LEOVILLE POYFERRE 2019

Léoville Poyferré

Château Comments

Léoville Poyferré is renowned for producing wine of exceptional quality, consistently, from one vintage to the next. This Second Growth offers a rich, harmonious style, befitting its prestigious gravel terroir. Typically, one can discern notes of blackcurrant and blackberries, complemented by hints of roasting and tobacco as the wine matures. The typically abundant and firm tannins mellow after 5 to 8 years, enveloped in a velvety and sensuous texture that reveals a profound depth.

History of the Château

The history of the château began with the division of the Léoville estate, of which the Barton family purchased a portion, the Marquis de Las Cases acquired two-thirds of the remaining, and the final third was handed down to Jeanne d'Abadie. The latter promptly sold it to the Baroness of Poyferré, who added her name to the estate's, resulting in the château's current denomination.

The Poyferré family couldn't hold onto the estate for long, and so it changed hands multiple times before finally coming under the stewardship of the Cuvelier family in 1903. Already owners of the Châteaux le Crock, Camensac, Moulin Riche, as well as a wine trade, the Cuveliers had big ambitions for the estate. Their knowledge of the Médoc vineyard and the vinification of wines for ageing ensured a growing quality. Léoville-Poyferré is firmly at the level of its ranking as a Second Grand Cru Classé in 1855. However, the climatic and economic conditions of the 1920s and 1930s allowed only a few great vintages (28, 29, 34).

The end of the 1970s was challenging, Didier Cuvelier then realized the investments and efforts needed to elevate Poyferré to its true level. His taking over the estate led to an obvious improvement in the quality of the wines at the beginning of the 1980s. The 82 and 83 vintages are proof of the château's revival.

<b>Today...</b>

Thanks to its rich history and unique terroir, Léoville Poyferré has risen to the challenges of modernity. Didier Cuvelier has invested in and greatly restructured the vineyard. The vines now average around 30 years old and are beginning to give their best. Isabelle Davion (oenologist), Bruno Clenet (vineyard manager) and Didier Thoman (technical director) form the dynamic team that surrounds him and continues to advance the château's wines. The estate's youngest vines are vinified separately and give rise to a second wine: le Pavillon de Léoville Poyferré.