Pavillon de Leoville Poyferre 2018 Saint-Julien

Pavillon de Leoville Poyferre 2018 Saint Julien

Region / Classification: Saint Julien
Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc
Alcohol Content: 13% vol

Chateau Leoville Poyferre, also known as "Leoville Poyferre Estate", is located in the Saint-Julien appellation of Bordeaux, France, and was classified as a Second Growth in the Medoc 1855 classification.

The history of Chateau Leoville Poyferre dates back to 1638. At that time, Jean de Moytie, a councillor of the Bordeaux Parliament and a noble capitalist, acquired a vineyard on a gravelly slope and named it "Mont-Moytie". In 1740, Alexandre de Gascq-Leoville became the new owner of the estate, renaming it "Leoville". The Leoville estate was then at the forefront of vineyard management. Some of their ideas initially seemed strange to many growers, but today many of their vineyard practices are still widely used.

Chateau Leoville Poyferre formulates corresponding work plans based on soil analysis results of the vineyard, taking timely measures such as plowing, hilling, and loosening soil as needed, and tying up vines according to the natural growth patterns of the grapes. In early May, the estate carries out a series of "green measures" on the grapevines as needed, such as removing redundant buds, defoliation, topping, and thinning leaves. Three weeks before harvest, the winemaking team, including Didier Cuvelier, winemaking consultant Michel Rolland, and the estate's winemaker Isabelle Davin, gather in the vineyard to personally taste the grapes. This, combined with previous grape ripeness analysis data, determines the specific harvest date. Once the grapes reach optimal ripeness, the estate organizes harvesters to hand-pick the fruit by plot, transporting the grape bunches in small wicker baskets to the winery. These grape bunches undergo a round of manual selection, and after sorting, they are fed into a destemmer for stem removal. The separated grape berries then pass through an optical sorting machine for a second sorting before being crushed and put into tanks. Additionally, grapes harvested from different plots at Chateau Leoville Poyferre need to be fermented separately, and the 56 stainless steel fermentation tanks (27 of which are new double-walled tanks) in the estate's winemaking facility are perfectly suited for this production requirement.

Bordeaux blend red wines are renowned for their powerful structure and intense flavors. Dark fruits and berries, such as plum and blackcurrant, are commonly used to describe the taste of Bordeaux red wines, though there are infinite variations in their terminology. The tannin content in these wines tends to be relatively high, giving them a firm structure.

Tasting Notes: "Elegant and aromatic bouquet with beautiful definition, refined complexity, and harmony. It exudes delicate aromas of ripe wild blackberry, wild blackcurrant, and wild raspberry, accompanied by notes of small berries, lily, violet, small wild red fruits, and a hint of plum, black tea, star anise, and sweet spices, with a long finish."