Anthony Barton: 1930-2022

Anthony Barton, legendary owner of 1855 2nd Growth Léoville Barton and 3rd Growth Langoa Barton in St Julien, and 5th generation of his family at the estate, has died at the age of 91.

Born in Straffan, Ireland, Barton lived in Bordeaux for over 70 years, first arriving to do a harvest in St Julien in 1948 with his uncle Ronald at the two properties their ancestor Hugh Barton had bought: Langoa in 1821 and Léoville in 1826 (followed in 1835 by Straffan House in County Kildare, inherited by Anthony’s elder brother Christopher). A few years later, in 1951, he moved permanently to Bordeaux aged just 21, after two years at Cambridge studying modern languages.

The Bordeaux that he moved to was still struggling after World War II, and it took a good few decades for the estate to earn enough to support him and his family. His uncle refused to let him work at the family châteaux, packing him off instead to their négociant house Barton & Guestier, which a few years later would be sold to Canadian drinks giant Seagram, with Barton remaining as export director until 1967 before founding Les Vins Fins Anthony Barton. No doubt his memories of that time helped inform his later pricing strategy at his estates, that were resolutely sensible.

He moved permanently to St Julien with his wife Eva on the death of his uncle Ronald in 1986, three years after his uncle (who died without heirs) had made him owner of Langoa and Léoville. And from there he made them truly his own. Anyone who met Anthony Barton has a story and a smile, and the wine world has reacted with an expected outpouring of memories. Emmanuel Cruse, owner of Château d’Issan in Margaux, said, ‘Anthony Barton was one of the very last of his generation to have lived through the war, and through the evolution of the Bordeaux wine industry over the 20th century.’

I have asked Sarah Kemp, former publisher of Decanter (this photo is taken when he was named Man of the Year in 2007), and long-term friend of Anthony, to write a longer piece, but in the meantime I would suggest listening to this wonderful podcast by Professor Charles Luddington, where he shares stories of the first of the Barton clan to arrive in Bordeaux from County Fermanagh, Thomas Barton in 1725 , and his accompanying article on the role of Irish merchants in the 18th century.

Anthony leaves his wife Eva, his daughter Lilian Barton-Sartorius and grandchildren Melanie and Damien. A private family funeral will be held on Friday January 21.