Château Léoville Poyferré 2011

Even after bottling, Léoville Poyferré remains exactly the wine its master craftsman, Didier Cuvelier, wants in his glass: full-bodied, extract-rich, and yet perfectly balanced. Lovers of this wine are quick to reach for it…

This property, which has been on a qualitative tear over the last generation, has produced one of the most successful wines of 2011. A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, it is broad, rich, medium to full-bodied and dense. It boasts an inky/purple color as well as lots of concentration, silky tannins, and a bigger, richer mouthfeel than any of its St.-Julien peers. The result is one of the stars of the vintage.

Shows a warm charcoal note from the start, backed by melted fig, crushed blackberry and steeped black currant fruit. A strong graphite edge pins down the finish. Dark in profile, but defined and well-suited to mid-term cellaring. A very solid effort. Best from 2016 through 2026.

This is a really fruity wine that's opulent and gorgeously rich. There is a pepper edge, touches of new wood and a firm, dark core. Acidity and concentration are already integrated. Drink from 2018.

Densely-structured fruit backed up by firm tannins, not as ready to drink as some of the St-Juliens, and I would give it another three or four years to fully soften - or keep open for a good few hours before drinking. This is impressive for the vintage, it delivers both precision and creamy blackberry fruit. 6% Petit Verdot completes the blend.

Blackberry and currant aromas with hints of minerals. Full body, firm tannins and a fresh finish. Chewy and reserved. Just the right amount of fruit covering the tannins. Harmony for the vintage. Better in 2017.

This showed better than en primeur. Black core, deep cherry rim. Intense, ripe dark fruit but not dried fruit or overripe. Big, firm and dry, all tongue-tied on the palate but with real finesse and refinement. (JH)

The 2011 Léoville-Poyferré is a wine that I tasted from barrel but rarely in bottle. It does not quite live up to my expectations. It is now missing a bit of vigour on the nose, conservative and missing some joie-de-vivre. The palate is medium-bodied with light tannins. Pretty red fruit are laced with sea salt and a pinch of spice, but it fades towards the finish. How much more does the 2011 have in the tank? Tasted at the Léoville-Poyferré vertical at the château with Sara Lecompte Cuvelier.

Leoville Poyferre is on fire. Producing a wine this good in 2011 is really saying something. The complex nose of truffle, smoke, black cherry nd earth lets you know the wine is good. If that did not seal the deal, the fresh, sweet, soft fruits and peppy finish is going to do the trick. This is a very good wine which will only get better with 3-5 years of bottle age.

Dark ruby garnet, purple reflections, delicate ochre rim. Black berries, some cassis, fresh orange zest, a hint of mint oil, savoury bouquet. Medium body, currants, blackberries, strong tannins, delicately salty, lemony-fresh finish, some nougat, definitely still needs time.

Very deep colour. The nose is modern and flamboyant, with toasted oak, coffee, mineral notes, dark berries, cassis and cigar box. A very concentrated palate with plenty of dark fruit and fine-quality tannins; very fresh and vibrant despite its concentration, with elegant fruit and a very rich, long finish. Excellent potential.

What an invigorating bouquet of ripe red plum, sour-cherry jam and fragrant pipe tobacco. On the second pass, nougat chocolates and cranberry drops. On the sublime palate, supported by a structuring tannic framework, it shows fine grip; everything is in balance, with finely grained extract density and a well-trained, athletic body. The long, focused finish delivers red berries, juniper and a dark, terroir-driven spice. A top value from St.- Julien that will benefit from 3 to 4 hours of decanting.

58% Ca, 30% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc. 32 hl/ha. Deep purple-garnet, dense at the core, with a violet sheen at the rim. Wonderful floral Cabernet spice, red and blue cherries, followed by a peppery touch with a hint of summer truffle and certain tar-like nuances. Plenty of substance in the extract, great concentration, finely grainy texture, medium drive. This time it’s finding its way back to a more classic style. (18/20). 21: Surprisingly dark colour, purple with violet reflections. Powerful on the nose, almost with brute edges: wild Cabernet, tree bark, eucalyptus, camphor, rosemary needles and Szechuan pepper. Firm on the palate, conveying power and character; the flow is still finely grainy, showing it has not yet fully reached its first drinking window. What I really like are the many blue berries. The finish even tastes of blueberries. In any case, it will show even more power and juiciness over time. It stays true to itself. An ideal steak wine for a discerning barbecue. Decant for at least three hours. (18/20).

Deep, dense, dark, subtly off-dry bouquet: blackcurrant, blackberries, dark precious woods, black olives. Dense, powerful, aromatic palate with plenty of fine tannin, a firm, finely muscular structure, dark aromatics, good fruit, and a long, intense finish with many lingering flavors. Can still improve. 18/20. Drink through 2045.

There is an austerity to the tannins and the wine needs a few more years in bottle to really settle down, although you can begin now with a good long carafe. Inky ruby in colour, dark berry fruits infused with cappucino and smoked cedar notes, as it opens you really feel the benefit of Poyferré's confidence with extraction, as this avoids some of the issues of 2011s that can feel underwhelmingly subdued and manages to deliver a creamy texture. Same score as when tasted at the 10 years on point in early 2021. Harvest September 19 to October 1. 80% new oak.

The 2011 Leoville Poyferre is medium to deep garnet-purple in color. It gives up expressive notions of blackcurrants, black plums, and kirsch with touches of damp soil, dried Provence herbs, lavender, and tobacco. Medium-bodied, delicately fruited, and packing bold freshness, it has a chewy backbone and earth-laced finish.

A dense, tannic wine, slightly vegetal, with good length and superb substance.

A lovely maturity in the bouquet of Poyferré 2011, with spicy nuances such as Sichuan pepper followed by aromas of redcurrant. On the palate, the wine feels serene yet powerful. Its slightly firm tannins provide drive and, above all, the acidity supports the whole aromatic profile. A truly beautiful wine now entering the second decade of its life…

Once again, this wine shows an intense, deep nose, followed by a rich palate with a finish that is slightly firm, but not gritty. The future is his.