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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.1 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 123 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Vinumming & Ahhing on 5/8/2024 & rated 93 points: Small Claret Dinner (SW11): Fully mature, there is a touch of hibiscus and cigar box on the nose. Palate is enveloping and sensual with spice and meat juices. With air some rhubarb coulis and the faintest hint of Macadamia. Yummy (181 views) | | | Tasted by PoyferrAgent1998 on 2/10/2024 & rated 91 points: Impressive wine, expressive and aromatic. The oak was still quite apparent, but gave the wine attractive sweetness and fullness. Approachable and likable wine. (539 views) | | | Tasted by Claret & CdP Gang on 1/13/2024 & rated 93 points: Double decanted to remove sediments, mature color, lovely refined nose of old cupboards, dusty tannins, v mellow, fully mature & at peak
93 (661 views) | | | Tasted by Juliansi on 7/16/2023 & rated 94 points: How amazingly youthful and lively this is both in the colour as well as the blackcurrant and spiced nose.
This seems to have developed a greater sense of purpose and density as the wine opened up, after bro SKT had bottle-breathed this magnum for 3 hours.
I found this to be more feminine, and in a more modern-style of Bordeaux, but reading the literature of critics perception of this over a decade ago, it used to come across as tougher and more austere.
Blend: 60% Cab, 37% Merlot and 3% Cab Franc.
Nose: Classical Bordeaux-like, with a bouquet of light cedar with intermingled black and red fruit. There were light spice aromatics too. How can this be in its mid-30s, simply amazing!
Palate: Ripe dark fruit, only very slight greenness and capsicum coming through.
Mid palate: Cigar box and cassis notes, with leather as well.
Body: Medium
Tannins: Medium plus.
Acidity: Medium and balanced.
Blinded guess: I guessed Saint-Julien as it was my birthday (Thanks bro!), and perhaps then.. a Leoville Las Cases? Turns out it’s the other Leoville!
The balance of fruit and tannins now is quite remarkable, and this magnum is in a beautiful place now. Some tertiary notes of mushroom with licorice notes coming through, but perhaps slower in this amazing magnum format.
Thanks to brother SKT for spoiling me not only with a birth-year 1974 Barolo, but this 1.5 L magnum Saint-Julien, my namesake!
The estate is located in the middle of the Saint-Julien appellation, in Bordeax's Left Bank. Château Léoville Poyferré is a Second Growth estate owned by the Cuvelier family.
The 1989 vintage is described as unique, but one which I have grown to admire and seek out! It is described that many of the 1989 Bordeauxs are ripe, rich and silky with more consistency across the Right Bank.
Spring: Wet and aauspicious start following the very mild winter conditions. Started improving rapidly after.
Enjoyed at my birthday dinner, probably the best bottle amongst the 11 wines, of which there were 4 magnums of 1.5 L !
