November 5, 2024
A real head-turner" - the 98-point 2020 Leoville Poyferre
“The Grand Vin 2020 Château Léoville Poyferré, which is released in a stylish black bottle commemorating a century for the Cuvelier family, is reminiscent of the 2016 with its powerful, concentrated, yet vibrant and inward style” - Jeb Dunnuck
Château Léoville Poyferré, one of the most esteemed estates in Bordeaux’s Saint-Julien appellation, is a name synonymous with excellence, tradition, and meticulous winemaking. As part of the historic Léoville estate, which was once the largest vineyard in the Médoc, Léoville Poyferré shares a rich heritage with its sibling estates, Léoville Barton and Léoville Las Cases. However, it has carved out its own identity as a producer of wines that balance power and finesse, consistently earning accolades from wine critics.
Chateau Leoville Poyferre 2020 is a standout vintage that reflects the estate’s consistent excellence under the direction of Sara Lecompte Cuvelier. Commemorating a century of Cuvelier family ownership, this vintage embodies power, elegance, and finesse, showcased in a striking black commemorative bottle. Cellar Master Didier Thormann hailed it as "the vintage of the century" a testament to its exceptional quality.
The wine reveals deep layers of crème de cassis, dark chocolate, graphite, and subtle earthy undertones. Its polished structure, supported by finely sculpted tannins, radiates vibrant energy, ensuring decades of ageing potential. Critics are unanimous in their high praise, with Jeb Dunnuck projecting a drinking window until 2078. Neal Martin describes it as, “a great Léoville Poyferré that will give more than four decades of enjoyment” while Lisa Perrotti-Brown calls it “exquisitely graceful with a natural beauty…a real head-turner!”
Don’t miss this beauty.
Leoville Poyferre 2020
98+ Points | Jeb Dunnuck
The Grand Vin 2020 Château Léoville Poyferré, which is released in a stylish black bottle commemorating a century for the Cuvelier family, is reminiscent of the 2016 with its powerful, concentrated, yet vibrant and inward style. Pure crème de cassis, melted chocolate, loamy earth, graphite, and some spicy nuances all define the aromatics, and it's full-bodied, with a stacked mid-palate, nicely integrated oak, ripe tannins, and one hell of a great finish. This is another utterly brilliant wine from this team, which has been producing First Growth quality wines for many years now. The blend of the 2020 is 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, aged in 80% new barrels, hitting 13.58% natural alcohol and a pH of 3.81. It will benefit from just 5-7 years of bottle age and will evolve for 50 years or more if well stored. Bravo. Tasted multiple times with consistent results.
97 Points | Vinous, Antonio Galloni
The 2020 Léoville-Poyferré is every bit as impressive as it was from barrel. If anything, it has gained in freshness and vibrancy with élevage. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, graphite and a kiss of French oak are some of the many notes that infuse the 2020 with tons of character. I especially admire its vertical energy and buttoned up personality. In some recent vintages Léoville-Poyferré has been quite showy, but the 2020 also has a more nuanced side that is hugely appealing.
97+ Points | The Wine Independent, Lisa Perrotti-Brown
The 2020 Leoville Poyferre is deep purple-black in color. Gregarious scents of redcurrant jelly, kirsch, and warm cassis prance out of the glass, leading to subtle nuances of wild sage, graphite, damp soil, and crushed rocks, before giving glimpses of a gorgeous underlying perfume of lilacs, lavender, and cinnamon stick. The fantastically vivacious, medium-bodied palate vibrates with amazing energy, delivering crunchy red and black fruit layers, framed by firm, fine-grained tannins and a racy backbone, finishing long and perfumed. Exquisitely graceful with a natural beauty, this is a real head-turner!