Château Léoville Poyferré Saint-Julien Grand Cru Classé du Médoc 2018

The 2018 vintage of Château Léoville Poyferré is a remarkable value, and a truly tremendous wine. This estate has steadily been on the rise for over a century, gaining global applause while remaining humbly in pursuit of elegant, age-worthy wines. In his 100-point review, Jeb Dunnuck states, “The 2018 Château Léoville Poyferré is a total thrill that tops out my scale.” For under $135 a bottle, we couldn’t agree more!

Château Léoville Poyferré, whose guiding motto is, “The essential is invisible to the eye,” embodies quiet excellence rather than grandeur, believing that true luxury lies in its people, terroir, and wines. Originally part of the historic Léoville estate – later divided into Léoville Las Cases, Léoville Barton, and Léoville Poyferré after the French Revolution – the property became renowned for its early innovations in viticulture, including smaller-berried grapes, trellising with pinewood, and aging in sulfur-cleaned oak barrels.

Acquired by the Cuvelier family in the 1920s, the estate has flourished under their stewardship, notably through Didier Cuvelier’s 19-year vineyard replanting program that expanded holdings to 80 hectares, now overseen by his niece, Sara Lecompte Cuvelier. Despite its understated philosophy, the estate embraces modern technology, including a gravity-fed underground pipe system installed in 2010, and holds the highest High Environmental Value certification for sustainability. Today, Léoville Poyferré continues to craft refined, Cabernet Sauvignon-driven wines of elegance and depth – hallmarks of its enduring legacy and forward-looking vision.

The 2018 vintage is composed primarily of Cabernet Sauvignon, with 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. The vines thrive in Saint-Julien’s deep gravel soils over clay and sand, producing fruit of remarkable purity and depth. Vinification takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats, and the wine is matured in 80% new oak to balance richness with refined structure and longevity.

“Léoville-Poyferré is sensational in 2018. There's not much more to say than that. A wine of explosive power and intensity, the 2018 dazzles from start to finish.” – Vinous, 97 points

In the glass, this is deep, dark, and muscular, with notes of cassis, blackberry, and plum intertwined with cedar, graphite, and hints of violet and woodsy spice. The palate is full-bodied yet graceful, offering layers of sultry ripe fruit with velvety tannins and a long, poised finish. With 100 points from Jeb Dunnuck sitting atop a pile of additional high-90s scores, it is irrefutably a benchmark vintage built to impress now, or decades from now. Bordeaux lovers, consider this your Halloween Eve treat – though quantities are limited, so be sure you add a truly world-class wine to your collection at an exceptional price before they disappear quicker than a friendly cellar ghost!

PAIRING IDEAS: Whip up a batch of mole beef enchiladas for something equally decadent, spiced, and earthy with the tiniest hint of sweetness that will complement this brilliant Pauillac to no end.