Anne Cuvelier
Leoville Poyferre has been in the hands of the Cuvelier family since 1920. There are 80 ha planted with 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Vines are, on average, 38 years old.
It's pretty amusing to discover the cellars and offices of Leoville Poyferre upon arrival, as they are located in the same drive-in as Leoville Las Cases. For those wanting to go right, Leoville Lascases' buildings are on the left side, while Leoville Poyferre's are on the right.
Leoville Poyferre has consistently been one of the top performers in Bordeaux, thanks to the excellent management of Anne Cuvelier and her cousin, Didier Cuvelier. After vintage 2017, Didier Cuvellier retired, and his niece, Sara Lecompte Cuvelier, took over managing the property and the family's other estates, Moulin Riche in Saint-Julien and Le Crock in Saint-Estèphe. Sara Lecompte Cuvelier's sister, Anne Cuvelier, oversees visitors' reception and event organization.
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Leoville Poyferre 2024 (barrel sample) 93-94p
Tasted in April 2025. Aromas of blackcurrants and cherries on the nose, mint, and leather. Medium-bodied with fine midpalate, complexity, structure, and length. Vibrant and with a persistent aftertaste. Superbly made.
Leoville Poyferre 2023 (barrel sample) 96-97p
Tasted twice - last time in September 2024. Consistent notes. It displays intense notes of blackcurrants, graphite, and tobacco on the nose and is splendid on the palate, with vibrancy and complexity. It is refined, with silky tannins, superb structure, remarkable acidity, and well-integrated oak. Persistent, mineral finish. Fabulous effort.
Leoville Poyferre 2022 (barrel sample) 98p
Tasted in April 2023. 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot. 14.4% alcohol. Rich and elegant, with concentrated blackcurrants, graphite, and tobacco leaf notes on the nose, this wine is splendid on the palate, offering vibrancy and complexity, refined silky tannins, superb structure, and vibrancy. Long, mineral finish. Exceptional effort.
Leoville Poyferre 2021 (barrel sample) 94p
Tasted in April 2022. Potent with concentrated redcurrants, coffee beans, and tobacco leaves on the nose, splendid on the palate with vibrancy and energy, refined, silky tannin, superb structure, and complexity. Long and persistent finish. Excellent effort.
Leoville Poyferre 2020 97p
Tasted in December 2022. 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. 13.5% alcohol. It is a perfect mix of 2018's concentration, multiple layers, and 2019's creaminess, elegance, and finesse. An intense nose of blackcurrants and sweet tobacco garnished with black truffle. It is dense with plenty of black fruit and fat tannin, complexity, and a long finish. Modern style but not too trendy. This wine is simply enthralling!
Leoville Poyferre 2019 (barrel sample) 95-96p
Tasted in June 2020. 67% Cabernet Sauvignon + 27% Merlot + 3% Petit Verdot + 2% Cabernet Franc, 14.18% alcohol, 80% new oak. Modern style means more "attacking" fruit and tannin. Aromatic nose of crushed blackcurrants, splendidly constructed with creamy fruit and sweet tannin, energetic, great complexity, and excellent persistent finish. You can always rely on this property - it's stable and makes excellent wines.
Leoville Poyferre 2018 96-97p
Tasted twice - last time in December 2020. Consistent notes. 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 3% C. Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. I was enjoying a nose that was very dense, with intense notes of blackcurrants and tobacco leaves. Exquisitely concentrated and multilayered, with plenty of black fruit and fat tannin, great depth, complexity, and length, firm structure, and a long finish. This wine is truly sublime.
Leoville Poyferre 2016 95+p
Tasted twice - last time in May 2019. Consistent notes. This wine was very complex, with a big, succulent structure, velvety fruit, refined tannins, and a long aftertaste. Great effort, indeed.
Leoville Poyferre 2015 95p
Tasted three times - last time in April 2023. Consistent notes. Stylish and classy wine, well-packed with perfectly ripe fruit and tannin, well-structured and complex, with a long finish. It was a tremendous effort for the vintage. It was a tad closed in April 2023.
Leoville Poyferre 2014 93+p
Tasted three times - last time in April 2023. Consistent notes. Refined aromas of red fruit on the nose, firm structure and backbone, pleasing complexity, depth, and length. Fine effort. This wine needs several years to open.
