Château Langoa Barton

The estate

Thomas Barton left Ireland in 1722 and reached Bordeaux in 1725 to go into the wine trade. His descendant Hugh Barton bought Langoa in 1821, for 650,000 francs, and a piece of Léoville in 1826; the family has held both ever since, and Langoa, bought 5 years earlier, is the family house and the cellar of both wines. William Franck, whose Traité sur les vins du Médoc first appeared in 1824, already had Barton in place that year, under the name the estate was losing, Pontet-Langlois, ranked a third growth at 1,500 to 1,800 francs the tonneau (the old Bordeaux measure of a crop, 900 liters, or 4 barrels); his edition of 1853 spelled out the change: Langoa, Barton, ci-devant Pontet.

Ronald Barton, born in London in 1902, came to Bordeaux in 1924. Anthony Barton founded his own merchant house, Les Vins Fins Anthony Barton, in 1967 and took over the properties in 1983; his daughter Lilian Barton Sartorius succeeded him, the 9th generation of the family in Bordeaux. The 10th is at work now: Damien Barton Sartorius runs the properties, and Mélanie Barton Sartorius, who joined in 2013 as the first oenologist among the Bartons, is technical director at Mauvesin Barton.

The 20 hectares are gravel over a clay subsoil, with plots that look out over the Gironde, planted at 9,100 vines a hectare and 37 years old on average: 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc. The blend follows the year, 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc in 2021, 52, 40 and 8 in 2024. The wine spends 16 to 18 months in French oak, 60% new, and about 80,000 bottles are made a year.

At a glance

Appellation

Saint-Julien

Classification

Troisième Cru Classé 1855; MICHELIN Guide, 1 grape (2026)

Owners

The Barton family, since 1821

Direction

Damien Barton Sartorius

Vineyard

20 hectares; 9,100 vines a hectare; vines 37 years old on average

Ground

Gravel over clay, with plots overlooking the Gironde

Grapes

Cabernet Sauvignon 54%, Merlot 35%, Cabernet Franc 11%

Cellar

16 to 18 months in French oak, 60% new

Production

About 80,000 bottles a year

In history

A third growth as Pontet-Langlois, already under Barton, in 1824

Sources: Château Langoa Barton, the terroir · Château Langoa Barton, the dynasty · Château Langoa Barton, the wine · Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux, Langoa Barton · Conseil des Grands Crus Classés en 1855, the classified growths