2021, Château Léoville Poyferré, SAINT-JULIEN, 2ème Grand Cru Classé

Bordeaux Blend: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot.

The wines here are more smooth, ripe and fleshy than the seriously structured wines of Barton and Lascases. The result is a delicious St Julien that can usually charm early in its life and can stand the test of time. Farr Vintners.

The 2021 Léoville-Poyferré has a high-toned, concentrated bouquet with iodine-infused black fruit, becoming floral in the glass with scents of crushed violet. The palate is medium-bodied with Poyferré's trademark velvety smooth tannins. Fine depth, though clearly not as ostentatious as the previous three vintages, it is a more streamlined Poyferré, though that renders the wine well-balanced. There is just a dash of black pepper on the finish. Overall, a fine Saint-Julien that should give many years of drinking pleasure. 92-94 Neal Martin.

Enjoyably supple texture, silky and juicy with blueberry, raspberry, blackberry and redcurrant fruit, along with liquorice, fennel and a touch of cocoa bean. This is a serious Poyferré with a firm tannic structure and clear ageing potential, more austere at this stage than you often find. 95 Jane Anson.

The 2021 Léoville Poyferré shows considerable promise, wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet berries and plums mingled with spices, liquorice and petals, framed by a deft touch of creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, supple and fleshy, it's a polished, charming wine with a pretty core of fruit, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins, concluding with a penetrating finish. 93-94+ William Kelley, Wine Advocate.

Beautifully fragranced on the nose - floral-edged ripe bramble fruits. Nicely detailed and presents, despite a clear youthful tannic structure this has layers of flavour with ripe and sweet fruit nuances balanced by a mineral grip, salty touches and cool fresh mint leaf notes. It's more of a contemplative wine, needing a few minutes and several tastes for the flavours to expand in the mouth, gaining in density yet keeping a lightness of touch and refinement. Such finesse going on here. The austerity is balanced with the ripe fruits so you're getting so many elements at play at once. This has real class, and such estate signature with dark sweet liquorice touches at the end too. Really very captivating and a success. 95 Georgina Hindle, Decanter.