2013 LEOVILLE POYFERRE ST-JULIEN

"Imagine eating milk chocolate candy bars your whole life and then someone gives you a piece of intense, 80 percent cacao dark chocolate. A whole new sensory universe opens in the chocolate center of your brain. That's how I've felt about the last several vintages of Leoville-Poyferre. The structure and intensity are formidable. The flavor is molecularly dense. The texture is molten softness. And yet the wine is not bombastic or out of balance. Indeed it is thrilling to see the flavors of Bordeaux taken to the nth power." - The Wine Bible

 

"Barrel Sample. Firm and concentrated, this wine has rich berry fruits and a fine tannic structure. It shows generous acidity finishing with fine, ripe fruits." (4/2014)

 

"This wine’s nearly opaque dense ruby/purple color is hardly that of an inferior vintage. The 2013 Leoville Poyferre exhibits a beautiful bouquet of blackberries and creme de cassis. This pure, luscious, long, luxurious (especially for the vintage) 2013 possesses adequate acidity, beautiful purity, and medium- to full-bodied density. One of the superstars of the vintage, it should drink well for 10-15 years." (8/2014)

 

"Shows good energy, with a vibrant, brambly spine that drives the plum cake, steeped currant and licorice flavors along. A solid bolt of singed apple wood pins down the finish. Best from 2017 through 2023. (JM)" (3/2016)

 

"One of the top wines in the vintage is unquestionably the 2013 Léoville Poyferré, which has more purity, texture, and depth than most. With medium-bodied richness, lovely notes of cassis, smoky oak, and violets, moderate tannins, and notable purity and finesse, it’s ideal for drinking over the coming decade or so." (2/2018)

 

"Tasted blind. Inky cassis colour. Ripe and dark fruited. Deep, dry and elegant as well as powerful - without being tough. Dense and still balanced. Firm, chewy and promising. 17/20 points. (JH)"