Tang Room, Malaysia
16 Jul 2023 (1521 views) | | | Tasted by melvinyeowq on 4/23/2023 & rated 93 points: Jason's birthday: Had a little mustiness that blew off with air. Lush, dark red fruit on the nose and the palate, a tiny bit of unintegrated vanilla notes and greenness. This has aged gracefully with a lovely generosity and intensity to it for a 34 year old wine. Great showing but preferred La Conseillante for its elegance compared to the burlier nature of this. (2001 views) | | | Tasted by astroman on 4/23/2023 & rated 92 points: J's Birthday Dinner (Taste Paradise Ion): Blinded. Med purple, capsicum, cigar box, cassis, red cherry, plum, full body, med acid, dusty high tannins. (1769 views) | | | Tasted by pclin on 4/23/2023 & rated 94 points: With one sniff without taking a sip, I guessed ‘89 LLC (we all knew the vintage beforehand). Good mouthfeel, round tannins and robust. Drinking very well at the moment. Performed better than expected, at least to me. Had two good LP this month, ‘88 consumed a couple of weeks ago was performing very well too. (1395 views) | | | Tasted by CamWheeler on 12/25/2022 & rated 92 points: Aromas of leather, red florals, some herbs and cedar - might test the brett tolerance with plenty of meatiness but it's not overpowering to me. Palate retains some sweet fruit to go along with the classic savoury and herb driven Cabernet flavours. The condition of this bottle seems spot on and is drinking right near its peak. (1758 views) | | | Tasted by WineyTom! on 12/23/2022 & rated 94 points: Drinking perfectly now. Delicate, floral, red berry fruit, tea, earth, so exquisite. Wow. (1176 views) | | | Tasted by Jd6725 on 7/4/2022 & rated 95 points: Amazing fruit out of the gate, although that quickly faded off and integrated. It became a very well balanced and was the better wine next to the 1990 Pape Clement, although not by a landslide at all. Exactly what I want in an aged Bordeaux. In a perfect place right now for a well stored bottle. (1798 views) | | | Tasted by dream on 5/17/2022 & rated 94 points: This is in a beautiful spot right now and really kept improving with air. Soft, seductive and elegant almost like a Burgundy at this point. The texture is silky and fine and the finish sports a wonderful red spice-driven complexity. Fully mature but still quite fresh. What a great bottle of this! (1979 views) | | | Tasted by nywine68 on 5/16/2022 & rated 94 points: St Julien Dinner at Nice Matin (New York, NY): Wine in perfect shape. Beautiful cassis and blackberry fruit. A medium-weight, more "feminine" profile, although the wine gathered weight in the glass. Classic Bordeaux secondary development with mushrooms and some animal notes. Some very fine tannins hiding in the background. Delicious. (2047 views) | | | Tasted by parkline_wine on 12/1/2020 & rated 92 points: Decanted for 2.5 hours. When I first smelled this wine before tasting I was super excited. The nose was so very present and alive, showcasing the fortitude of the 1989 vintage for all of Bordeaux. The nose had notes of leather, dried blackfruit, and tealeaf. Very good nose.
Upon tasting, the mid pallet was refined and present of smoke, leather, and a bit of tannic oak. What held this wine back for me from being absolutely great was the finish being a bit out of balance, with the acids over-taking the layers and flavor harmonies that one looks for in a top level BDX. The mid pallet was so promising, but failed to deliver at the same level through to the finish.
Nevertheless a very cool wine, so so young for an 89. No signs of browning at the rim whatsoever. Just a smidge of variation you would expect from a relatively young wine! Who knows how long it could go. (3623 views) | | | Tasted by pepmi on 11/26/2020 & rated 92 points: Running low on my collection of '89 Bordeaux. Decanted and had my first taste within 30 minutes. My view is that it's ideal to decant and then drink an aged wine slowly over a few hours. Never wait too long before the first taste. Older wines are ephemeral and their characteristics are fleeting. In a blink of an eye, an old treasure can become a relic of its former self.
This bottle is most likely in the last few years of its drinking window. No indication of excess aging in its color -- dark maroon in the glass with no browning on the edge. Quite rich in the mouth -- heavy in a different sense -- no excess fruit or alcohol. More a matter of weighting towards the tongue and bottom of the mouth. A terroir dominated tasting experience: black licorice, sweet olives and leather come to mind. A perfect complement to food.
Now back to my recommendation. This was so tasty that the bottle was empty within an hour. So much for witnessing its evolution over time. Bordeaux has so many beautiful wines to offer at all price points. This bottle, which retailed for $40 when purchased, has proved a very wise investment indeed. (3101 views) | | | Tasted by tmagsmaken on 10/22/2020 & rated 91 points: Nice bouquet: bramble, earthy, smokey, cedarwood and some exotic spices (saffron & cinnamon).
