Now 35 years old, we are getting cloves and white pepper spice — whereas black pepper is more prevalent in Léoville Poyferré wines in the first few decades. The persistency is still remarkable it lingers delightfully. A beautiful wine with whispers of the effortless St-Julien balance that stands true through the decades, all coming through with soft tobacco notes, buttery leather, dried fruits and fire crackle. Remember there is less clay in soils in this appellation compared to Pauillac and St-Estèphe, giving St-Julien finer tannins and finessed aromatics. No alcohol marked on the label from this point, but we can assume it is around 12% abv.

Next, one of my favourites, the 1983 Léoville-Poyferré. It had been some years since I tasted this Saint-Julien, and it has always been over-shadowed by former proprietor Didier Cuvelier’s splendid 1982. Ignore it at your peril. Showing light bricking on the rim, it delivers a wonderful nose of red plum, freshly-rolled tobacco, autumn leaves and a hint of cassis borrowed from Pauillac. It was actually richer than I recalled, and blind, I might guess the previous vintage. The palate does not disappoint. Now fully-mature, again, it is more opulent in style than you might expect, portending the richer style the estate has successfully pursued under consultant Michel Rolland. Beautifully balanced with a sensual, quite plush finish, this over-delivers. Drink it over the next decade.

One of the superstar 1983s that is not beginning to crack up and decline, Leoville-Poyferre’s effort exhibits a dark garnet color, a sweet nose of plum liqueur intermixed with licorice, black currants, weedy tobacco, and herbes de Provence. The wine is round, seductive, with a certain degree of opulence, low acidity, gorgeous fruit, and a nice layered palate impression. It makes for quite a seductive style of wine. Drink it over the next 7-8 years. Last tasted, 3/02.

Sweet almost honeyed nose. Exotic aromas, but drier and more eyewatering on the palate. (JH)