Chateau Leoville Poyferre 2014

JAMES SUCKLING: "A ripe, generous and substantial wine for this appellation with some real concentration. Plenty of beautiful currant and blackberry character, as well as a solid core of ripe, dusty and velvety tannins and enough acidity to carry the long, savory finish. Slight lean now. Better in 2024."

WEINWISSER: "60 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 35 % Merlot, 3 % Cabernet Franc, 2 % Petit Verdot. 36 hl/ha. Extrem dunkles Purpur mit lila und violetten Reflexen. Ich hatte ihn unmittelbr nach dem Barton und Ducru in der Nase. Während die anderen eher leise auftraten war dies ein absolutes Rodeobouquet! Viel schwarze Kirschen, viel Cassis, dunkle Edelhölzer, Arabica-Kaffeetouch. Dahinter aber auch ganz fein grüne Cabernetspuren zeigend. Im Gaumen ein Mund voll Wein, fleischig, stoffig, komplex und reich in allen Belangen. Angefangen mit den reifen, markanten Gerbstoffen über die Konzentration bis hin zum katapultartigen Finale. Unter den Deuxièmes war dies die arroganteste Version. Aber warum darf ein grosser Cru denn keine Ecken und Kanten haben? Vor allem wenn er genau so bestückt ist. Ein nobler Bauer mit Saint-Julien-Power! Wenn er alle Primeur-Versprechungen bis zur Flasche hält, dann kann er 19/20 pflücken."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Classic in style, with strong essences of cedar, tobacco and herbs to accompany the crisp red fruits, the wine is medium-bodied, chewy, bright, sweet and fresh. with an herbal and leafy accent to the red fruit in the finish. It is still youthful, but with 2 hours of air, you can drink this with pleasure today."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "The wine is concentrated with tannins that come from both the firm fruit and the wood aging. It is packed with blackberry flavors that come through the structure strongly. The velvet texture (that is just a hint at the moment) is going to bring out the richness of this wine produced with consultation from Michel Rolland. Drink from 2024."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The 2014 Leoville-Poyferre was surprisingly backward and tight on the nose (usually it is the most expressive and generous Léoville in its youth). The precision and focus is intact, but it is broody and sultry at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with firm structure, which suggests that it has turned volte face since its opulent showing in barrel. Overall, this comes across as perhaps a slightly more austere and masculine wine from Didier Cuvelier, though that is not a criticism, just an observation. I would like to see a little more persistence on the finish, but the tidings bode well for this mercurial and fascinating Léoville-Poyferre. I can see it improving with bottle age, hence the plus sign against my score."

JEB DUNNUCK: "A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc and the balance Petit Verdot that wasn’t harvest until the middle of October (this is later than most), the 2014 Léoville Poyferré is a ripe, concentrated, seriously impressive wine in the vintage that offers more exuberance, texture, and character than most. Crème de cassis, graphite, toasty oak, and hints of tobacco all emerge from this purple colored, pure, medium to full-bodied 2014 that has sweet tannin, beautiful purity of fruit, and a great finish. While it doesn’t have the depth of a truly great vintage, it shines for its balance, texture, and sheer charm. Drink this beauty anytime over the coming 15-20 years."

WINE SPECTATOR: "Very pure, with a beautiful beam of violet and plum sauce carried by a chiseled graphite spine. Gorgeous anise and roasted apple wood notes are inlaid seamlessly on the finish. Shows ample grip and drive. Rock-solid. Best from 2020 through 2030."

DECANTER: "Still has a tight and clear quality with the essential fruit-tannin-acidity trio in place, plus a lovely persistency. Needs a few minutes in the glass. Emphasis on cassis, giving a beautiful richness through the mid-palate. This vintage has a more classic St-Julien style, though less classically that this château. A little closed right now, this needs another four or five years to open and soften. 2% Petit Verdot makes up the rest of the blend. Drinking Window 2022 - 2038"

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Deep, slightly smudgy crimson. Still vibrant though a hint of deep brick-red at the rim. It actually smells a little of warm bricks too. Spicy with a hint of incense but still plenty of lively dark-red fruit. Just beginning to show some tertiary notes but not yet undergrowth, more seductively sweet spice. Extremely inviting. On the palate, more tension than in the 2017 and more sinewy but that just increases the freshness. Chewy, finely grained texture also gives freshness. Moreish and like a trailer for future complexity. Lovely balance between fruit and structure in a more modest vintage (in terms of power). Spicy character increases with aeration."