Chateau Leoville Poyferre 2014

Professional Ratings

• 94 Wine Enthusiast
  The wine is concentrated with tannins that come from both the firm fruit and the wood aging. It is packed with blackberry flavors that come through the structure strongly. The velvet texture (that is just a hint at the moment) is going to bring out the richness of this wine produced with consultation from Michel Rolland. Drink from 2024.
• 94 James Suckling

  A ripe, generous and substantial wine for this appellation with some real concentration. Plenty of beautiful currant and blackberry character, as well as a solid core of ripe, dusty and velvety tannins and enough acidity to carry the long, savory finish. Slight lean now. Better in 2024.

• 94 Decanter
  Very deep red. Bold, ripe and fleshy blackcurrant nose steeped in new oak, without being too overbearing. Rich, dense, and flamboyant, very concentrated and intense. Fleshy and forthright, it has a long finish that's spicy and complex.
• 93 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
  The 2014 Leoville-Poyferre was surprisingly backward and tight on the nose (usually it is the most expressive and generous Léoville in its youth). The precision and focus is intact, but it is broody and sultry at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with firm structure, which suggests that it has turned volte face since its opulent showing in barrel. Overall, this comes across as perhaps a slightly more austere and masculine wine from Didier Cuvelier, though that is not a criticism, just an observation. I would like to see a little more persistence on the finish, but the tidings bode well for this mercurial and fascinating Léoville-Poyferre. I can see it improving with bottle age, hence the plus sign against my score.
  Rating: 93+
• 93 Wine Spectator
  Very pure, with a beautiful beam of violet and plum sauce carried by a chiseled graphite spine. Gorgeous anise and roasted apple wood notes are inlaid seamlessly on the finish. Shows ample grip and drive. Rock-solid. Best from 2020 through 2030.
• 93 Jeb Dunnuck
  A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc and the balance Petit Verdot that wasn’t harvest until the middle of October (this is later than most), the 2014 Léoville Poyferré is a ripe, concentrated, seriously impressive wine in the vintage that offers more exuberance, texture, and character than most. Crème de cassis, graphite, toasty oak, and hints of tobacco all emerge from this purple colored, pure, medium to full-bodied 2014 that has sweet tannin, beautiful purity of fruit, and a great finish. While it doesn’t have the depth of a truly great vintage, it shines for its balance, texture, and sheer charm. Drink this beauty anytime over the coming 15-20 years.