2025 Leoville Poyferre (St-Julien)

The 2025 Leoville-Poyferre 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 Poyferre 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 Poyferre, then you are going to adore this. 95-97 points

Luscious, fabulous construction and grip, a true slow unroll, with waves of orange peel minerality, cocoa bean and espresso, silky texture, great quality, squid ink, yield extremely low at around 20hl/ha but manages to retain an opulent drinkability once you give it time in the glass. An easy one to recommend, and this has so many hidden depths. Harvest September 8 to 23. 3.73 pH. 20.38 hl/ha. 80% new oak. 3.71 pH. Harvest September 8 to 23. Old vines at Poyferre naturally low yields, and with the dry summer, this was the first year since 2011 to do no saignee at all during fermentation because already such natural concentration. 97 points

Shy and introverted at this stage, the 2025 Leoville Poyferre 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. 91-93 points

The 2025 Leoville-Poyferre is gorgeous. Rich and juicy, with striking mid-palate pliancy, the Grand Vin shows the vintage at its finest. That is immediately evident in its plush contours and impeccable balance. Dark red/purplish fruit, rose petal, lavender, menthol and mocha flesh out in the glass, filling out the layers effortlessly. The 2025 is a sensual Grand Vin. 94-96 points