part, with 2% Petit Verdot. Its former Cru Bourgeois status seems to have lapsed, although the immediate investment in new kit by the Bartons would indicate a desire to reclaim it. The average vine age is around 35 years. Plot by plot vinification in small volume stainless steel tanks is followed by 14 mothns ageing in barrel, of which 1/3 is new wood. Melanie Barton-Sartorius is the technical director, the consulting oenologist is the Boissenot team.
Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those on the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do contact our private client team via email or on 020 7018 0187.
Ordering
Prices are all in bond by the case size stated.
Pre-Orders are a firm commitment to buy wines on release, as long as the release price is within the upper and lower price bands set by you on the pre-order form. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability but providing this firm commitment to buy effectively gives you priority and is a good idea for the most desirable wines.
Wines listed on the website can be ordered in the usual way via the website wishlist order form. You can also send orders directly to our private client team via email. Please note that, for the most sought-after wines, priority will be given to those who ordered the same wines last year and to those that have pre-ordered.
Confirmation
All orders will be confirmed by email and are binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of email confirmation. Pre-orders are not binding if the release price is above your upper price band.
Invoices are all raised at the in bond price (excluding any duty and VAT) which will become payable at the prevailing rates when the wines arrive in the UK, should you wish to take duty paid delivery.
Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We regret we cannot accept credit cards for en primeur orders. We reserve the right to apply a dunning charge of 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.
Delivery
- Shipment to our bond (at LCB Creek Road) and insurance are included in the in bond price.
- Delivery is free to Lea and Sandeman / Elephant storage accounts, both duty paid and in bond.
- Other deliveries (In Bond and Duty Paid) are also free subject to a minimum order from the offer of £500. Orders below this total will be charged an administration and handling fee of £16.50+ VAT when invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
- Delivery of 2024 Bordeaux bought en primeur is expected during 2026. Delivery dates may vary as wines are shipped from Bordeaux at different times.
Practical notes - how it works
We start a sale in each customer's name and add all their primeur orders to one sale which is invoiced at the end of the campaign (or when the customer wishes). Immediate payment of invoices is then required by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option but please note that confirmed orders are still binding even if the final invoice has not yet been issued.
Please specify on your wishlist order form where you would like the wines shipped on arrival in the UK. If this is to a third-party bonded warehouse, please specify the relevant account details. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue a second invoice for duty and VAT at the prevailing rate when the wines are available for delivery.
Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.
One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the format you want. While most of our listings are for 75cl bottles, we can source wines in any format that is offered by the Château. Please note that format requests cannot be changed once wines have been invoiced. Additional charges for special formats do apply and are as follows:-
- +£18.00 per case of 12 half-bottles
- +£30.00 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£7.50 per case of 3 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£11.00 per case of 6 Magnums
- +£45.00 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£60.00 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.
Storage Options:
Wines bought en primeur won't arrive in the UK until 2026. If you do not wish to take home delivery at that point, you may wish to consider where you would like the wines shipped. Lea & Sandeman offers duty paid and in bond storage through a dedicated storage company called Elephant Storage. For more details on the terms and fees associated with storage please go to our Storage Homepage or contact our private client team for more information.