I am amazed by how soft and elegant this is. Surprisingly, despite the age, the tannins are still present even gripping. This has some more in the tank if needed, even though I see no reason to keep it any longer. Drink it now, it is very nice (2871 views) | | | Tasted by MPC61 on 8/12/2020 & rated 95 points: Really didn't need much time - drinking superbly right out of the bottle. Great example of bdx at it's best with this bottle, interesting notes of coffee on the finish as well. A treat. (3079 views) | | | Tasted by NickA on 8/5/2020 & rated 93 points: The Development of Older Bordeaux (Zoom!): 67% CS, 33 Merlot. 13.5% alcohol.
This vintage again precedes the modernization of the estate's style.
Another still very dark wine. Metallic nose, which occasionally verges on the unpleasant. Slightly sweeter than the other LBers. Soft and silky. Tobacco, spice, ganache and marzipan and some red fruit. Really lovely. Lots left in the tank. (3264 views) | | | Tasted by the player on 6/19/2020 & rated 93 points: See previous note. My last magnum alas! Beautiful earth, leather, cassis, black currants and dried flowers on the nose elegantly reflected on the palate. Evolved tawny crimson color, very balanced and pleasing especially with food. Medium to full bodied, mature Bordeaux with soft tannins and streaks of nobility after two hours of aeration, sweet finish and could stay for years at this plateau, good length and pairs very nicely with food. A delight! (2032 views) | | | Tasted by Arcturus on 5/8/2020 & rated 95 points: 95. The cork was fully saturated too, but the wine was not compromised. 2 hour decant. Elegant, seductive, beautiful wine. Dried flowers, gravel and touch of leather on the nose. Gorgeous blackcherry smooth palate with a velvety finish. Plenty of life left. (2724 views) | | | Tasted by Winning_Wines on 4/19/2020 & rated 93 points: The cork was nearly fully saturated with a solid layer of mold on the top. The first taste right after opening was good, but nothing overly special, with very little fruit on the palate. However, as time went on, this starting to really show its stuff. At about 3-hours in with no decant, just let is breathe in the bottle, it really started to show a well balanced wine with primary, secondary and tertiary notes. I wish I would have been patient enough to wait even longer, but this wine went quick. A very good showing for a 31 year old bottle. (2474 views) | | | Tasted by vinhonotte on 3/31/2020 & rated 93 points: Deep ruby, significant edge fading. Very inviting aromas of redcurrant, cassis, and purple flowers. Some bite from the tannins but otherwise softened, with a fairly substantial body and good intensity of cassis, blueberry, and leafy, and a dark graphite at the back. The flowers kept recurring at the finish, making it a pretty enjoyable experience. Nice! (2358 views) | | | Tasted by Nanda on 3/15/2020 & rated 94 points: The Last Supper (Before the Covid-19 Shutdown) (El Ideas): Terrific intense and layered nose -- cedar, tobacco, spice and maturing plum fruit. The palate is similarly complex, layered and generous. Still juicy and fresh. Bottles like this should hold for a decade. (2630 views) | | | Tasted by Burgundy Al on 3/15/2020 & rated 92 points: Last Wine Dinner Before the Coronavirus Shutdown (EL Ideas - Chicago IL): Small glass, brief note. Enticing spiced aromatic start with ripe black fruit and cassis. Similar flavors to start, also rich and tasty, perhaps slightly hollow in the middle. Not as exciting as the 1990 from a few days ago, but very tasty and possibly with further upside. (3042 views) | | | Tasted by the player on 1/23/2020 & rated 93 points: Wow this time I was sober to appreciate this great wine from one of my favorite vintages in Bordeaux. Drank from magnum after decanting and aerating for a couple of hours. Definitely evolved animal nose infused with cassis, tobacco leaf, black currants. Color showing its 30 years of age and on the palate medium to full bodied, very supple entry, complex structure, great texture and balance with cassis, tobacco and currants dominant, finishes long. Great wine. (2097 views) | | | Tasted by Collector1855 on 11/24/2019 & rated 94 points: Bordeaux 1989 - 30years on in large formats (Luzern): Nose of cool blue fruit, licorice, black berries but also with a ripe, malty side. Medium bodied palate with good freshness. Unfortunately the tannins were a bit drying on the finish. Good but today’s Leoville Poyferre are in a different league. (3806 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Neal Martin
