2010 & 2016 Léoville-Poyferré, St-Julien, Smith Haut Lafitte, Pessac-Léognan & Léoville-Barton, St-Julien Tasting Lot

“A tour de force from Pessac-Leognan, the 2010 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte matches the 2009 in terms of quality but possesses a more dense, powerful, compact style. Absolutely heavenly aromatics of blackcurrants, cassis, smoked tobacco, scorched earth, and truffle all define the aromatics, and it takes air to show at its best today. With full-bodied richness, massive concentration, and building tannins, it's flawless balanced, has an insane level of purity, and incredible length on the finish. This brilliant, brilliant Graves will evolve gracefully for another 40+ years, although it's insanely good today. Don't miss it.” (10/2023)

“The 2010 is a remarkable wine and is a testament to all the efforts of the Cathiard family and their team. Complex and dense, the bouquet reveals a gorgeous array of blackcurrants, graphite, smoke, spices, gum trees, tobacco and liquorice. Full of freshness also. Dense and concentrated, the palate possesses an elegant tannic frame, with a deep and perfectly balanced structure. The finish is endless, fresh and slightly minty. Superb! (YC)” (06/2021)

“A muscular, tannin-packed vintage that came at a moment when Smith Haut Lafitte was building in renown, with the work undertaken by the Cathiards fully come though in the glass. The intensity and concentration of 2010 also benefits from the dash of glamour that this château specialises in, so you get the layers of grapite and cassis softened by spiced plum, vanilla bean and bitter chocolate. Drawn out and tightly gripped, with a sense of drama. One to savour, with no rush to begin drinking. 60% new oak, Fabien Teitgen technical director. Organic and biodynamic farming.” (06/2023)

“Deep garnet colored, the 2010 Smith Haut Lafitte delivers notes of baked plums, boysenberries and dried mulberries with an undercurrent of cigar box, new leather and bouquet garni. Full-bodied, the palate has firm, grainy tannins and bold freshness supporting the maturing fruit, finishing on a stewed tea note. (LPB)” (03/2020)

“A beautifully ripe wine with great black fruits that burst through the classic tannins. In its richness and in its structure, it combines the best of the vintage. Dark, complex, fruity and very rich, a magnificent wine for long-term aging. *Cellar Selection* (RV)” (03/2013)

“Gorgeous, with alluring black tea and warm ganache notes that unfurl slowly, while the core of intense steeped plum, anise, blackberry compote and black currant confiture sits patiently in reserve. The beautiful loam-, tobacco- and tar-filled finish displays major heft, but also remarkable polish and grace. Should age very slowly. (JM)” (03/2013)

“Aromas of blueberries, blackberries and plums follow through to a full body, with velvety tannins and a fruity finish. Lots of mushroom and fruit undertones. Very polished. Such finesse yet structure to this young wine.” (02/2013)

“The 2010 Smith Haut-Lafitte has one of the most backward bouquets among its peers and required more coaxing from the glass. It eventually offers well defined blackberry, wild strawberry, sous-bois and tobacco notes, quite serious but very engaging. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins. There is good body and density here, but it loosens up towards the finish with a lovely touch of sea salt and liquorice on the aftertaste. Superb. (NM)” (04/2020)

“Full ruby-red. Very ripe yet precise nose offers blueberry, black raspberry, violet, spices and sexy dried herbs; still a bit youthfully medicinal but already showing a lot of personality. Rich, pliant and hugely deep, with near-chocolatey ripeness to the highly concentrated dark berry, tobacco and spice flavors. This wonderfully broad, seamless, layered wine dusts the palate with ripe tannins and leaves the mouth perfumed. Built for a long life in bottle but balanced from day one: it's more bound-up today than the silkier and more voluptuous 2009 but I would not be surprised if this one eventually surpassed its younger sibling. (ST) 94+” (07/2013)

