Tasting Note:
A real tasting wine, the 2009 Leoville Poyferre is massively impressive and is a veritable writers dream. We tasted this on three separate occasions with similar notes each time. In isolation it is absolutely spellbinding, with notes of chocolate, liqueur cherries, liquid minerals, graphite, menthol, tea leaves and cedar. This is big and opulent, wonderfully rich with layer after layer of velvety fruit, poised, detailed and sumptuous. The tannins are big and ripe and one is left with a long svelte fruit finish of sweet cherries. However, on one occasion we tasted this next to Leoville Barton, and although mighty impressive, the Poyferre was somewhat overshadowed by the class of the 2009 Leoville Barton, but this will probably come down to personal preference.
"One of the more flamboyant and sumptuous wines of the vintage, this inky/purple-colored St.-Julien reveals thrilling levels of opulence, richness and aromatic pleasures. A soaring bouquet of creme de cassis, charcoal, graphite and spring flowers is followed by a super-concentrated wine with silky tannins, stunning amounts of glycerin, a voluptuous, multilayered mouthfeel and nearly 14% natural alcohol. Displaying fabulous definition for such a big, plump, massive, concentrated effort, I suspect the tannin levels are high even though they are largely concealed by lavish amounts of fruit, glycerin and extract. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2040." 100/100 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #199