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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

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
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

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.