A wine that is emerging as a major sleeper of the vintage, the 2001 Léoville Poyferré bursts from the glass with aromas of cassis, ripe blackberries, loamy soil, cigar wrapper and violets. Medium to full-bodied, rich and concentrated, with a deep core of fruit, lively acids and powdery structuring tannins, it's an intensely flavored, rather dramatic rendition of the year that has hit its plateau of maturity.

The 2001 Léoville Poyferré, which I had not tasted for a decade, is very harmonious on the nose and features slightly darker fruit than the 2000, offering blackberry, cedar, fresh tobacco and smoke aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with rounded, lithe tannins, fresher than the 2000 and more backward. It has a disarming velvety texture and turns spicy toward the finish. Hints of clove and bay leaf linger on the aftertaste. Excellent.

Sweet notions of plums, black currants, caramel, and spicy oak are provocative and alluring. Subtle but substantial, layered, and textured, with medium body as well as sexy, up-front flavors, low acidity, and ripe tannin, this beauty is among the most evolved and flamboyant of the appellation. Nevertheless, it should age well. Anticipated maturity: now-2016.

Bright ruby-red. Enticing aromas of redcurrant, leather, tobacco, smoke and mint. Silky but firm in the middle palate, with lovely cut and clarity. Sweet currant fruit complicated by leather and tobacco notes. Finishes firm and persistent.