Tasting notes

2009:  A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc.  Fine and polished aromas of plum, red fruits and a touch of spice.  Very complex, layered on the palate, with lovely refinement and elegance, a more modern expression but still very much St.-Julien in character.  There is great depth and intensity on the finish, this promises to be an outstanding Leoville-Poyferre.  94-96 points, drink 2020-2035.  April 2010.

2007:  A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc.  Wonderful aromatics of spice, smoke, cassis and olive.  Very complex flavours follow through on the palate, where the

fruit is framed by fine, chalky tannins, soft acidity, giving the wine a long finish.  However there is a touch of disjointedness at the moment, with the oak not completely integrated - time should rectify this.  Great potential.  92-95 points, drink 2012-2020.  April 2008.

2005:  Ripe and voluptuous aromas of plum, oak, spice and a little graphite.  Very modern and stylish on the palate, with excellent complexity and length, fine structure and persistent tannins.  Clean and powerful on the finish, this is an excellent, albeit modern, style that will age superbly over the medium-term.  95 points, drink 2013-2030.  February 2009.

2004:  Attractive herbal, tobacco and plum aromas, with a touch of oak showing.  On the palate the wine has good weight and texture, slightly chunky tannins that give depth to the blackcurrant and plum fruit.  Lovely minerality on the finish.  The wine has good complexity and length, and seems a modern take on a very traditional, classic styled-claret.  91 points, drink 2009-2019.  October 2008.

2003:  Tasted three times, with consistent notes.  Typical of the best of vintage, with soaring, voluptuous and exotic aromas of very ripe dark berry fruits, spice, oak, minerals and luscious cassis.  Expansive and textural on the palate, with fine acidity and powerful yet very fine tannins giving the wine enough substance to harmonise with the ripe fruit.  Rich and slippery graphite on the finish.  Not hedonistic, but a very modern, exotic style.  Probably divisive, but I like it!  96 points, drink now-2018.  November 2006, July 2007 and February 2009.

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