2018 Ch. Léoville Poyferré - Saint Julien GCC | € 95,00 (€ 114,95) |
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Léoville Poyferré 2018 is zacht en verfijnd, intens en evenwichtig. Inktblauw in het glas. De neus alleen al is wondermooi met donkere chocolade, mirabelle en geroosterde koffieboontjes. De Michel Rolland-touch uit zich in een breed palet: glycerol en volmondig zwart fruit zijn aanwezig in een glanzende textuur. De allesomvattende tannine is heerlijk expressief en leidt tot een zuivere finale. De fruitdensiteit is haast zoet maar blijft evenwichtig verpakt in fraîcheur. De eiktoetsen zijn heerlijk. Het geheel is gepolijst, fijn en... een aangename verschijning. Dit smaakt naar méér en dat is de eerste vereiste! Jolly well done. Het assemblage is 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, een imposante 30% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot en 4% Cabernet Franc. De oogst vond plaats tussen 24 september en 12 oktober tegen een rendement van 43,63 hl/ha. Na vier dagen koude maceratie op 4°C, volgde fermentatie op conische inox cuves. Na deze cuvaison van 22 dagen gebeurde de malolactische gisting in 650 barriques waarvan er 80% nieuw waren. De élevage wordt geschat op 18 maand. De vergelijking met de 2010 (RP 100) en 2016 (RP 97+) gaat op en we kunnen de frisheid en de kracht van de 2018 alvast loven. Er wordt voortaan iets minder Petit Verdot gebruikt. 80% nieuwe eik. 14,4%vol. 45% van de productie wordt Grand Vin. De pers is duidelijk en eensluidend enthousiast: IN DE PERS 97 James Molesworth - winespectator.com (Maart 2021) Waves of warmed cassis, mocha and warm tar aromas lead the way, while the core of macerated plum, blackberry and blueberry fruit waits its turn, showing admirable breadth and depth when it arrives, with roasted apple wood, bramble and cast iron buried deeply through the finish. This is a powerfully rendered wine with a cashmere scarf as accent. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2040. #7 Wine Spectator Top 100 Most Exciting Wines from 2021 Owned by the Cuvelier family since 1920, Léoville Poyferré shares a building with its perhaps better-known cousin Léoville Las Cases, though the two estates are markedly different. Poyferré’s vineyard lies across the road, with its 148 acres of vines situated on more clay-based soils that result in a broad, fleshy wine. Sara Cuvelier is the current generation to head the estate, taking over from her cousin Didier during the 2018 vintage. Winemaker Isabelle Davin and consultant Michel Rolland crafted Poyferré’s modern-style grand vin from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, all aged in 80 percent new oak. 97 Antonio Galloni - vinous.com (Maart 2021) Léoville-Poyferré is sensational in 2018. There's not much more to say than that. A wine of explosive power and intensity, the 2018 dazzles from start to finish. To be sure, the 2018 is racy and opulent, but all the elements come together so effortlessly. Bright red-toned fruit, mocha, pine and wild flowers all open with a bit of coaxing. The new oak is a bit prominent at this stage, but that will be less of an issue over time. Drink 2028-2043. 94-97 Antonio Galloni – vinous.com (April 2019) The 2018 Léoville-Poyferré is a stunning wine that shows a very distinct shift in style under the leadership of Sara Lecompte Cuvelier towards greater energy and vibrancy. The 2018 soars out of the glass with stunning aromatic presence. In its latest incarnation, Léoville-Poyferré is marked by a distinct emphasis on freshness and less extraction than in the past, with sweeter, riper tannins than is the norm. It will be interesting to see if that is an expression of the vintage, or a move toward a gentler approach to winemaking, but I suspect much of it is the latter. Dark red cherry, menthol, pine and wild flowers abound in a stunning, vibrant Saint-Julien that will leave readers weak at the knees. Tasted three times. 