Leoville Poyferre 2013 (barrel sample) 91p
Tasted in March 2014. Potent, oaky, and well-packed with fruit. Silky tannin and a meaty finish. It was challenging to make an excellent wine under difficult weather conditions.
Leoville Poyferre 2012 93p
Tasted twice - last time in September 2019. Consistent notes. Great complexity, length, delicate balance, and plenty of aromatic black fruit. Splendid effort and heartbreaker wine.
Leoville Poyferre 2011 94p
Tasted three times - last time in March 2015. Consistent notes. It is very complex and long on the nose and palate. Aromatic black fruit, well-balanced, excellent structure, and long, firm aftertaste. Excellent for the vintage. All the promises from the barrel sample have been transferred to the bottle.
Leoville Poyferre 2010 97p
Tasted three times - last time in March 2015. Consistent notes. This wine outshines the 2009, in my opinion, being a strong and potent wine with a wealth of perfectly ripe black cherries and rich, ripe tannin, a silky texture, excellent balance, and an impressively long finish. Stunning effort.
Leoville Poyferre 2009 95p
Tasted twice - last time in October 2012. Not consistent notes. It had more power and stuffing than in 2011 and 2008, much better fruit ripeness, and more complexity. I recall this wine as being unimpressive from the barrel, but it underwent a dramatic transformation for the better while aging in oak. There's more strength, bigger depth, and a longer finish. Fabulous stuff
Leoville Poyferre 2008 93p
Tasted in October 2012. Low yield - only 28 hl/ha. This wine was almost identical in style to the 2011, more developed, with a strong backbone and a long finish. Excellent effort for the vintage.
Leoville Poyferre 2007 88p
Tasted in September 2012. It is a lovely, attractive, and charming wine with good stuffing, light-footed fruit and tannin, and a soft finish. It's delightful to drink right now.
Leoville Poyferre 2005 95+p
Tasted twice - last time in March 2015. This wine has an excellent nose of black cherries and blueberries, which are intense and fragrant. Long on the palate with a strong structure. Silky fruit and tannin. It has a long, fruity finish. Fabulous wine.
Leoville Poyferre 2003 92p
Tasted twice - last time in April 2023. Powerful and tightly structured wine. You can feel the heat of the vintage with warm plums on the nose, but they're neither stewed nor cooked. You can also feel the heat of the vintage on the palate, meaning the tannin is relatively dry on the finish. It's a bit controversial, but the quality is fine. This was in September 2012. Almost eleven years later, when tasted at the property, it maintained its fine quality and showed no signs of decline.
Leoville Poyferre 2002 91p
Tasted twice - last time in April 2007. Consistent notes. This wine is one of the best and most exciting efforts of this vintage - delicious, round, and seductive.
Leoville Poyferre 2001 92p
Tasted three times - last time in September 2009. Consistent notes. It is a catchy and aromatic wine with a great deal of finesse. Gentle and beautifully balanced. It is a joy to drink.
Leoville Poyferre 2000 97+p
Tasted in September 2012. It is a powerful wine that possesses excellent structure and stunning balance. It is tightly built with great intensity, perfect balance, and a powerful finish. This wine has a lot of potential, indicating a promising future. This was the first vintage in which LP's present oenologist, Isabelle Davin, participated.
Leoville Poyferre 1999 88p
Tasted in September 2012. Considering this vintage's problems, LP has made a nice wine. However, the fruit is less ripe than it was in 1996, and the other ingredients are lighter. Ready to drink.
Leoville Poyferre 1996 92p
Tasted in September 2012. It's an elegant and well-shaped wine with soft, round tannins. Aromatic and tasty ripe fruit, with a charming fruity finish. It is approachable now, indicating that this wine is at its peak.
Leoville Poyferre 1989 93p
Tasted in September 2012. From magnum. Intense truffles on the nose with soft fruit and tannin, round and very well put together, with a lot of finesse and superb balance. Delicious and excellent wine.
Leoville Poyferre 1983 92p
Tasted in July 2015. Dusty, warm vintage, sweet fruit, smooth and elegant with a delicate balance and a fruity aftertaste. It has kept well.
Leoville Poyferre 1982 94p
Tasted in December 2007. Dense, black-red, incredibly concentrated with glorious blackcurrant fruit, firm structure, and a long aftertaste. There is great complexity and style here. Awesome wine.