| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > St Julien |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
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.
The 2011 Léoville Poyferré has a ripe bouquet with blackberry, boysenberry, graphite and pressed flower scents. Quite open and more fruit-driven than its peers. The palate is medium-bodied with gentle grip, quite fine tannins and satisfying weight. Touches of black pepper and cedar line the finish, though here, it just misses a bit of tension and Poyferré's trademark amplitude. Tasted blind at the annual 10-Year-On tasting. 2022 - 2038
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.
Like its neighbour Léoville Barton, Poyferré is always very good value for money when first offered en primeur (compared with Lascases anyway!). 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 58% Cabernet Sauvignon with the rest Merlot and a dash of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, aged in 75% new oak. A dark, impressively black, colour. Lovely spice on the nose and plump for the vintage. A very well-rounded, smooth palate. This is a wine with rare opulence for the vintage. Impeccably balanced with some spicy oak and ripe tannins complimenting the smooth fruit. A 2011 that will give pleasure.
The nose is rich deep black fruited profound. It feels fresher on the start of the palate with hints of red fruits that lighten and bring out a touch of spice. The back palate is sweet fruited well supported by the tannic structure.
Deeply coloured and ambitiously oaked, this is a wine that needs time to integrate in barrel. At the moment, the oak flavours and tannins hold the upper hand, but beneath the staves there are appealing flavours of green malt, mint and tea leaf. I just hope that that the oak won't dry the fruit out over time. 8+ years.
Well-extracted blackcurrant Cabernet fruit, very good ripeness and good tannins, an impression of power with elegance to come later. Drink 2017-2035
Another super effort from this estate, Leoville Poyferre-s 2011 possesses an opaque purple color in addition to a ripe, fragrant nose of black currant fruit, cedar, white chocolate and a touch of oak. Rich, layered and medium to full-bodied with unmistakable elegance and purity, vibrant acids and a fresh, lively personality, it will need 3-4 years of cellaring and should keep for two decades.
The Chateau Leoville Poyferre is a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 6% Cabernet Franc picked between 19th September and 1st October, sorted by optical machine. Astonishingly, it has a higher IPT than in 2010 at 94 compared to 82 last year. It has an attractive bouquet with fine delineation and freshness, fine tension and poise with exuberant blackberry and wild strawberry fruit infused with cedar and crushed stone. The palate is medium-bodied with tensile tannins, a sharp thread of citric acidity and very good weight. It lacks a little harmony towards the finish that shows a little hardness, but I think this will soften to turn out to be one of the finest Saint Julien wines in a difficult vintage. Tasted April 2012.
This shows a currant and berries with dark chocolate character. Full and chewy with a bright acidity. Structured too. A little austere. Wait and see. Only about 40% of the normal production. 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Petit Verdot.
