Anthony Barton of Chateau Leoville-Barton has been named Decanter Man of the Year 2007.
One of Bordeaux's most respected proprietors, Barton the 24th Man of the Year joins an illustrious club.
The first to hold the torch was Lebanese veteran Serge Hochar of Chateau Musar in 1984. He was followed by Margaux proprietors Laura and Corinne Mentzelopoulos who along with May-Eliane de Lencquesaing of Chateau Pichon Lalande and Jancis Robinson MW are the only women to be awarded the honour.
Other great names include Robert Mondavi, Grange's Max Schubert, Andre Tchelistcheff, Angelo Gaja, Paul Draper, Ernst Loosen and many more.
'It was a great surprise,' Barton told decanter.com. 'I don't deserve it but I'm absolutely thrilled. I know quite a few of the previous men of the year like Len Evans so I'm in good company.'
Barton features in the forthcoming April issue of Decanter magazine, in an interview with Stephen Brook, in which he speaks in detail of his often controversial attitude to pricing.
'Unlike almost everyone else in Bordeaux,' Brook writes, 'he refused to increase his opening prices in [the mediocre] 1997.'
Barton said he refuses to 'play the game of always competing with my neighbours. That's all about vanity and doesn't help the image of Bordeaux.'
And he adds that he's quite happy that Leoville-Barton is cheaper than its peers. After all, he says, there are only so many new cars one can buy after each vintage.
The Irish-born veteran of Bordeaux he has lived there 55 years, and has run Leoville-Barton and its neighbour Langoa-Barton since his uncle Ronald Barton retired in 1984 says that one country that interests him is South Africa.
He'd like to try something there, he tells Brook, 'but it's only in recent years that our financial position would have made that possible, and now it's rather too late.'
He tells decanter.com that by 'too late' he means that there is certain instability in the political situation, 'and also because I am 76 years old and I want to spend more time at home in Bordeaux.'
Barton is now looking forward to the Man of the Year dinner on 13 March at London's Turf Club. 'Some of the guests are offering some wonderful wines. Jean Hugel is bringing a Riesling, and Pol Roger are going to bring some Champagne for the beginning and at the end.
'I'm doing the seating plan now. It's very difficult as there are various people who may get offended if they're put in the wrong place.'
2006 Marcel Guigal - Rhône
2005 Ernst Loosen - Mosel
2004 Brian Croser - Adelaide Hills
2003 Jean-Michel Cazes - Bordeaux
2002 Miguel Torres - Penedès
2001 Jean-Claude Rouzaud -
Champagne
2000 Paul Draper - California
1999 Jancis Robinson MW - London
1998 Angelo Gaja - Piedmont
1997 Len Evans, OBE AO -Australia
1996 Georg Riedel - Austria
1995 Hugh Johnson - London
1994 May-Eliane de Lencquesaing -
Bordeaux
1993 Michael Broadbent - London
1992 André Tchelistcheff - California
1991 José Ignacio Domecq - Jerez
1990 Prof Emile Peynaud - Bordeaux
1989 Robert Mondavi - California
1988 Max Schubert - Australia
1987 Alexis Lichine - Bordeaux
1986 Marchese Piero Antinori -
Florence
1985 Laura and Corinne Mentzelopoulos -
Bordeaux
1984 Serge Hochar - Lebanon
Have your say... To post your comment on this story, email us at news@decanter.com, making sure the relevant headline is in the subject field
It is fantastic to hear that Anthony Barton considers South Africa an interesting wine country, but would not invest now because there is certain instability in the political situation (and the fact that he is 76 years old!).
As a South African, I am saddened to read such statements. So our country was a no go area during apartheid, and now that we have liberation, we are still considered, by some, to be a no go area?
Why then do we have so many foreign investors like Michel Rolland, Zelma Long, Michel Laroche, the Rothschild family etc? Are we then to assume that these foreigners are simply going to have their way with us and then leave?
I think Mr Barton's statement is wholly unfair and potentially damaging. But, I suppose it is just his opinion!
Kate Simpson
One of my first-ever visits to the Medoc was at Château Langoa Barton, and I will always remember the intelligent welcome from Anthony Barton. Unpretentiously informative and decidedly humourful, he guided me through several delicious vintages of both Léoville and Langoa Barton in the elegant tasting room.
He is wrong about one thing: He does deserve Decanter's honour.
Panos Kakaviatos
Register on decanter.com absolutely free for news alerts delivered direct to your email inbox, and our fortnightly newsletter with advance notice of whats coming up in Decanter magazine, offers, competitions and more.
PLUS registration is a one-stop shop for the Decanter magazine Archive and Decanter Fine Wine Tracker.
It is fantastic to hear that Anthony Barton considers South Africa an interesting wine country, but would not invest now because there is certain instability in the political situation (and the fact that he is 76 years old!).
