Château Léoville Poyferré, 2ème Cru Classé, St Julien, 2004
A wonderful blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. A great deal of sensational Cabernet Sauvignon: exuberant fruit blossom nose, wonderful clarity. Fantastically smooth on the palate, very supple and generous. A mineral base with some peppery hints and generous red fruit flavours overlaid. Very balanced and classic in style, extremely enjoyable, this will be a great drinker. Delicious
critic reviews
The 2004 Léoville Poyferré has a slight menthol note on the nose, mainly black fruit with a touch of licorice. It just needs a little more delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with a licorice-infused entry. It's done in a modern style (dare I say, typical of Michel Rolland at that time). An opulent finish just misses a bit of bandwidth. A little New World in style?
A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot, the 2004 Leoville Poyferre is deep garnet-brick in color. It leaps from the glass with notes of rusty nails, unsmoked cigars, and leather, leading to a core of dried cranberries and redcurrants, plus a waft of bay leaves. The medium-bodied palate has a refreshing backbone and chewy tannins, with mature, savory flavors and a ferrous finish.
Chocolate, liquorice, olive tapendade, brambled blackberry and cassis fruits, firm tannins. Deepens through the palate, showcasing layers of flavour that offer both power and concentration. An excellent Poyferré that offsets the seriousness of the vintage with the signature exuberance and pleasure of the estate. Needs a carafe for a few hours as still pretty tight on opening. Harvest September 30 to October 18. 80% new oak.
Along with Leoville Las Cases and a few others, this is among the stars of the appellation. Made in a more floral, supple, Margaux-like style, the deep ruby/purple-hued 2004 Leoville Poyferre exhibits sweet, broad flavors, and plenty of tannin lurking beneath the surface. However, the abundant cherry, black currant, licorice, and smoke notes obscure the tannic clout. This rich, powerful, broad beauty should be drinkable in 2-3 years, and last for two decades.