2012 Chateau Leoville Poyferre 2eme Cru Classe, Saint-Julien

Chateau Leoville Poyferre 2eme Cru Classe, Saint-Julien

Colour: Red

Vintage: 2012

Region: Bordeaux, Saint-Julien

Originally one part of the famous Leoville estate, alongside Barton and Las Cases, Poyferre offers the consumer excellent value for money year after year. Classed as a 2nd growth estate in 1855 and, for good reason, a true BI favourite, Leoville Poyferre is one of the most enjoyable and reliable wines of Bordeaux. One of the most dynamic and gifted winemakers of his generation, Didier Cuvelier took the Leoville Poyferre estate to new heights, placing it right near the top of the established ‘Super Second’ group. Since taking over the estate aged just 30 in 1978, he consistently looked to modernise and successfully created the ultimate blend of the traditional and the contemporary in this magical claret. Now under the control of Sara Lecompte Cuvelier, who took over from the 2019 vintage onwards, we believe it will continue to improve.

Tasting Notes and Scores

92-93 JS

This is chewy with a balanced and polished tannin structure. Full body, with very good depth. Long finish. It keeps going on and on. Very well done. Better than 2011. 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, and 6% Petit Verdot. Merlot made it happen here.

James Suckling

91-94 BI

(62% Cabernet Sauvignon/32% Merlot/6% Petit Verdot) Nose very classy - great oak, sensitively handled, great terroir, this is a proper glass of wine! Big, beautiful structure, great freshness but no greeness. Proper cabernet fruit, broad, expansive tannins. 36hl/ha yield and interestingly no Cabernet Franc this year.

Bordeaux Index

91-93 NM

Tasted twice with consistent notes, the Grand Vin is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot (there is no Cabernet Franc unlike in 2011.) It was picked between 8th October and 19th October at 36hl/ha, when there was a torrential downpour and two plots were spoiled. The grapes were sorted on an Italian optical sorting machine. There is certainly impressive purity and intensity on the nose with ripe blackberry dark plum and touches of vanilla, a little more exotic than the 2011 this time last year. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe sweet tannins. It is typically relatively modern in style, quite opulent for a 2012 with a rounded, velvety finish with plush new oak (85%). Very fine. Tasted April 2013.

Neal Martin

91-93 MS

[62CS/32M/6PV] A fine, rich blackcurrant cabernet nose, subtle oak and mineral; elegantly balanced in a firmer expression of the year, firmly tannic, fresh in acidity, plenty of matter; lovely sweet fruit, long and complex and minerally, a rich, fleshy and vital within the firm tannins which suggest a long gestation, and a fine, delicate, fruit cored persistence. 2025-35+ [M.Schuster, Bordeaux Mar/Apr 2013]

Michael Schuster

918 WL

Quality 923 | Brand 971 | Economics 812 | buzz brand
Quality: Predicted life of 16 years, one of the longest drinking windows in its peer group for the 2012 vintage, which averages 9 years Brand: We found this wine on 22 of the world's top restaurant wine lists, including Napa Wine Bar & Kitchen Economics: Above its peer group average price of £33 for the 2012 vintage Production: Higher production than its peer group average of 186,000 bottles

- www.wine-lister.com June 2017

Wine Lister

90-93 WS

Solid, with good flesh around the core of plum and blackberry fruit. Shows ample dark toast and ganache notes, displaying chewy yet integrated grip. —J.M.

Wine Spectator

89-91 RP

This wine seemed primary and not totally filled out or complete. No doubt it will put on some weight given the significant Merlot content in the final blend. There is a certain firmness, stiffness and lack of intensity on the mid-palate, and some tannins kick in in the finish. Nevertheless, there is more to this wine than first meets the palate. It is medium to full-bodied with an opaque color, good ripeness and some attractive weight, but is closed and hard. It needs time to pull itself together, and it should turn out to be an excellent, possibly outstanding effort.

Wine Advocate

17.5 JR

Drink 2022-2038 Dark purple. Some real energy hidden in this, not desperately expressive wine. Voluptuous on the palate. Gosh what a lot of effort has gone into this. Full marks for effort… Lots of lusciousness and then it's drawn to a dry close like someone tightening a purse string. Though I'd guess not too much purse-string tightening while making this… Appealing freshness.

Jancis Robinson

Chateau Leoville Poyferre 2eme Cru Classe, Saint-Julien