Château Léoville Poyferré - Saint-Julien 1998

Wine Advocate

89 / 100

par Neal Martin le 29/04/2008

Slightly deeper in colour than the 1997. The nose has a real succulence to it: black cherries, blood orange, touch of tobacco and iodine. Very good lift. It reminds me of Ribena after ten minutes in the glass! The palate is surprisingly rich, very well structured with lovely, grainy tannins. Very dense of the vintage, cohesive and focused with layers of ripe, slightly gamey black fruits on the finish. Of all the Poyferré’s, this comes closest to Las-Cases in style (though without the level of concentration). A commendable 1998. Drink 2012-2025 Tasted March 2008.

Wine Advocate

88 / 100

par Robert Parker le 30/04/2001

The dark ruby-colored, medium-bodied 1998 offers aromas of underbrush, black currants, cherries, minerals, and vanillin. While sweet, rich, and stylish, it lacks the depth necessary to merit an outstanding score. Drink it over the next 12-14 years

Wine Spectator

91 / 100

par James Suckling le 31/01/2001

Well done. Aromas of black truffles and ripe fruit introducing a full-bodied wine with lots of fruit and velvety tannins. A mouthful. Amazing for the vintage in the Médoc. Best after 2006. 18,330 cases made.

Wine Advocate

88-89 / 100

par Robert Parker le 30/04/2000

Smoky, roasted herb, and black currant aromas emerge from this dense ruby/purple-colored, very good to excellent 1998. There is fine ripeness and moderately high tannin, as well as a better mid-palate and finish than it exhibited last year. It is a fine effort with sweet, well-balanced tannin. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2015.

Wine Advocate

87-89 / 100

par Robert Parker le 30/04/1999

The 1998 Leoville-Poyferre has turned out well. The color is an attractive dark ruby/purple. The modest aromatics reveal toasty new oak, lead pencil, and jammy black currant fruit. The wine is medium-bodied, with good ripeness as well as a nice follow through to the mid-palate. On a cautionary note, hard tannin makes an appearance in the abrupt finish. There are fine raw materials here, and if the wine puts on a bit of weight and integrates the tannin, it could merit a higher score. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2018.