Leoville Poyferre

Wine Advocate 97: A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, aged in 80% new oak barriques, the 2018 Léoville Poyferré comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant scents of Morello cherries, plum preserves and blackberry pie, giving way to nuances of cedar chest, unsmoked cigars, vanilla pod and sassafras, plus a waft of crushed rocks. The palate is full-bodied, rich and decadent, delivering hedonic black fruits and lots of spicy accents with a velvety texture and seamless freshness, finishing long and satisfyingly savory. This is a very impressive showing that is delicious out of the gate but has the backbone to give a good 30 years or more of pleasure.

James Suckling 97: Dark cherry, plum, spice and cacao with earthy notes and wood undertones. Cloves, too. Full-bodied, yet in control and poised. Balanced, complex and flavorful. Firm tannins and a long, precise finish. It goes on and on. Structured is the word. Try after 2025.

Wine Advocate 94-96: The 2022 Léoville Poyferré has turned out very nicely, offering up aromas of crème de cassis, cherries, violets and creamy new oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy palate that's ripe but lively, with supple tannins and a long, vanillin-inflected finish. This year, the team began picking their Merlot comparatively early and didn't perform a saignée (tank bleed), given the natural concentration of the vintage, though it remains the most flamboyant and demonstrative of the three Léoville estates, seeing some 80% new oak with malolactic fermentation in barrique for the new barrels. It will be a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

James Suckling 99: A mind-blowing Leoville Poyferre, probably one of the best for a long time. Huge depth and structure, showing a deep matrix of fruit full of fresh blackberries and a dash of ink and lead pencil. Such verticality on the full-bodied palate with beautiful balance and a clear finish that goes on and on for more than a minute. Great potential ahead. This was tasted at the UCGB tasting and was one of the best wines of the day. Drink after 2028. It should improve in the next 10 to 15 years.

Vinous 96+: The 2022 Léoville-Poyferré showed a lot of potential from barrel and it does so now in bottle. Interestingly, it bursts out of the blocks aromatically for a minute then settles down, gaining delineation and refinement. It is less full-throttle than other vintages and neatly hides the 14.24% alcohol. The palate is medium-bodied with a velvety- smooth entry. There is such purity here, with fine-boned tannins and nicely judged acidity, all harmonious with a peacock's tail on the finish. Controlled from start to finish, if you are a fan of "LP," you're gonna love the 2022.

Wine Advocate 91-93: Shy and introverted at this stage, the 2025 Léoville Poyferré reveals a somber bouquet of oak, spice, licorice and ripe dark berries. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and deep, it’s broad-shouldered and structured, built around a creamy new-oak mid-palate framed by an abundant tannic chassis that carries through to a spicy, oak-influenced finish. - Yohan Castaing

James Suckling 97-99: Beautiful on the nose. Stylish and concentrated, medium- to full-bodied, with freshness and a savory note in the finish. Cohesive and precise, with fine-grained, focused tannins. Very structured at the end. A solid and bracing Medoc. - James Suckling

Vinous 95-97: The 2025 Léoville-Poyferré was picked from September 8 to 23 at just 20.3 hl/ha, undergoing a six-day cold pre- fermentation maceration and matured in 80% new oak. This is quintessential Poyferré on the nose, quite sensual and pure in style, with layers of ripe black fruit, black plum, a hint of camphor and violet. Wonderful delineation. The palate is framed by fine tannins, beautifully balanced, again quite minerally in style, with a precise and persistent graphite-tinged finish. If you love Poyferré, then you are going to adore this. - Neal Martin