Vinous, A Century of Bordeaux: The Nines (Sep 2019) (9/1/2019)
(Léoville-poyferré Léoville-poyferré Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jane Anson
Decanter, Anson’s pick: Bordeaux 1989 vs 1990 – Left Bank (10/25/2018)
(Château Léoville Poyferré, St-Julien, Bordeaux, France, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jane Anson
Decanter, JA Château Léoville Poyferré vertical 2018 (6/13/2018)
(Château Léoville Poyferré, St-Julien, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jane Anson
Decanter, The three Léovilles: Jane Anson’s pick of the vintages (9/30/2017)
(Château Léoville Poyferré, St-Julien, Bordeaux, France, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, April 2013 (4/1/2013)
(Château Léoville-Poyferré St Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Julia Harding, MW
JancisRobinson.com (5/19/2009)
(Ch Léoville Poyferré St-Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and Decanter and Winedoctor and JancisRobinson.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Château Léoville Poyferré Producer website - Read more about Chateau Leoville Poyferre
A visit to Leoville Poyferre -https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/08/chateau-leoville-poyferre.html
Source: VinConnect (VinConnect.com)
Léoville, dating back to 1638, was the largest vineyard in the Médoc region. Jean de Moytié, Counselor of the Bordeaux Parliament and nobleman, owned a beautiful gravel slope of vineyard near the Garonne River. At the time it was named after its owner, Mont-Moytié.
In 1740, Jean de Moytié’s great granddaughter married Alexander de Gascq, whose family owned what is now Château Palmer. With great ambition, Alexander began imposing his style by changing the name from Mont-Moytié to Léoville (Lionville). His aim was to make Léoville a model estate and the reference point for the best Médoc wine. He invested and innovated, planting smaller grape varieties, bordering the rows with pinewood, renovating the cellar and aging the free-run wine in barrels. After Alexander’s death and 35 years of expansion and planting, Léoville in Saint-Julien was the largest property in the Médoc, stretching over 300 acres.
One hundred years and numerous transactions later, Léoville Poyferré was born. Although the property was by then much smaller, its outstanding wines gained early recognition and the property was ranked 2nd Growth in the 1855 Classification. In 1920, Paul and Albert Cuvelier, at the time well-known Bordeaux wine brokers, decided to invest in Médoc vineyards and acquired Château Léoville Poyferré.
The Cuvelier Family had previously purchased Château Le Crock in 1903, at the time a classified First Cru Bourgeois Supérieur of Saint-Estèphe. Château Le Crock is surrounded by the Classified Growths Château Cos d’Estournel and Château Montrose, and has a magnificent park, vast meadows and an island. Later the family added Château Moulin Riche, a classified Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, in 1932.
This portfolio of Bordeaux properties continues to be managed by the Cuvelier Family. Didier Cuvelier runs the Château Léoville Poyferré since 1979 and Olivier Cuvelier manages the wine merchant company H.Cuvelier & Fils since 1985. Château Léoville Poyferré, Château Moulin Riche and Château Le Crock all benefit from the same attention by the technical and winemaking team of Château Léoville Poyferré.
Only the best grapes make it into the Grand Vin Léoville Poyferré — fruit from the youngest vines becomes the Pavillon de Léoville Poyferré, while Château Moulin Riche is vinified out of a 20-hectare separate plot which is situated next to Château Talbot.
Since Didier Cuvelier took over the Chateau, the family has invested time and resources in qualitative measures to restructure and improve winemaking techniques and technology. Supported by consultant Michel Rolland since 1994, they have rediscovered the chateau’s admired classical style, characterized by rich tannins, finesse and unrivaled silky texture. The Léoville-Poyferré Grand vin is a wine that benefits immeasurably from ageing; it can be approached after 12 to 15 years, but it will age gracefully for 40 years, in some cases even longer.
