2022 Pavillon de Leoville Poyferre

Full bottle 1,274 g. Vines on gravel over sandy clay. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot. pH 3.83. 18 months in third-use oak barrels. Bottled June 2024. Inky dark crimson with black core and deepest crimson rim. Saturated colour. Sweet, dense fruit of blackberry and blackcurrant, sweet and biscuity/spicy but with a piercing cassis core. The sweet-savoury impression of roasted potato skins. Thick, chewy tannins. Rich, dramatic fruit, powerful and still fresh. A powerful young wine, all in balance for a long future and an attractive dry stony/chalky elegance on the finish. Not in the least tiring even though it is so young. (JH)

Ripe currants, cassis, graphite, leafy herbs, and smoky notes all emerge from the 2022 Pavillon De Léoville Poyferré, a full-bodied, rich, layered mouth-filling second wine that has ripe tannins, terrific overall balance, and a great finish. Based on 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, coming primarily from younger vines, it should keep nicely through 2042.

The 2022 Pavillon de Léoville-Poyferré, raised mainly in used oak barrels, has a pretty, floral bouquet featuring blackberry, cedar and wild mint aromas. Crushed violets emerge with time but recede after a few minutes of aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fleshy, almost saturated tannins. I like the finesse of this Pavillon, which is approachable and open, with a gentle grip and a little more pepperiness on the finish than expected. It's a charmer.