2020 Leoville Poyferre
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Tasting notes
This is a very classic Léoville-Poyferré. The tannins are fine and fully resolved, with lots of rich, ripe cassis fruit and a warming opulence to the palate. The oak is very present but of high quality, bringing dark spice and vanilla to the palate. There is a lovely firmness to the tannins on the finish, adding depth and complexity to the structure. Still, this is medium-bodied for Léoville-Poyferré, but remains very fine, silky and compacted. Very good.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Special black-and-gold bottle for the centenary.Very deep purple. Heady with all the usual opulence and complexity. Still pretty youthful with a notably heavy charge of tannins. May even evolve later than the 2022. Very dry finish at present. (JR) (Drink between 2032-2052) (17.5+)
The 2020 Léoville Poyferré is quite backward on the nose, gradually unfurling with aeration to reveal introspective black fruit, licorice and touches of bay leaf. Returning after 20 minutes the aromatics develop life-affirming pixelation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine delineation—very pure and silky in terms of texture. This is lavished in some high-quality new oak, but there is plenty of fruit underneath. It will take several years to fully cohere, but it should be worth waiting for. This is stunning. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
Tasted blind. Black almost to the rim. Dark, savoury and oaky on the nose but with sweet, fresh damson fruit. Powerful, thick, dense. Not very obviously St-Julien in its infancy but has harmony within its powerful framework. Pretty dense and compact now. Moved this up half a point on retasting. (JH)
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.