Château Léoville Poyferré 2013

Shows good energy, with a vibrant, brambly spine that drives the plum cake, steeped currant and licorice flavors along. A solid bolt of singed apple wood pins down the finish. Best from 2017 through 2023. 12,894 cases made.

In an opulent style, this wine is full of ripe fruits and generous tannins. Juicy acidity gives it a fresh lift typical of the year, although this wine has a depth of flavor that promises well for its development. Drink from 2022.

Even in this vintage, Poyferre is a big, opulent wine, and it has now shed its youthful austerity. It remains dense and oaky on the nose, but it's voluptuous, too. Although less compact than the nose, the palate remains chewy and extracted, but that gives structure rather than brutality. The fruit remains subdued, but the finish is long and chocolatey.

A sleek and racy 2013 with mineral, blackberry and currant aromas. Subtle and perfumed. Medium body, silky tannins and a clean finish. Drink or hold.

The 2013 Léoville Poyferré shows more concentration on the nose than the Barton, with brambly red fruit mixed with leather and cedar. The palate is medium-bodied with a relatively sweet entry. There is an underlying sour cherry note here. It's candied on the finish, but it does miss the estate's signature depth and complexity. Drink now. Tasted at Bordeaux Index's 10-Year On tasting.

The Cuvelier family managed to produce quite a nice wine in this very difficult vintage. The tannins have a soft, ripe quality to their texture, and so does the fresh, black cherry and dark plum fruits. Give this 2-4 years and should be even better.

Very fine nose with floral and mineral hints, ripe cassis notes and wild berries. The palate has a good density and concentration with a backbone of grainy tannin, fresh acidity and very good length, balanced and vibrant.

One of the top wines in the vintage is unquestionably the 2013 Léoville Poyferré, which has more purity, texture, and depth than most. With medium-bodied richness, lovely notes of cassis, smoky oak, and violets, moderate tannins, and notable purity and finesse, it’s ideal for drinking over the coming decade or so.

65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc. 34 hl/ha. Extremely deep purple with lilac and violet highlights. A very spicy, Cabernet-driven bouquet: black pepper, licorice, and dark berries, with medium intensity. On the palate, more about substance than flesh, delivering terrific aromatic expression; the tannins are grainy and full of character. It feels like a truly great vintage, just with a bit less punch. A solid value that this year leaves a few Pauillac first growths behind and, for me, is the best Saint-Julien. Buy—if the price is right!

65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc. 34 hl/ha. Extremely dark purple with lilac and violet highlights. A very spicy, Cabernet-driven bouquet of black pepper, liquorice and dark berries, with moderate intensity. On the palate, more dense than fleshy, delivering terrific aromatics; the tannins are grainy and full of character. It’s like a truly great vintage, just with a little less power. A solid value this year, leaving a few Pauillac first growths behind it, and for me the best Saint Julien. Buy—if the price is right!

Velvety, spicy, powerful bouquet: black berries, tobacco, liquorice, blackberries, smoky notes, toasty aromas, black pepper. Powerful, classic palate with good fruit, plenty of fine, dry tannins, intense spicy aromatics, a masculine structure, and a long, robust finish with good return flavours. 18/20 2021 - 2036

Grilled cedar, touch of campfire, raspberry and black cherry fruit, this has some form and appeal, is ready to drink. Retains tannic grip on the finish also. 80% new oak. Harvest October 2 to 10.

The 2013 Leoville Poyferre is medium garnet colored with a touch of brick. The nose is slightly oxidized and flat, with hints of balsamic and raisins plus wafts of leather and tobacco. The medium bodied palate is dull and chewy, with a racy acidic line and rustic finish.

One of the vintage’s standout successes: rich, full-bodied and beautifully rounded on the palate, it delivers great intensity of fruity flavors. The ripe tannic structure suggests very good aging potential. Bravo!

The color is deep and the nose is nicely defined. The palate is dense, with good grape ripeness and a fine length, with a very slight vegetal hint on the finish that will disappear with aging.

Deep ruby red. A complex bouquet marked by black fruit and spices. A lively attack featuring candied fruit. The tannins are clearly present and powerful, yet they struggle to match the wine’s structure and alcohol. The fruit emerges late on the finish. A wine to follow, with real potential both in score and in ageing capacity.

Logo on the cork: LA Deep-coloured wine with a pleasant, fragrant nose. Tasty palate, a little light mid-palate and slightly oaky on the finish. Average length.