Poyferre 2017 (Chateau Leoville)

Cellar for up to 25 years. Decant 2 hours before serving. Leoville Poyferre was originally part of the much larger Leoville estate which also included Leoville Las Cases and Leoville Barton until their division in 1840. The property played a pivotal role in Bordeaux winemaking since they were amongst the first in the region to start ageing their wines in oak barrels and to use grape varieties with smaller berries to create more concentrated wines. Today the chateau is known for its powerful St-Julien reds which age well in the cellar and are of consistently high quality. Each parcel of vines is fermented separately to give maximum control over the final blending, and the young wine is aged in 75% new French oak barrels for 18 months before bottling. Their Grand Vin typically has luscious dark fruit accompanied by a muscular structure and a very long finish. On the nose there are plenty of rich dark berry notes along with deeper tones of undergrowth, green bell pepper, spice and woodsmoke. The first sip reveals a full body, grippy tannins and intense fruit which will respond well to additional cellaring. If you’d prefer to enjoy it now, pair this punchy red with hearty meat dishes like venison, barbecued ribs, steak or a rich stew.