2010 Léoville-Poyferré, St-Julien

“I continue to absolutely love the 2010 Château Léoville Poyferré, and it certainly ticks all my boxes. This deep purple-hued beauty boasts phenomenal notes of crème de cassis, smoky tobacco, graphite, and leather. With full-bodied richness, a deep, layered mouthfeel, and ripe, polished tannins, it brings that rare mix of opulence and elegance and is an utter joy to drink.” (06/2025)

“Deep colour, luscious and powerful, has the push and pull of a truly great wine, where you are not exactly sure where you will land but you are fully along for the ride. Brilliant quality, precision, smoke, liquorice, cigar box, cassis, mint leaf etching, rippled with muscle, more Pauillac than St Julien in the 2010 vintage, with decades ahead of it. Great stuff, easily one of the wines of the tasting. 80% new oak. Harvest October 1 to 18.” (09/2024)

“The wine out distances both Leoville Las Cases and Leoville Barton, but all three of them are compelling efforts. Full-bodied, dense purple in color, with floral notes intermixed with blackberries, cassis, graphite and spring flowers, this full-bodied, legendary effort is long and opulent, with wonderfully abundant yet sweet tannin, a skyscraper-like mid-palate and a thrilling, nearly one-minute finish. This spectacular effort from Poyferre that should drink well for 30+ years. Another spectacular wine from the Cuvelier family, Leoville Poyferre (along with Ducru Beaucaillou) may be one of the two best wines of St.-Julien year after year these days. This is a large estate, covering nearly 200 acres, and the final blend of the 2010 Leoville Poyferre is 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, a whopping 34% Merlot and the rest 7% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. (RP) 98+” (02/2013)

“A wine of architectural strength and classical proportions, this has straight lines that mark the packed, concentrated fruits, which are sustained by its tannins. This is certainly the best wine that Léoville-Poyferré has produced, sumptuous while so finely structured. *Cellar Selection* (RV)” (02/2013)

“Intense fruit, perfumed elements with strong wood notes. It's confident and a bit of a show-off, but the fruit and plush tannic chewiness are at the fore, so it avoids overt minerality or leanness, unlike many in the tasting. Has weight and vigour but with freshness and mass appeal. Not so refined, but not harsh either. Cool blueberries and graphite, liquorice elements. Different style to many. (GH)” (04/2024)

“Opulent aromas of blackberry, black cherry and orange peel follow through to a full body with round, creamy tannins and a flavorful finish. A big, significant wine that is starting to open and come around. A long life ahead of it.” (02/2021)

“The 2010 Léoville-Poyferré takes the 2009 and ups the ante with brilliantly defined, intense black fruit. Perhaps it is just a little more "serious" compared to the previous vintage, but is finely chiseled and displaying more mineralité. The palate has mellowed since I last tasted it, developing more rondeur and a more caressing texture. Extremely pure in style, this fans out wonderful, fills the mouth and lingers for a minute. One of the highlights of Didier Cuvelier’s career, this has a long future ahead. "LP" just does not get better than this. Tasted at the Léoville-Poyferré vertical at the château with Sara Lecompte Cuvelier. (NM)” (06/2021)