Chateau Leoville Poyferre 2eme Cru Classe, Saint-Julien 2021

Enjoyably supple texture, silky and juicy with blueberry, raspberry, blackberry and redcurrant fruit, along with liqourice, fennel and a touch of cocoa bean. This is a serious Poyferré with a firm tannic structure and clear ageing potential, more austere at this stage than you often find. Michel Rolland consultant, 45% new oak, 45% 1st wine, 24hl/h yield. Harvest September 28 to October 12.

This is very typical for St.-Julien with violets, berries, blackcurrants and crushed stone. Medium to full body with very fine tannins that run the length of the wine. Powdery tannins and a rich finish. Velvety texture. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 26% merlot, 9% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot.

The Grand Vin 2021 Château Léoville Poyferré from this brilliant estate checks in as 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot. It has a serious, concentrated, inward style as well as impressive red and black currant-like fruit supported by notes of graphite, smoked tobacco, spicy oak, and chocolate. With terrific richness, a layered, concentrated mid-palate, and fine tannins, this is clearly one of the gems in the vintage. It needs to be forgotten for just 4-5 years, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it evolve for over two decades.

The 2021 Léoville-Poyferré is classy and polished right out of the gate. All the classic Poyferré signatures come through, but in miniature. The 2021 impresses with its pliant fruit, silky tannins and fine balance. To be sure, the 2021 is a smaller-scaled wine than the norm here over the last few years, but that is the charm of this vintage. Inky dark fruit, pencil shavings, licorice and menthol build into the super-expressive finish. Tasted three times.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2021 Leoville Poyferre slowly expands from the glass, revealing notes of warm cassis, blackberry pie, and black cherry preserves, followed by hints of menthol, pencil lead, red roses, and charcoal. Medium-bodied, the palate offers great intensity of youthful black fruits with firm, fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and peppery. The blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot, harvested between 28 September and 12 October, is to be aged 18-20 months in French oak, 80% new. The wine has a pH of 3.84 and an IPT of 78.

The 2021 Léoville-Poyferré was picked from 28 September until 12 October at just 24hL/ha and matured in 80% new oak, the remainder second-fill. It has a high-toned, concentrated bouquet with iodine-infused black fruit, becoming floral in the glass with scents of crushed violet. The palate is medium-bodied with Poyferré's trademark velvety smooth tannins. Fine depth, though clearly not as ostentatious as the previous three vintages, it is a more streamlined Poyferré, though that renders the wine well-balanced. There is just a dash of black pepper on the finish, though it just misses a little persistency on the aftertaste. But overall, a fine Saint-Julien that should give many years of drinking pleasure. 13.0% alcohol.

The 2021 Léoville Poyferré opens in the glass with notes of minty berries, dark berry compote, pencil shavings and toasty oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and dense palate that's quite muscular and extracted, built around a chassis of sweet, abundant tannins that assert themselves on the youthfully firm finish. This will require a bit of patience.

Soft floral tones, violets and blackcurrants. Damsons and boysenberries. Round and mouth filling but with such a satisfying texture - smooth and sensual, tannins still to the fore but so silky, they finely coat the mouth giving support and grip. There is a lovely delicacy here, feels well worked, so elegant yet filled with energy and life. Really appealing, still with intensity but so well packaged and I love the Cabernet aspects on the palate, the florality, the black pepper and crushed stone giving a salinity at the end. Fresh and lifted. 7% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.85pH. Ageing 18 months in two-year-old barrels.