“Deep, lustrous blackish crimson. Opulently ripe fruit with well-managed tannins almost in the background now. Savoury and vibrant fruit on the palate and great balance. Drinking well already with no sign of excessive chewiness. Glossy and appealing. 17.5/20 points (JR)” (02/2024)

“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)

“Terrific intensity of dark berries, almost peppery blackcurrants and violets with attractive and integrated, spicy oak and an earthy edge. The palate has a super powerful and long, linear core with plenty of fruit flesh strapped in tight for a long and thrilling ride into the finish.” (02/2019)

“A brilliant young wine, the 2016 Léoville Barton unwinds in the glass with aromas of cassis, dark berries and cigar box mingled with subtle hints of loamy soil. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it's seamless and exquisitely balanced, with beautifully refined tannins, bright acids and a long, penetrating finish. Its structural refinement is such that it's far from forbidding to open right now, yet patience will be richly rewarded. (WK)” (08/2022)

“This is so vivid as it brims with pastis-soaked plum, blackberry, black currant and blueberry paste flavors, all carried by a perfectly integrated brambly spine. Tar and ganache notes give the finish an extra kick while everything stays within the mouthwatering roasted apple wood frame. Both regal and rambunctious, this is St.-Julien to a T. *Wine of the Year for 2019* (JM)” (03/2019)

“A fabulous Cabernet-dominated blend here, this variety accounting for 86% of the total, with 14% Merlot for balance. The élevage was in 60% new oak. On the nose this is dark, smoky and dense, with a superb and obviously concentrated fruit character here. The fruit profile shows a slightly dried concentration to it, yet it has obvious freshness too, being ripe with blackcurrant, black olive, praline and damson fruits. This is an absolutely classic style, pure and precise, deftly carrying great concentration, and showing a very impressive backbone of ripe, glossy and tightly knit tannins, which sits within the fruit very comfortably, and which persists nicely in the finish. An excellent result. Well done.” (12/2018)

“Deep purple-colored and a classic Saint-Julien with its pure crème de cassis, graphite, liquid rock, and essence of lead pencil shavings, the 2016 Château Léoville Barton is full-bodied, concentrated, and backward, with bright acidity and ripe yet certainly present and building tannins. This old-school, classic Léoville Barton has a fine thread of acidity keeping the wine focused and fresh. It’s a beauty, but mostly potential at this point, although it does have beautiful fruit. Savvy readers will hide bottles at the back of their cellar, and I wouldn’t start to think about opening bottles for a least a decade. It’s going to be incredibly long-lived. (JD) 96+” (02/2019)

“The 2016 Leoville Barton is deep garnet-colored. It charges out of the gate with powerful notes of blackcurrant pastilles, stewed plums, and blueberry compote, followed by wafts of lilacs, dark chocolate, and licorice. Medium-bodied, the palate is built like a brick house with a solid wall of firm, grainy tannins and lovely tension supporting the taut, muscular black fruits, finishing long with fantastic purity of fruit. (LPB)” (12/2023)

“The Barton family’s flagship wine benefits hugely from the age of the vines. This wine is ripe and concentrated, rich in tannins but with the wonderful black fruits that can be conjured from this vineyard. *Cellar Selection* (RV)” (05/2019)

“This vintage is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, making it comparable to some top Pauillacs. The Barton family has owned these vineyards for centuries and always makes very fine claret, but this is exceptional. Opulent and vibrant nose, crammed with blackcurrant. Depth, grip and concentration, but balanced and stylish too, with notable freshness. For the long haul. (SB)” (06/2020)

“The 2016 Léoville-Barton has a more savory bouquet than its peers: again, slightly tertiary in style, though very well delineated and manifesting lovely incense and pressed violet aromas with aeration. The oak is neatly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fleshy and ripe, and gently grippy, leading to a detailed and quite plush (for the vintage) finish. This is a charming Saint-Julien, a bit of a femme fatale. (NM)” (08/2020)

“Full, rich, intense, almost fruit cake on the nose. Racy and pacy with the tannins well hidden. (JR)” (02/2020)