Castle Léoville Poyferré - Saint-Julien 2013

Wine Advocate

91 / 100

byNeal Martinthe10/28/2016

The 2013 Léoville-Poyferre has a lovely nose with simple blackcurrant and wild strawberry fruit, maintaining Didier Cuvelier's more opulent style while retaining delineation and focus. The palate is medium-bodied with gently grippy tannin, good acidity and structure, not complex but with a very impressive blackberry and cassis finish that lingers in the mouth. Chapeau Monsieur Cuvelier - one of the best Saint Juliens this vintage.

Wine Spectator

90 / 100

the3/31/2016

Jamessuckling.com

92 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe2/15/2016

A sleek and racy 2013 with mineral, blackberry and currant aromas. Subtle and perfumed. Medium body, silky tannins and a clean finish. Drink or hold.

Wine Advocate

90-92 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe8/29/2014

This wine’s nearly opaque dense ruby/purple color is hardly that of an inferior vintage. The 2013 Leoville Poyferre exhibits a beautiful bouquet of blackberries and creme de cassis. This pure, luscious, long, luxurious (especially for the vintage) 2013 possesses adequate acidity, beautiful purity, and medium- to full-bodied density. One of the superstars of the vintage, it should drink well for 10-15 years.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

87-90 / 100

byStephen Tanzerthe5/16/2014

Saturated ruby.  Brooding aromas of black fruits, minerals and coffee; at once medicinal and liqueur-like, but showing more freshness than usual in 2013.  Huge but still raw at this stage, with rather large-scaled, mouthfilling flavors (for the year) of dark berries and flinty ripe plum, along with an obvious herbal element.  Shows a boatload of chewy tannins but the persistent finish is dry but not parching.

timatkin.com

92 / 100

byTim Atkin MWthe5/7/2014

In a year when many wines are on the light side, this is a St Julien that needs time in barrel and bottle to soften. It’s dense, firm and a little unyielding at present, but has the structure, concentrated black fruits and tannic core to age better than most.

matthewjukes.com

17 / 20

byMatthew Jukesthe4/23/2014

(65 Cabernet Sauvignon, 26 Merlot, 6 Petit Verdot, 3 Cabernet Franc) There is an unexpected and rather aggressive finish here. The dry, rasping tannins, which penetrate the cassis fruit throughout the taste, leave the wine tart and as the body is lighter overall it tends to make the whole wine taste rather sour. The nose is discreet and not unattractive, but it will need time to age in order to soften the grainy tannins. They will fade but will this happen when the bright cherry and mulberry fruit has lost its lustre? I think it will be ok, but it will be a close run thing.

Vinous

90-92 / 100

byAntonio Gallonithe4/18/2014

Plums, blueberries, cassis, violets and sweet spices meld together nicely in the 2013 Léoville-Poyferré. Many of the signatures are in place in the 2013, they are just present in miniature. The fleshy, textured finish offers plenty of near and medium-term appeal. In a second tasting, the 2013 showed plenty of depth but also imposing tannins. It will be interesting to see how things develop in elevage here. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc.

My Bettane + Desseauve

16,5 / 20

the4/15/2014

Beaucoup de sève et de couleur, le nez manque encore un peu d’air et présente quelques notes de réduction, le milieu de bouche est riche, le tannin ferme. Le vin est moins formé à ce stade que les deux autres léovilles, du moins sur les deux échantillons de notre dégustation.

Wine Advocate

90-92 / 100

byNeal Martinthe4/15/2014

A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, the Grand Vin, there is an almost Burgundy like purity on the nose, evoking a sense of Vosne-Romanée! The palate is full-bodied for the vintage, very concentrated with layers of ripe toasty black fruit. The acidity is well judged and there is good grip on the finish. Powerful and burly, this is a 2013 for those who do not want to compensate on fruit!

Decanter.com

17,5 / 20

bySteven Spurrierthe4/14/2014

Black-red, well-extracted meaty Cabernet fruit, robust but not heavy, good depth  and more long term than most.

Jamessuckling.com

90-91 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe4/8/2014

This shows a pretty finish with a long, persistent character at the end of the palate. Full to medium body with a cedar, hazelnut and currant aftertaste. Very good fruit-acid balance here.      

Wine Enthusiast

92-94 / 100

byRoger Vossthe4/3/2014

Firm and concentrated, this wine has rich berry fruits and a fine tannic structure. It shows generous acidity finishing with fine, ripe fruits.                

René Gabriel

18 / 20

byRené Gabrielthe4/3/2014

65 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 26 % Merlot, 6 % Petit Verdot, 3 % Cabernet Franc. 34 hl/ha. Extrem dunkles Purpur mit lila und violetten Reflexen. Sehr würziges, von Cabernet geprägtes Bouquet, schwarze Pfeffer, Lakritze und dunkle Beeren, mittlerer Druck. Im Gaumen mehr stoffig wie fleischig, eine tolle Aromatik vermittelnd, die Tannine sind körnig und haben Charakter. Ist wie ein ganz grosser Jahrgang nur mit etwas weniger Druck. Ein solider Wert der heuer ein paar Pauillac-Premiers hinter sich lässt und für mich der beste Saint Julien ist. Kaufen - wenn der Preis stimmt!

Wine Spectator

89-92 / 100

byJames Molesworththe4/3/2014

Features a mix of red currant, raspberry and boysenberry fruit, with a decidedly racy feel as iron and graphite notes emerge on the finish. Solid. —J.M.