1961 Leoville Poyferre
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Tasting notes
The 1961 Léoville Poyferré is, to be frank, outclassed by its peers at this tasting. This bottle, which was bottled by "Grants of St. James's Ltd", has a light, dusty bouquet and clearly lacks some fruit concentration, with an odd fishy scent. The palate is marked by dry tannins and a touch of mustiness, though it gains weight towards the finish and actually coheres nicely. This was not a great era for this Saint-Julien, as evinced by this example. Tasted at the 1961 dinner at Ami restaurant in Hong Kong.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
The 1961 Léoville Poyferré continues to drink beautifully, wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet berry fruit, cigar box, vine smoke, carnal spices and loamy soil, followed by a medium-bodied, sweet and fleshy palate that's fine-boned, elegant and sapid, with good depth and intensity of flavor in a middle-weight format.
The 1961 Léoville-Poyferré has been a superior vintage to the 1959. Similar to other bottles at the time, it has a precocious, almost feral bouquet with high-toned sweet fruit, quite raisin-like. The palate is quite opulent with moderate grip, rather volatile towards the finish but still attractive. I suspect there is a great deal of bottle variation with this 1961, more than others.
About the producer
Ch. Léoville-Poyferré is a Second Growth Saint-Julien property that was once part of the same estate as Ch. Léoville Barton and Ch. Léoville Las Cases. It has the most complex and varied soils of the three and produces the most voluptuous, seductive style of wine.