Chateau Leoville Poyferre 2014

A red with currant and blueberry aromas and flavors and some citrus and vanilla. Medium body and creamy, integrated tannins. Shows finesse and depth for the vintage. One of the best from the appellation. Serious for the vintage. Drinkable now, but much better in 2022.

Based on a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Chateau Leoville-Poyferre saw malolactic in barrels and spent 18 months in 80% new French oak. Sporting a deep ruby/purple hue, it delivers big, powerful notes of blackberries, blackcurrants, crushed violets, tobacco, and a touch of chocolate. Possessing medium to full-bodied richness, a rounded, opulent texture, and sweet tannins, it’s unquestionably one of the biggest, richest wines in the vintage. Give bottles 4-6 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following 2-3 decades. Tasted twice.

This wine brings balance to the solid tannins and luscious fruits. Firm tannins plus layers of acidity give freshness and great aging ability. The wine has a great future. Drink from 2024. K&L Wine Merchants.

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Leoville Poyferre needs a little coaxing to reveal pretty scents of violets, Black Forest cake and blueberry preserves with hints of raspberry leaves, roses, cigar box and fragrant earth. Medium-bodied, the palate has a quiet intensity with loads of subtle layers and a well-poised frame of soft, fine-grained tannins, finishing long and refreshing. Rating: 94+

Slightly earthy notes on the nose, with brambly fruit coming through on the attack. A real sense of lightness and delicacy, with some attractive brushed tannins. Clear precision to the structure of the wine, and it opens up in the glass, allowing the initial austerity to fade as the fruit fattens up in the glass. Lacks the plush concentration of some vintages of Poyferré, but extremely enjoyable and accomplished, with plenty of house style. Take your time, be patient with this one and trust that it will come around a little sooner than the 2016 and 2018.

Warm and rich in feel, with layers of steeped plum, fig and blackberry paste flavors cruising along, framed by cocoa notes and backed by a swath of graphite structure on the tar-tinged finish. Shows a bit more heft than purity, but this is rock-solid nonetheless. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2037.