Chateau Leoville Poyferre 2016, Saint Julien
Item Number: 11 10 505 16
Chateau Leoville Poyferre 2016, Saint Julien
98 Pt Outstanding Vintage of Chateau Léoville Poyferré !
Quick Taste
- 98, 97, 95 Points!
- "a brilliant bottle of wine"
- "The power and depth to this wine is super"
- "This liquid is simply alive in the mouth"
- "a lovely evolution ahead"
About Chateau Leoville Poyferre 2016, Saint Julien
Due to a division of the large Léoville estate, Chateau Léoville Poyferré was created in 1840 and included as a Second Growth in the famous 1855 Classification. In 1920, the Cuvelier family purchased the estate and Didier Cuvelier has been in charge since 1979.
Major investments were made to bring out the best in the vineyards, and the cellars were also renovated. In 1994, noted consulting oenologist Michel Rolland began to offer his winemaking advice. The final blend is made after many careful tastings. Chateau Léoville Poyferré is aged in oak barrels, 75% of which are new every year. It is an extremely well-balanced wine with a great deal of finesse and excellent aging potential.
This 2016 displays a bright, limpid garnet color with purple highlights. Enticing notes of black fruit burst from the glass, expressing beautiful concentration and youthfulness. Hints of spice are revealed after aeration, giving this wine further depth. Plump and dense on the palate, the tannins possess a generous, creamy structure. Hints of gingerbread and nutmeg complement the intense fruit. A remarkable finish emerges with elegance and freshness.
The blend is made of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc.
Jeb Dunnuck scored this 98 points saying, "Tasted on four separate occasions where this wine rated 97+, 98, 98, and 99, the 2016 Château Léoville-Poyferré is a brilliant bottle of wine and is certainly in the same league as the 2000, 2003, 2009, and 2010. Made from 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, aged in 80% new oak, this brilliantly concentrated, full-bodied, opulent beast of a wine offers a heavenly bouquet of crème de cassis, blackcurrants, smoked earth, tobacco leaf, and ample crushed rocks. It’s certainly one of the most flamboyant and opulent wines in the vintage, yet it remains perfectly balanced, with masses of polished tannins, no hard edges, and a fabulous finish. It will be drinkable in 3-4 years yet keep for 3-4 decades."
James Suckling rated this 97 points saying, "Wow. The power and depth to this wine is super with a full , fleshy palate. Yet, it’s so tight and integrated with panache and energy. Chewy tannins, yet seamless and melted into the wine. Extremely long and beautiful. Very polished now. This needs at least five to six years to resolve the steely tannins that run through this wine. Take a look from 2024. A blend of 61 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 27 per cent merlot, eight per cent merlot and four per cent cabernet franc."
Wine Spectator also scored this 97 points saying, "Richly layered, with a core of well-steeped plum, blackberry and black currant fruit flavors cruising through, flanked by ganache, sweet tobacco and warm tar notes. There's a plush, toasty coating but the wine's energy and nearly unbridled fruit will easily soak that up. A last echo of violet is further evidence of a lovely evolution ahead. Best from 2025 through 2040."
Wine Advocate scored this 97 points as well, saying, "Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Léoville Poyferré hits the ground running with intense cassis, violets, dark chocolate, menthol and fragrant earth notions complemented by nuances of cigar box and smoked meats. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is charged with energetic, super intense black fruit and floral layers, beautifully supported with super firm, ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness. This liquid is simply alive in the mouth, culminating in an epically long finish that will leave your mouth practically tingling. WOW!"
Wine Enthusiast scored this 95 points saying, "Ripe, bold fruits mark out this opulent wine. Its rich tannins are typical of the estate and of the vintage. Serious concentration is balanced with good acidity to give a generous wine that also has the structure for aging. Drink from 2025."
Wine Details
- Alcohol % 14.0%
- Bottle Size 750 ml
- Wine Type Red
- Country France
- Region Bordeaux
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