A Tribute to Anthony Barton
K&L’s Co-owner and Bordeaux Buyer Clyde Beffa Jr with Léoville-Barton’s Anthony Barton.
Last week, the wine world lost one of its giants: Anthony Barton had shepherded the estates of Léoville-Barton and Langoa-Barton into legendary status, and was often called the “gentleman of Bordeaux” for his charm and humor. He was well known for being an entertaining racontuer and was a dear friend to K&L. Below, some of our Bordeaux staff pay tribute to this great man.
From Co-owner and Bordeaux Buyer Clyde Beffa Jr:
I first met Anthony Barton on my very first trip to Bordeaux in 1985—tasting the great 1984s. This was my first day ever tasting at the Bordeaux châteaux. My tasting notebook of 1985 says: we (myself, Mike Temple, etc., with Bill Blatch’s group) arrived at the property at 2:15 on Friday, April 12, 1985 (we were at Pichon-Lalande at 12:15 and must have had a quick Bill Blatch lunch before Barton). Todd was 40 years old this day!!! We were told we were the first to taste the 1984 Léoville-Barton out of barrel—decent notes. Then we tasted the 1983 vintage; that got great notes from me (I believe this was Anthony's first vintage at Barton). Anthony said it was a festive week: His daughter Lilian was getting married on Saturday, and there would be 600 people at the reception. We were not invited to the wedding—but went to Château Arnauld among others on that Saturday.
Every year we would taste with Anthony in his tasting room with the big fountain—always with one of his dogs. He was a great storyteller, and had some great jokes too.
K&L did one of our first wine tasting dinners in the late ‘80s in Redwood Shores at the French hotel Sofitel—this was the finest Bordeaux property owner list we’ve ever assembled, and it included Jean-Michel Cazes (Lynch-Bages), Anthony Barton (Léoville-Barton), May-Éliane de Lencquesaing (Pichon-Lalande), Anthony Perrin (Carbonnieux), Jean Paul Valette (Pavie), Eric d'Aramon (Figeac), and several others. I sat with Anthony that evening at the dinner, and, from then on, I considered Anthony a good friend.
Anthony was part of the Fête du Bordeaux group that would come to K&L each year for 1–2 dinners showing the new vintage and older ones. (Anthony attended from the 1990s through 2009). Jean-Michel Cazes and Jean-Guillaume Prats were the other two original members of the tour.
We shared several dinners and lunches together in Bordeaux, and even in SF with his wife Eva and my wife Kay. He was the quintessential gentleman, and I am so lucky to have enjoyed so many tastings and dinners with him. I will never forget him.
From Ralph Sands, Senior Bordeaux Specialist:
Anthony was a giant in the business of Bordeaux wine. His personality matched his wines: bold, flavorful, and expressive. He was a gracious gentleman at home or on the road, which made him a magnet to everyone he met. His wines were sometimes at the pinnacle of quality, always good and represented the greatest value of the classified growths. Way back when a Robert Parker score ruled the world, he told me he hoped he would not receive a 100-point score—which sounded crazy—but he said if that happens everyone will buy his wine, the price will skyrocket, and everyone will treat it like a trophy. He said, “It will collect dust, and no one will drink my wine!” Along with a few of the people mentioned above in Clyde's tribute, if there were to be a Mount Rushmore in Bordeaux, Anthony would be there. My wife and I toasted him, his wonderful life and family last night with a great bottle of 1995 Léoville-Barton. Cheers and many thanks to Anthony!