With the epic 1982 vintage, Léoville-Poyferré recaptured the magic of the late 19th century, and its resurgence culminated with the 2009 vintage when it received the highly-coveted and rare 100-point score from Robert Parker.Red Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comBordeaux Bordeaux Wine Guide
Vins Bordeaux (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux)
History of Bordeaux
History of 1855 Bordeaux Classification
"2009 is all about ripeness, with wines impressively packed with ripe fruit and high alcohol levels. They are showy, in-your-face, and full of pleasure. The 2010s have the fruit and alcohol levels of the 2009s, but with a compelling freshness on the finish that balances the fruit and provides a perfect sense of structure." - Ben Nelson
"2016 is a landmark vintage in certain spots of Bordeaux and it should be remembered as one of the most inspired campaigns of the last 40-50+ years." -Jon Rimmerman
"The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded – although the response to the en primeur campaign was muted. Quantity was high too, with the equivalent of 770 million bottles of wine produced. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance." - Jancis Robinson
"2017 was complicated, but there are some excellent wines. Expect plenty of freshness and drinkability from wines that will offer excellent value, and others that will rival 2016 in terms of ripeness and ageability. But they are likely to be the exception not the rule, making careful selection key." - Jane Anson
"In the past, a vintage such as 2022 may have been overripe, raisined and low in acidity but 2022 had a sneaky little reservoir in its back pocket - a near perfect marriage of cool/cold/rain the previous winter and the previous vintage that literally soaked the soils (a key to why 2022 is not 2003...or 1893)." - Jon RimmermanMédoc Vins du Médoc (Conseil des Vins du Médoc) - Read More about the Medoc
VdB
The eight precisely defined appellations of the whole of the Médoc (from Blanquefort Brook to the north of the Bordeaux built-up area, almost to the Pointe de Grave) may claim the Médoc appellation. But there is also a specific territory in the north of the peninsula which produces exclusively wines with this appellation. In the great majority, the Médocs come from the north of the peninsula. The great individuality of this region is that the number of vines has increased more recently here than elsewhere, apart from a few isolated spots where vines have grown for many years. Today, the size of the small estate has brought about the development of a powerful co-operative movement. Four co-operatives out of five belong to the group called Unimédoc which ensures aging, bottling and marketing a large proportion of their wines.St. Julien VdB
Read more detailed information on St. Julien and its wines The seventeenth century pioneers Traces are to be found of a Saint-Julien de Rintrac, perhaps Saint-Julien's earliest name, as from the thirteenth century. But we have to wait until the seventeenth century pioneers, urban and rural aristocrats, discover the exceptional merits of these terroirs.
Traces of this system still exist today in the structure of estates within the appellation: by the side of the two villages of Beychevelle and Saint-Julien, the large estates are heavily preponderant, representing more than four fifths of the total surface of vineyards.
The terrain is practically identical over all the commune. Only the proximity of the estuary, sometimes close, sometimes further away, can cause slight variations in climate. In fact, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle's layer of gravel takes the form of a huge rectangle over 3 miles long and 2 miles wide. And the alluvial deposits are particularly well fragmented into ridges of Garonne gravel of the early Quaternary. Accordingly, the vines are safeguarded from stagnant water.
The wines from the Saint-Julien appellation may be recognized by their unparalleled bouquet, particularly harmonious and mild. They have a fine deep colour and combine the finesse of their aromas and a solid constitution. They have body, are very rich in flavour and have a delicious and delicate bouquet.
Production conditions (Decree dated November 14, 1936)
In order to have the right to the Saint-Julien appellation of controlled origin, red wines must:
- come from the commune of Saint-Julien and from precisely defined parcels in the communes of Cussac, and Saint-Laurent, "excluding the parcels situated on recent alluvium and sand on impermeable subsoils",
- satisfy precise production conditions: grape-varieties (Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cabernet-Franc, Carmenère, Merlot Noir, Petit Verdot, Cot or Malbec), minimum of sugar (178 grammes - 6.27 oz. - per litre of must) degree (an acquired 10°5) base yield (45 hectolitres per hectare). |
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