Château Léoville Poyferré 2019

Throws off gorgeous warmed plum, blueberry reduction and açaí berry compote aromas and flavors, laced with ganache and sweet tobacco from start to finish. Delivers ample structure in the guise of a cold cast iron note buried underneath the showy fruit, with a flash of violet for treble in the background. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2040. 15,000 cases made.

3% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc add extra subtlety to this classy St-Julien. On the nose there are pronounced exotic characters with Asian spice and cedar wood, combining with plump dark plum fruit and juicy blackberry. More sweetness evident on the palate than many other Haut-Médoc wines, with a mouthfeel that has great balance and purity. Will drink well at a (relatively) young age.

Blackcurrant, wet earth with fresh black mushroom aromas. Some chocolate, too. Full-bodied with layers of beautiful, ripe fruit and creamy tannins. It’s chewy and focused. Impressive balance. Try after 2025.

67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot. Barrel sample. Deep purple hue. Rich yet restrained, with great purity of fruit. Cassis and spice aromas. Powerful tannic frame, layered with unctuous fruit. Mouth-filling, showing a bit of muscle. A big wine with plenty of matière. Long finish. One for the cellar. (JL)

The 2019 Léoville Poyferré is cut from the same cloth as the Ducru Beaucaillou, though without delivering quite the same panache. There is richness here, but it is contained at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins. Velvety smooth in texture, there is real finesse that becomes more apparent towards the finish that displays exquisite balance and wonderful length. The kind of wine that begs the response: more please. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.

One of the top vintages of Leoville Poyferre, the wine shows a beautiful dark color in the glass. The showy nose opens with black and red fruits, espresso, cocoa, tobacco leaf, smoke, and floral aromas. On the palate, the wine shines with multiple layers of sensuously textured, deep, ripe, dark red fruits, plush, polished tannins, and a multi-layered, lusciously textured, long, vibrant finish. This will age and evolve for decades with little trouble. Drink from 2027–2055.

Dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections, subtle brightening on the rim. An inviting bouquet with ripe, black forest fruits, subtle notes of liquorice, nougat and coconut, and hints of oak. Juicy blackberries and black cherries, well-integrated, vivid tannins, lively acidity, and a touch of dark nougat on the finish. Still a touch underdeveloped, will benefit from further bottle ageing.

Aromatic richness and complexity with crushed black currant, black cherry, fine oak, leather, tobacco, and plenty of fine spices. Very nice palate combining concentration and freshness with exemplary tannins, very long and lingering with layers of digest dark fruit and great depth.

The flagship 2019 Château Léoville Poyferré is based on 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot. It's one of the bigger, richer wines of the vintage, with a gorgeous, thrilling, full-bodied style and notes of crème de cassis, tobacco leaf, violets, and chocolate. While many estates seem to be playing it safe and focusing on so‑called elegance and balance, I love that Poyferré continues to make a ripe, sexy, beautifully textured wine that always offers more opulence and sexiness than most in the vintage. Ranking with the crème de la crème of the vintage, this gorgeous Poyferré can be enjoyed any time over the coming 40–50 years. Bravo!

Kunz barrel sample 2020: (67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, 14.18% alc./vol.) Concentrated, deep, dark bouquet: black berries, licorice, currants, cassis cream, dark noble woods, a hint of eucalyptus. Concentrated, tightly woven, multi-layered, powerful palate with dense, dark fruit, plenty of fine tannins, a muscular yet elegant structure, a varied, dark, dense aroma profile, and a very long, powerful, aromatic finish with many dark afterflavors.

(67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, 14.18% vol. alcohol) Concentrated, deep, dark bouquet: black berries, liquorice, currants, cassis cream, dark noble woods, a delicate hint of eucalyptus. Concentrated, tightly woven, multi-layered, powerful palate with dense dark fruit, plenty of fine tannins, a muscular yet elegant structure, diverse dark, dense aromatics, and a very long, powerful, aromatic finish with many dark after-flavours. 19/20 2026 - 2060

The 2019 Leoville Poyferre is composed of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it charges out of the glass with bold notions of baked black plums and boysenberry preserves leading to notions of cassis, cedar chest, and menthol. The medium- to full-bodied palate is light on its feet, with nuanced black fruits and plush tannins, finishing long with a skip in its step.

The 2019 is locked down at this stage—very concentrated, rich, tight on the finish, and also marked by its oak. The ingredients are there to make a beautiful bottle in about a decade… patience. It is the most massive wine of the appellation.

Poyferré has an impressive bouquet that masterfully combines seduction and authenticity. It reveals pleasant notes of blueberries and caramel, along with aromas of redcurrants and blackberries. On the palate, the wine stands out for its suppleness, density, and fine-grained tannins. The tannins are imposing in the way they unfold. It’s true that the attack is rather measured, but this changes dramatically from mid-palate onward, as with many of the great 2019 wines. So much power and length. I believe this wine still has plenty of surprises in store, and it’s very wise to have some in the cellar.

Dark, intense, and beautiful color. A very aromatic nose—fruity, subtle, deep, and slightly creamy. Soft on the attack, the wine quickly gains texture mid-palate and is very aromatic. Suave and powerful, it caresses the palate and finishes deep, long, and noble on very well-wrapped tannins. Lovely persistence.

This is big-shouldered, with plenty of sculpted, carefully extracted tannins. Layer upon layer of savoury, mouthwatering cassis and bilberry fruits, showing their creamy texture only once things relax in the glass. Teasingly gourmet notes of liquorice, dark chocolate, slate and charcoal play alongside the fruit. This is a seriously impressive Poyferré, where the drama builds slowly and promises a long life ahead. Juicy on the finish. Harvest September 22 to October 11. 80% new oak. The 100th vintage for Léoville Poyferré under the Cuvelier family. Tasted blind (along with the rest of the St Juliens) and it stood out as exceptionally good quality.