2010 Chateau Leoville Poyferre
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S$28297
Vintage: 2010
Region: Saint-Julien
Country: France
Winemaker Notes
Rich and fine but closed, new wood and stoniness and blackberry sweet, cassis fruit; beautifully balanced wine with a superb concentration of core of fruit, a vital acidity and marked, but very refined, velvety textured tannins; long and energetic to taste, great complexity and thoroughbred feel, superb fruit presence, great fruit core length. This appears to have even more of everything than the fine 2009, above all terrific freshness, tenacity and persistence. A great Poyferré, the best since 1961? Great matter, but entirely without excess or asperity. Very complete! Long term class and splendor. 2024-40+
About Winery
With origins dating back to 1638, Léoville was the largest vineyard in the Médoc region at the time of the French Revolution. Léoville Poyferré springs from various divisions and successions in 1840. Its outstanding quality wines gained early recognition when it was ranked 2nd Growth in the 1855 classification. Château Léoville Poyferré was acquired in 1920 by the Cuvelier family. Château Léoville Poyferré was the Léoville that got left in the starting blocks in terms of reputation and in the quality of its wines. Léoville Poyferré has been owned by the Cuvelier family (who also own Château Le Crock) since 1921, yet it was not until the 1970s, when Didier Cuvelier took control at the château, that quality began to improve. In the last 20 years, Didier, with the assistance of Michel Rolland since 1995, has turned Léoville-Poyferré into one of StJulien's finest estates. Now up with the best of the St-Juliens but still selling at nonscary prices. Léoville Poyferré is classified as a 2ème Cru Classé
General Info
With origins dating back to 1638, Léoville was the largest vineyard in the Médoc region at the time of the French Revolution. Léoville Poyferré springs from various divisions and successions in 1840. Its outstanding quality wines gained early recognition when it was ranked 2nd Growth in the 1855 classification. Château Léoville Poyferré was acquired in 1920 by the Cuvelier family. Château Léoville Poyferré was the Léoville that got left in the starting blocks in terms of reputation and in the quality of its wines. Léoville Poyferré has been owned by the Cuvelier family (who also own Château Le Crock) since 1921, yet it was not until the 1970s, when Didier Cuvelier took control at the château, that quality began to improve. In the last 20 years, Didier, with the assistance of Michel Rolland since 1995, has turned Léoville-Poyferré into one of StJulien's finest estates. Now up with the best of the St-Juliens but still selling at nonscary prices. Léoville Poyferré is classified as a 2ème Cru Classé.
Vintage
A cold and wet winter, a hot and dry spring, then a hot, dry and sunny summer followed by beneficial rainfall in September. These extreme weather conditions do not affect our healthy, resistant vines, solidly rooted in their well-balanced soil. The excellent natural drainage and deep rooting of our vineyard ensure regularity in the growth cycle. For this 2010 harvest we are delighted to inaugurate our new truncated vats. Their varying capacities allow a plot-by-plot selection and their thermoregulated double walls enable a pre-fermentary cold maceration without the use of dry ice. The inevitable comparison is made: after an exceptional vintage in 2009 with a similar climatic profile, can 2010 be even better?
Vineyards
The various divisions throughout the history of the estate have split the vineyard of Léoville Poyferré into five large areas. They include all the main types of gravelly soil present in Saint Julien. This diversity contributes to the amplitude and complexity of the Léoville Poyferré wines. Léoville Poyferré has 80 hectares of vineyards planted with Cabernet Sauvignon (65%), Merlot (25%), Petit Verdot (8%) Cabernet Franc (2%).
Harvest
The harvest began 6 days later than the 2009 harvest and was behind other nearby properties. Merlot picking began on October 1st, with Cabernet Sauvignon picking following on October 9th. The harvest finished on October 18th. Leoville Poyferré believes that the 2010 vintage is very promising; it works in a trilogy with 2008 and 2009.
Vinification/ Maturation
Léoville Poyferré traditionally produced the softest and most supple wine of the 3 Léoville’s, yet in the last decade the wines have definitely put on weight and body. This is largely due to the grapes being harvested riper and later and because of the increased exposure to new oak in the maturation process. The wines are fermented in the 35 temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats of varying sizes, then macerated for three to four weeks, before selection is made. The grand vin is Château LéovillePoyferré (20000 cases per annum), which goes into barrel where malolactic fermentation occurs. Typically, the oak is now 75% new each year
Tasting Notes
Rich and fine but closed, new wood and stoniness and blackberry sweet, cassis fruit; beautifully balanced wine with a superb concentration of core of fruit, a vital acidity and marked, but very refined, velvety textured tannins; long and energetic to taste, great complexity and thoroughbred feel, superb fruit presence, great fruit core length. This appears to have even more of everything than the fine 2009, above all terrific freshness, tenacity and persistence. A great Poyferré, the best since 1961? Great matter, but entirely without excess or asperity. Very complete! Long term class and splendor. 2024-40+
Serve with
Leoville Poyferré is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift. Chateau Leoville Poyferré is best served with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted braised and grilled dishes
100 points Jeb Dunnuck
Pure gold, the 2010 Château Léoville Poyferré, which was drunk beside a perfect 2009 Latour, offers everything you could want from wine. Sporting a deep purple hue as well as an incredible array of crème de cassis, graphite, damp earth, leafy tobacco, and beautifully integrated oak, it hits the palate with an incredible amount of fruit and opulence while always staying pure, precise, and as seamless as they come. It shows the density and power of the 2010 vintage, but it’s remarkable in its balance, purity, and length. As with most 2010s today, it's still youthful and certainly in its early drinking plateau and has another 40-50 years of prime drinking.
98 points Wine Enthusiast
A wine of architectural strength and classical proportions, this has straight lines that mark the packed, concentrated fruits, which are sustained by its tannins. This is certainly the best wine that Léoville-Poyferré has produced, sumptuous while so finely structured. *Cellar Selection*
Rich and round with cinnamon, anis and black pepper. This has a luxuriously silky texture; very much signature of the property sitting perfectly against the fresh push and kick of the vintage. One of the few that has maintained its violet edging around the rim of the glass, giving great expectations that it has decades ahead of it while maintaining this level.
97 points James Suckling
Opulent aromas of blackberry, black cherry and orange peel follow through to a full body with round, creamy tannins and a flavorful finish. A big, significant wine that is starting to open and come around. A long life ahead of it.
97 points Vinous
The 2010 Léoville-Poyferré takes the 2009 and ups the ante with brilliantly defined, intense black fruit. Perhaps it is just a little more "serious" compared to the previous vintage, but is finely chiseled and displaying more mineralité. The palate has mellowed since I last tasted it, developing more rondeur and a more caressing texture. Extremely pure in style, this fans out wonderful, fills the mouth and lingers for a minute. One of the highlights of Didier Cuvelier’s career, this has a long future ahead. "LP" just does not get better than this. Tasted at the Léoville-Poyferré vertical at the château with Sara Lecompte Cuvelier
