Léoville Poyferré Saint-Julien 2021 Bottle size: 750ml

‘The top wine, the 2021 Château Léoville Poyferré is a beauty and certainly makes the most of the vintage. Based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that hit 14% alcohol (with an IPT of 78 and a pH of 3.85), its dense purple hue is followed by a rich, concentrated, medium to full-bodied Saint-Julien that has terrific purity of fruit, notes of cassis, violets, and spicy wood, ripe tannins, and remarkable overall balance. It brings more richness and depth than most in the vintage and is unquestionably going to offer tons of pleasure over the coming 20-25 years.’ - Jeb Dunnuck, 94-97/100

‘The 2021 Léoville-Poyferré has developed into a fabulous wine. Surprisingly rich, the 2021 possesses notable depth. Kirsch, blood orange and wildflowers open first, lending a decidedly exotic, perfumed quality. On the palate, the 2021 is fleshy and expressive. There's a bit of new oak that needs to integrate. Otherwise, the 2021 is impeccably balanced. Tasted two times. 2031-2061’ - Antonio Galloni, Vinous, 96/100

‘This is very typical for St.-Julien with violets, berries, blackcurrants and crushed stone. Medium to full body with very fine tannins that run the length of the wine. Powdery tannins and a rich finish. Velvety texture.’ - James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, 95-96/100

‘Vivid plum colour, not quite inky but certainly one of the deeper of the vintage, and this is well extracted, carefully done, balanced with cloves, sage and white pepper spice, blueberry fruit, with coffee and cocoa bean, with silky tannins. Good ageing potential. Michel Rolland consultant, 45% new oak, 45% 1st wine, 24hl/h yield. Harvest September 28 to October 12. Tasted twice, absolutely one to look out for, one of the wines of the vintage, to lay down but not for as long as in a normal year. A great example of where 2021 can really offer something worth taking up. 2027-2041’ - Jane Anson, janeanson.com, 95/100

‘The 2021 Léoville Poyferré opens in the glass with notes of minty berries, dark berry compote, pencil shavings and toasty oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and dense palate that's quite muscular and extracted, built around a chassis of sweet, abundant tannins that assert themselves on the youthfully firm finish. This will require a bit of patience. 2025-2041’ - William Kelley, Wine Advocate, 92/100

‘Dark plum and blackberry fruit is a touch sedate, but has depth and avoids the vintage's grainy feel as it integrates with the solid toast and tobacco notes on the finish, which shows a subtle tug of iron at the very end. Nicely done for the vintage. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2034. 9,279 cases made.’ - James Molesworth, Wine Spectator, 91/100

‘Soft floral tones, violets and blackcurrants. Damsons and boysenberries. Round and mouth filling but with such a satisfying texture - smooth and sensual, tannins still to the fore but so silky, they finely coat the mouth giving support and grip. There is a lovely delicacy here, feels well worked, so elegant yet filled with energy and life. Really appealing, still with intensity but so well packaged and I love the Cabernet aspects on the palate, the florality, the black pepper and crushed stone giving a salinity at the end. Fresh and lifted. 7% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.85pH. Ageing 18 months in two-year-old barrels. 2024-2038’ - Georgina Hindle, Decanter, 91/100

‘Very dark, black core and smudgy rim. Intense black fruit cut through by fresh acidity. Not yet meshed? Chewy, deep and embryonic. 2030-2045’ - Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, 17++/20