2018 Château Léoville Poyferré 2eme Cru Classé Saint-Julien, Bordeaux, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

Extreme weather conditions wildly rocked the 2018 vintage between alternating periods of humidity and dryness. At the heart of the emblematic graves of Saint-Julien, the vine was able to show, once again, the magical effect of terroir. From this extraordinary equation is born a vintage that sings harmoniously with elegance, complexity and balance.

Based on 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot grown on terraces of Mindel gravel, sandy-clay subsoil. After fermentation, the wine is aged in 80% new oak barriques for 18 months before bottling.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Owned by the Cuvelier family since 1920, Léoville Poyferré shares a building with its perhaps better-known cousin Léoville Las Cases, though the two estates are markedly different. Poyferré’s vineyard lies across the road, with its 148 acres of vines situated on more clay-based soils that result in a broad, fleshy wine. Sara Cuvelier is the current generation to head the estate, taking over from her cousin Didier during the 2018 vintage. Winemaker Isabelle Davin and consultant Michel Rolland crafted Poyferré’s modern-style grand vin from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, all aged in 80 percent new oak.