97-98 James Suckling – jamessuckling.com (April 2019) This is so powerful and dense with amazing tannin quality that reminds me of dense clouds, because they are agile and light. Multilayered. Extremely long, too. Punchy! One of the best wines I have ever had from here. 97 Jane Anson – decanter.com (April 2019) Deep, silky, and satiny in texture, you can practically stroke this in the glass! The round mouthfeel tells of ripe fruit and generous alcohol but there's not a trace of heat, and the balance is gorgeous. Tannins match you step for step, stopping for breath in all the right places. They keep the luscious black cherry, liquorice and dark chocolate all in place. The 2016 vintage was almost one degree less in alcohol, and certainly this is a little less architectural in its construction, but that extra percent has clearly gone a long way to covering the tannins in silk. 3.7pH. IPT90. Tasted several times. Drinking Window 2028 - 2042 97 Lisa Perrotti-Brown – roberparker.com (Maart 2021) 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. Drink 2024-2054. 94-96 Lisa Perrotti-Brown – roberparker.com (April 2019) Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Léoville Poyferré begins sporting a veil of cedar, opening out to reveal profound notions of crème de cassis, warm kirsch, Black Forest cake and Indian spices plus hints of chargrilled meats and Sichuan pepper. Full-bodied and built like a brick house, the taut, muscular black fruit has a solid frame of firm, ripe tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long with loads of savory nuances. Aging is anticipated to be for 18 months in barriques, 80% new. The current blend is 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. 95-98 James Molesworth – winespectator.com (April 2019) This is brimming with plum, blackberry and blueberry reduction flavors, backed by grippy, energetic bramble, licorice and apple wood notes. Chockablock with stuff but defined and balanced. A no-brainer for the cellar. 100 Jeb Dunnuck – jebdunnuck.com (Maart 2021) Every bit as good as the 2009, and I think better than the 2010 and 2016, the 2018 Château Léoville Poyferré is a total thrill that tops out my scale. Based on 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, its dense purple hue is followed by an incredible, full-bodied monster of a wine that, despite massive amounts of fruit, tannins, and extract, still stays weightless and ethereal, with incredible purity. Loaded with notions of crème de cassis, spring flowers, tobacco, violets, charcoal, and cedar pencil, it's extraordinary concentrated, flawlessly balanced, and has a finish that won't quit. This is a legendary wine in the making. Give bottles 7-8 years, a decade would be even better, and it will keep for 40-50 years. Hats off to the Cuvelier family for another extraordinary wine! Drink 2028-2078. #1 Jeb Dunnuck's Top 100 Wines of 2021 96-99 Jeb Dunnuck – jebdunnuck.com (April 2019) One of the gems in the vintage will be the 2018 Château Léoville-Poyferré, which is a powerful, incredibly sexy wine based on 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, representing just 45% of the total production. In the same ballpark as the 2000, 2005, 2009, and 2010, its deep purple color is followed by a rich, opulent bouquet of sweet black and blue fruits, tobacco, and graphite. Both intellectually and hedonistically satisfying, it fills the mouth with fruit, has remarkable purity and precision for such a powerful wine, sweet tannins, and a finish that goes on for nearly a minute. It's similar in character to the 2009 and will keep for three decades or more. This wine checks in at 14.4% alcohol, with a pH of 3.7, and a massive (one of the highest in the vintage) IPT value of 90. Tasted twice. 18,5/20 Bettane & Desseauve (April 2019) 97 Jean-Marc Quarin – quarin.com (April 2019) 17,5/20 Julia Harding – jancisrobinson.com (April 2019) 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, pH 3.7. Barrel sample. Black core and purple rim. Ripe, pure vanilla-laced blackcurrant and a note of toasty oak. Gorgeously smooth and rounded even if the tannins are many layered, building to a compact finish. A touch of violets on the scented palate but also an attractive dry stony touch to counterbalance all the rich aromatic fruit. It's oaky but the fruit can stand up to it and seems comfortable in its own skin. 14.4%. Drink 2026-2040. 95 Neal Martin – vinous.com (Maart 2021) The 2018 Léoville Poyferré has a glorious bouquet of layers of black cherry, blueberry, violet and potpourri that is opulent yet (paradoxically) effortlessly controlled. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins. Some of the puppy fat that enveloped this wine from barrel has gone, revealing more backbone and an impressive sense of cohesion and symmetry on the finish. This is an outstanding Léoville Poyferré that has gained another level of complexity since I tasted it from barrel. Drink 2023-2048. 92-94 Neal Martin – vinous.com (Oktober 2019) The 2018 Léoville Poyferré was picked from 24 September with the Merlot, the Cabernet Sauvignon following six days later and finishing on 12 October. It has a deep purple colour. The bouquet is sensual and voluptuous with black plum, cassis and blueberry, very floral with violet and pressed iris aromas, typically quite outgoing in style. [A second bottle displays more dark chocolate aromas.] The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins and a fine bead of acidity. There is a plushness to this Poyferré that belies good backbone underneath and a saline, truffle tinged finish that lingers in the mouth. It just feels a little blunt at the moment but it should flesh out with time. Drink 2023-2048. 18-18,5/20 Revue des Vins de France – rvf.com (April 2019) 97-99 Jeff Leve – winecellarinsider.com (April 2019) Before the licorice, black cherry, blackberry, smoke, spice box, espresso and cocoa-filled aromas kick in you were already knocked out by the depth of color in the glass. Velvet drenched black fruits seduce your palate. The wine is sensuous, sexy and mouth-filling. Generous with its fruit, this is a finish you don't want to end. All those layers of ripe, decadent dark berries maintain a presence for close to 60 seconds. If you are a fan of Leoville Poyferre, this needs to be in your cellar. If you are not yet a fan and this style is your thing, one taste is all you need to get hooked! Blending 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 32% Petit Verdot, this wine reached 14.4 alcohol. The harvest took place from September 24 to October 12. 16,5/20 Le Point (April 2019) 18,5/20 Matthew Jukes – matthewjukes.com (April 2019) (64 Cabernet Sauvignon, 30 Merlot, 3 Cabernet Franc, 3 Petit Verdot) | 80% new oak | 14.4% alc | 90 IPT Commanding and statesmanlike, this is a huge wine with massive power and extract and yet, somehow, it is all in balance. I love the sweeping black fruit, the oak, the mighty tannins and the bright acid which sweep up the carnage left on your palate after this wine has ploughed a taste furrow across your tongue. I have no doubt that this action will all settle down and that the wine will mellow in time (and my confidence in this statement resulted in a crucial extra half a point on my score), but overall this is a great vintage to announce Sara Lecompte-Cuvelier to the Château! She picked out one of the great expressions of the vintage with which to describe her wines – ‘2018, Disgrace to Grace’. Clever and jolly accurate, too. Léoville PoyferréLéoville Poyferré is sinds 1920 eigendom van de familie Cuvelier. Didier Cuvelier kwam aan het hoofd van het domein in 1978 en wordt sinds 1994 bijgestaan door de befaamde oenoloog uit Pomerol, Michel Rolland. Dit heeft zo zijn gevolgen: de wijnen lijken "gladder", volmondiger en vroeger genietbaar dan die van las Cases of Barton. De 80 hectare (60,386 hectare voor de Grand Vin) zijn aangeplant met 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot en 4% Cabernet Franc tegen een densiteit van 8.700 wijnstokken per hectare. De bodem bestaat uit Graves garonnaises en sables eoliens. De gemiddelde leeftijd is 37 jaar. Zou Léoville Poyferré meer Merlot prefereren dan andere Saint Juliens? Wat er ook van zij, Poyferré charmeert met “aisance”. What is there not to like? Monsieur Poyferré was één van de drie die er de hand wist te leggen op een deel van het grote Château de Léoville bij een openbare verkoop in de nasleep van de Franse Revolutie. De Cuveliers investeerden: strengere selectie, invoering van een tweede wijn en intenser gebruik van nieuwe eik brachten resultaat. De familie blijft in zijn goede naam investeren, ook met de op til zijnde generatiewissel van Didier Cuvelier naar Sara Lecompte Cuvelier. Léoville Poyferré bereikt het hoogste echelon met 1990, 2000, 2009, 2010, 2016 en 2018 als voorlopige hoogtepunten. Het zijn schitterende, diepe en rijkelijke wijnen. Léoville Poyferré is altijd een slimme primeurreservatie. |