CHATEAU LEOVILLE-POYFERRE 2eme Grand Cru Classe, Saint-Julien 2000 Bottle

Description

Château Léoville Poyferré 2000 is an exceptional wine that exemplifies the outstanding quality of the vintage, receiving 97 points from The Wine Advocate and 93 points from James Suckling. Its opulent nose is filled with vanilla bean, black chocolate, jammy black cherries, and cassis, reflecting its richness. Full-bodied and plush, it offers a sumptuous mouthfeel, complemented by low acidity and sweet tannins. Decanter rated it 92 points, highlighting its generous fruit and exotic spices, along with hints of rosemary and grilled almonds. Vinous praised its medium-bodied palate, showcasing depth and complexity enriched by white pepper and thyme. This remarkable wine is enjoyable now but promises great ageing potential through to 2035 and beyond.

*****

Château Léoville Poyferré was the Léoville that got left in the starting blocks in terms of reputation and in the quality of its wines.

Léoville Poyferré has been owned by the Cuvelier family (who also own Château Le Crock) since 1921, yet it was not until the 1970s, when Didier Cuvelier took control at the château, that quality began to improve. In the last 20 years, Didier, with the assistance of Michel Rolland since 1995, has turned Léoville-Poyferré into one of St-Julien's finest estates.

Léoville Poyferré has 80 hectares of vineyards planted with Cabernet Sauvignon (65%), Merlot (25%), Petit Verdot (8%) and Cabernet Franc (2%).

Léoville Poyferré traditionally produced the softest and most supple wine of the 3 Léovilles, yet in the last decade the wines have definitely put on weight and body. This is largely due to the grapes being harvested riper and later and because of the increased exposure to new oak in the maturation process.

Now up with the best of the St-Juliens but still selling at non-scary prices. Léoville Poyferré is classified as a 2ème Cru Classé.

THE WINE ADVOCATE 97 points
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Drink Date: 2010 - 2035
The plushest, most ostentatious and dramatic of all the Leovilles in 2000, this wine is already sumptuous, displaying some nuances in its huge nose of vanilla bean, black chocolate, jammy black cherries, cassis, and graphite in a flamboyant style. Opulent, savory, rich, and full-bodied, it is a head-turning, prodigious wine and a complete contrast to the extracted behemoth of Leoville Barton and the backward, classic Leoville Las Cases. The Poyferre’s low acidity, sweet tannin and an already gorgeous mouthfeel make it a wine to drink now as well as over the next 25 or more years.
Published: Jun 29, 2010

JAMES SUCKLING 93 points
Thursday, Dec 29, 2011
This has spices, meat, dark and ripe fruits, and a light sultana character. Full-bodied, tight and firm with a beautiful freshness and great length with notes of licorice and citrus skin. Fascinating stuff. Leave this alone for at least a couple of years. Should be better after 2012.

DECANTER 92 points
Tasted by: Jane Anson
(at Château Léoville Poyferré, 14 Jun 2018)
Part of Tasting Léoville Poyferré wines from 1961 to 2016
Drinking Window: 2018 - 2036
This wine is clearly the product of an extremely generous and successful vintage. Even if the following year is where I might go for finesse and staying power, the beauty of the 2000 is instead found in the fullness of the fruit and its frank expression. There are touches of exotic cinnamon, rosemary and grilled almond notes, deepened with layers of olive paste. Great quality, it lingers on the palate. One of the signatures of Château Léoville Poyferré is its willingness to go all out to make wines that are generous and that make you smile; you get the sense with this wine that they enjoy their good fortune and hope that you do too.

VINOUS 92 points
Drinking Window 2022 - 2042
From: Léoville-Poyferré 1936-2018 (Sep 2022)
The 2000 Léoville-Poyferré was poured blind at Medlar restaurant, though it was pretty easy to single out. This bottle is slightly higher-toned than the previous, black fruit, melted tar and a touch of roasted chestnut, maybe displaying just a touch more Brettanomyces. The palate is medium-bodied with good depth and concentration, white pepper and thyme lending more complexity towards the finish. It does not possess the precision that has defined recent vintages, yet it has an almost bucolic charm and the substance to suggest it will give another two decades of drinking pleasure. Tasted at Medlar in London. - By Neal Martin on June 2021

JANCIS ROBINSON 17.5 points
Mid crimson with a bit of evolution. Fragrant. Much less concentrated than the Barton but an attractive expression of the vintage and appellation. Dry overall and quite sinewy. You could start to drink this even though it is far from its apogee. (JR)

WINE ENTHUSIAST 89 points
A solid wine, well structured, with soft but supple tannins that frame a core of blackberry, cassis, toast, coffee, anise and herb notes. The finish has a hint of sage and thyme, ending with moderate length. Good Bordeaux from a good year. Kosher