Chateau Leoville Poyferre Saint Julien 2018

Country: France Region: Bordeaux (St. Julien)

Varietal: 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot

Vintage: 2018 Colour: Red Style:  Dry

Producer: Chateau Leoville Poyferre

Description:

An icon of balance and tradition, St. Julien boasts the highest proportion of classed growths in the Médoc. St. Julien wines are for those wanting subtlety, balance and consistency in their Bordeaux. Rewarding and persistent, the best among these Bordeaux Blends are full of blueberry, blackberry, cassis, plum, tobacco and liquorice. They are intense and complex and finish with fine, velvety tannins.

Léoville Poyferré has been owned by the Cuvelier family (who also own Château Le Crock) since 1921, yet it was not until the 1970s, when Didier Cuvelier took control at the château, that quality began to improve. In the last 20 years, Didier, with the assistance of Michel Rolland since 1995, has turned Léoville Poyferré into one of St-Julien's finest estates.

Tasting Note:

The 2018 vintage of Léoville Poyferré has a deep garnet colour with purple highlights. Beautifully shiny and limpid, this wine displays a youthful colour. Juicy, generous aromas of red and black fruits burst from the glass, accompanied by notes of oak and plenty of freshness.
On the palate, the wine takes on a lot of breadth while retaining its juicy character. Suave, aromatic notes of black fruits and oak persist. The tannins are still quite present and will develop a lovely patina with a little aging. The powerful, dense finish lingers on and on.

2018 is an exceptional vintage and affirms its immense aging potential.

100 points Jeb Dunnuck

 Every bit as good as the 2009, and I think better than the 2010 and 2016, the 2018 Château Léoville Poyferré is a total thrill that tops out my scale. Based on 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, its dense purple hue is followed by an incredible, full-bodied monster of a wine that, despite massive amounts of fruit, tannins, and extract, still stays weightless and ethereal, with incredible purity. Loaded with notions of crème de cassis, spring flowers, tobacco, violets, charcoal, and cedar pencil, it's extraordinarily concentrated, flawlessly balanced, and has a finish that won't quit. This is a legendary wine in the making. Give bottles 7-8 years, a decade would be even better, and it will keep for 40-50 years. Hats off to the Cuvelier family for another extraordinary wine!  

97 points James Suckling

 Dark cherry, plum, spice and cacao with earthy notes and wood undertones. Cloves, too. Full-bodied, yet in control and poised. Balanced, complex and flavourful. Firm tannins and a long, precise finish. It goes on and on. Structured is the word. Try after 2025.  

97 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

 A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, aged in 80% new oak barriques, the 2018 Léoville Poyferré comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant scents of Morello cherries, plum preserves and blackberry pie, giving way to nuances of cedar chest, unsmoked cigars, vanilla pod and sassafras, plus a waft of crushed rocks. The palate is full-bodied, rich and decadent, delivering hedonic black fruits and lots of spicy accents with a velvety texture and seamless freshness, finishing long and satisfyingly savoury. This is a very impressive showing that is delicious out of the gate but has the backbone to give a good 30 years or more of pleasure. (LPB)  

97 points Vinous

 Léoville-Poyferré is sensational in 2018. There's not much more to say than that. A wine of explosive power and intensity, the 2018 dazzles from start to finish. To be sure, the 2018 is racy and opulent, but all the elements come together so effortlessly. Bright red-toned fruit, mocha, pine and wild flowers all open with a bit of coaxing. The new oak is a bit prominent at this stage, but that will be less of an issue over time. (AG)  

97 points Wine Enthusiast

 Richly dense and impressively concentrated, this is a powerful wine. Swathes of black fruits show off the Cabernet structure and dark, age worthy character of this wine. Drink the wine from 2027. *Cellar Selection* (RV)  

97 points Wine Spectator

 Waves of warmed cassis, mocha and warm tar aromas lead the way, while the core of macerated plum, blackberry and blueberry fruit waits its turn, showing admirable breadth and depth when it arrives, with roasted apple wood, bramble and cast iron buried deeply through the finish. This is a powerfully rendered wine with a cashmere scarf as accent. *Ranked #7 Wine Spectator Wine of the Year 2021* (JM)  

96 points Decanter

 One of the darkest in colour, with an inky ruby that stains the glass. Even on the nose you feel the texture of this wine. Clear damson and chocolate shavings, cocoa beans and liquorice. This is young and extremely good-quality - straying into gold territory, and will age for ages. Still extremely young, the tannins are multiplying as it stays in the mouth, popping up from all over the place, with a slow slate finish that I love. I couldn't wait to find out what this was. It is one that should be left for 10 to 15 years but has ageing potential. (JA)  

K&L Notes

95 points Neal Martin for Vinous: "The 2018 Léoville Poyferré has a glorious bouquet of layers of black cherry, blueberry, violet and potpourri that is opulent yet (paradoxically) effortlessly controlled. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins. Some of the puppy fat that enveloped this wine from barrel has gone, revealing more backbone and an impressive sense of cohesion and symmetry on the finish. This is an outstanding Léoville Poyferré that has gained another level of complexity since I tasted it from barrel."