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Léoville Poyferré 2010

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > St Julien
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyCabernet Sauvignon/Merlot
Also available in the following mixed case:

View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château Léoville Poyferré

Label

Tasting Notes

The wine out distances both Leoville Las Cases and Leoville Barton, but all three of them are compelling efforts. Full-bodied, dense purple in color, with floral notes intermixed with blackberries, cassis, graphite and spring flowers, this full-bodied, legendary effort is long and opulent, with wonderfully abundant yet sweet tannin, a skyscraper-like mid-palate and a thrilling, nearly one-minute finish. This spectacular effort from Poyferre that should drink well for 30+ years. Drink 2013-2043.

Another spectacular wine from the Cuvelier family, Leoville Poyferre (along with Ducru Beaucaillou) may be one of the two best wines of St.-Julien year after year these days. This is a large estate, covering nearly 200 acres, and the final blend of the 2010 Leoville Poyferre is 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, a whopping 34% Merlot and the rest 7% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc.

98+
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (205), March 2013

The 2010 Léoville-Poyferré takes the 2009 and ups the ante with brilliantly defined, intense black fruit. Perhaps it is just a little more "serious" compared to the previous vintage, but is finely chiseled and displaying more mineralité. The palate has mellowed since I last tasted it, developing more rondeur and a more caressing texture. Extremely pure in style, this fans out wonderful, fills the mouth and lingers for a minute. One of the highlights of Didier Cuvelier’s career, this has a long future ahead. "LP" just does not get better than this. Tasted at the Léoville-Poyferré vertical at the château with Sara Lecompte Cuvelier.

97
Neal Martin, vinous.com, June 2021

Wow. Very intense and aromatic nose with crushed currants and blueberries with hints of nuts and dried flowers. Full body, with very refined tannins and a lovely undercurrent of fruit. Balanced and juicy. Better in 2018.

95
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, February 2013

Medium to deep garnet-brick in color, the 2010 Leoville Poyferre is a little closed and broody to start, soon unfurling to offer glimpses at blackcurrant preserves, chocolate-covered cherries, and dried mulberries, plus wafts of tobacco, pencil lead, and smoked meats. Medium-bodied, the palate has a rock-solid frame of chewy tannins and oodles of freshness supporting the muscular fruit, finishing long and earthy.

96
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent, June 2022

This has depth, texture, power, the generosity of Poyferré with the slow steely progression of the vintage - a brilliant mix of the two. Cassis, bilberry, cigarbox, curling woodsmoke, bitter chocolate, rosemary, blue fruit, coffee. There is clear acidity here but it is matched pace for pace by fleshy textured fruit and slate, tugging, slowed-down tannins. Harvest October 1 to 18. 80% new oak.

98
Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com, October 2021

Looks very concentrated. Dark purple. Thick and rich. Some sweetness and lots of tannin. Everything but the kitchen sink in here. Super-concentrated. Should make great old bones. Very dry, long finish.

18
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, February 2014

Dark fruit, introverted. Oak showing strongly on the nose. Then a fine, elegant density on the palate, with lots of structure and incipient flesh starting to fill it out. Very long, embryonic. Drink 2018 - 2035.

18
Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, August 2013

Like its neighbour Léoville Barton, Poyferré is always very good value for money when first offered en primeur. The consistently high quality and modest price mean that Poyferre is always a wine to consider purchasing en primeur as mature vintages tend to be much more expensive. Consultant oenologue Michel Rolland produces wines with a smoother, more fleshy character than the seriously structured wines of its neighbours. The result is a delicious St Julien that can usually charm early in its life and can stand the test of time. Made from a lower percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon than most Saint Juliens, this is 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 3 % Cabernet Franc and matured in 75% new oak. An opulent nose with rich, creme de cassis and black cherries. A beautifully plump and creamy texture with summer fruits and a silky, polished mouth-feel. There is plenty of structure but the juicy, plush fruit fills the palate. Beautiful balance, is this another 1990 in the making?

96+
Farr Vintners, April 2011

The nose is plush the fleshy black fruits enriched by chocolate. Fruit power packs out the mid palate the richness held in check at the moment by firm tannins and the freshness on the back palate. There are so many different layers of flavour on the palate, so much complexity.

