Appellations

Leoville Poyferre 2017

St Julien, Second Growth

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Tasting Notes

The 2017 Léoville-Poyferré boasts serious depth and concentration within the context of the year. Bright and floral, with beautifully layered fruit, the 2017 is at once gracious and powerful. Raspberry jam, chocolate, new leather and spice all flesh out in this decidedly exuberant, fleshy Saint-Julien. Many 2017s are quite open, but Léoville-Poyferré is quite reticent. Some of that may be attributable to high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in a blend composed of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Because of the late season rains, only 3 out of the 5 parcels that typically inform the Grand Vin were used. Tasted two times.

Score: 92 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Date: 01 May 2018

The 2017 Léoville Poyferré was cropped at around 50hl/ha between 20 September and 6 October at 44hl/ha. It has a gorgeous bouquet that is very pure with scents of black cherry, cassis, cedar and a touch of graphite, all very focused and neatly entwined with the 85% new oak. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannin, crisp and focused, very harmonious with a touch of cedar and black pepper towards the finish. I appreciate the combination of weight and finesse here, a really quite enthralling valedictory Léoville Poyferré who is due to retire this coming July. Bon vin.

Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2021-2040 Date: 01 May 2018

Very dark crimson with black core. Gorgeous cassis intensity and purity on the nose and just a hint of oak sweetness and spice. Firm but really supple tannins, compact and deep but with a lightness of touch to let the fruit flow first. Mouth-watering and super-fresh. Long.

Score: 17 - 18 Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2027-2042 Date: 27 April 2018

Yields in 2017 were 44.34 hectoliters per hectare. The 2017 Léoville Poyferré is very deep purple-black in color with super intense notes of freshly crushed blackcurrants, wild blueberries and Sichuan pepper with hints of lavender, baking spices and wood smoke. The palate is medium-bodied, firm and grainy with restrained, understated fruit and a long, mineral-laced finish.

Score: 93 - 95 Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Date: 27 April 2018

Château Léoville-Poyferré has been on a roll for over a decade now, and they’ve produced a terrific, fruit-forward, pleasure-bent 2017 that readers should snatch up. A blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it was harvested between September 20th and October 6th, and is aging in 80% new French oak. Awesome crème de cassis, violets, spice box, and crushed rock-like minerality all emerge from this dense, medium to full-bodied, sexy 2017 that has sweet tannin and an expansive, opulent texture. I love the depth of fruit, and where too many wines in the vintage can be straight and a touch charmless, this beauty dishes out tons of pleasure! Don’t miss it.

Score: 93 - 95 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Date: 23 April 2018

Very tight and energetic finish to this young, new red with currant and blackberry character. Hints of crushed stones. Dense and four-square with a chewy tannin structure and a long finish. Very muscular. Serious encore to the 2016. Same level?

Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com Date: 05 April 2018

Warm, displaying a slightly rounded feel for the vintage, this sports plum, cassis and blackberry compote flavors. A mouthwatering anise edge shows on the polished finish, with a well-buried graphite spine.

Score: 92 - 95 James Molesworth, Wine Spectator Date: 04 April 2018

This has lower alcohol than usual, but doesn't sacrifice the mouthfeel. There's a succulent damson and cappuccino expression through the finish here, along with tautly constructed, bouncy tannins that are both expressive and powerful. It's one of the more rich and round wines in St-Juliens, as fits the house style. Extremely accomplished, it's powerful and will clearly age well. It's somewhere between 2014 and 2015 in quality, but not touching the majestic 2016. A success in the vintage, underlining again that St-Julien has had an extremely lucky 2017.

Score: 95 Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2026-2038 Date: 01 April 2018