92/96
Derek Smedley MW, April 2011
94
Tim Atkin MW, timatkin.com, April 2011

Fine extraction of black fruits, both richer and more tannic than the Barton, very good ripeness for long ageing. Drink 2020-40.

18.5
Steven Spurrier, Decanter.com, April 2011

Really opulent – concentrated and ripe and expressive. Shows off the vintage: pure, pixel-perfect fruit. As such, it has a sort of sheen that could almost use a bit of roughing around the edges, but it remains an immaculate example of the left bank in 2010.

18
Richard Hemming MW, JancisRobinson.com, December 2014
Read more tasting notes...

One of the prodigious wines of the vintage, the Cuvelier family has produced an outstanding 2010 that must tip the scales at 14.5+% alcohol. It boasts an opaque purple color in addition to a sweet perfume of spring flowers, black raspberries, creme de cassis and a hint of spicy oak. This seamlessly constructed St.-Julien possesses massive concentration, moderately high tannins, abundant glycerin, an unctuous texture, remarkably fresh acids and wonderful precision. It will benefit from 5-6 years of cellaring and last 30-35 years. Drink 2016-2051.

95/98
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (194), May 2011

The 2010 Léoville-Poyferré has a very intense bouquet with blackberry, briary cedar and light estuarine/seaweed aromas that are very well defined. Pure class. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannins, layers of pure black fruit laced with pencil lead and a pinch of white pepper. It fans out wonderfully towards the finish, a Saint-Julien demonstrating wonderful density and precision. What an outstanding wine, perhaps less flamboyant than other vintages, one that will last decades. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal. Drink 2023-2050.

97
Neal Martin, vinous.com, April 2020

Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Leoville-Poyferre 2010 dares to challenge Jean-Hubert Delon! It has a wonderful bouquet with vibrant blackcurrant, raspberry and warm gravel scents - very well defined and very focused, the oak seamlessly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with a very pure opening, a fine line of acidity, a cashmere texture and a long silky smooth finish that is very seductive and feminine. There is a lot of panache here - utterly seductive.

96
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, March 2014

Tasted at the Union de Grand Cru in London. The Leoville Poyferre has an intense bouquet with blackberry, dark plum, violet and a touch of bay leaf - almost Margaux like in perfume - heady and opulent and not far removed from the 2009. The palate is full-bodied with succulent ripe black fruit laced with spice box and white pepper. It is very harmonious, crescendos to a vibrant, shimmering finish surfeit with minerality. Superb. Tasted November 2012.

95
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, February 2013

Tasted at the chateau and twice at the UGC, the Leoville Poyferre is a blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, a pH of 3.7 and alcohol at 14%. It has a spellbinding, extraordinarily pure bouquet that in an obtuse way reminds me of a Romanee St. Vivant. So much panache. The palate is medium-bodied with silky smooth tannins, one of the most sensual of all the 2010s that I have tasted. Seamless cashmere texture towards the finish with dark cherries, blueberry and crème de cassis all wrapped up in a veil of vanilla. Superb. Drink 2015- Tasted April 2011.

93/95
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, April 2011

This is so velvety and beautiful with a juicy, orange peel, raspberries and currant character on the nose and the palate. Full with a long, long finish. Wonderful texture to this wine. Dense and yummy

93/94
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, March 2011

Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Léoville Poyferré opens with notes of sautéed herbs and pencil shavings on the nose, giving way to scents of redcurrant jelly, baked plums and cedar chest plus a waft of cassis. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has pleasant energy and well-played, lightly chewy tannins with compelling freshness on the finish. 2020-2044

94
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (March 2020), March 2020

Very concentrated and luscious looking. Exceptionally deep crimson. Very fine and sophisticated on the nose. Both concentration and lift but then perhaps just a bit too concentrated on the palate? Certainly very attention grabbing with lots of very ripe, very dry fruit. Lustrous. With some welcoming appeal. Pure, luscious Médoc Cabernet. Very long and vibrant.

17.5
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2011
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.