Some time after the En Primeurs week, Didier Cuvelier received Paolo Basso for a private tasting of the 2014 vintage of three wines of the owner. A magic meeting after which the Best Sommelier of the World left a souvenir of his passage on the Wall of Signatures.
During the En Primeurs Château Léoville Poyferré received 3,350 visitors during three days and 1,100 people for lunch. A real success that confirms Léoville Poyferré in its position among the greatest.
Léoville Poyferré is born from the split of Léoville, Saint Julien's biggest property, in 1840, the other half having become Léoville Las Cases. This division created an exceptional situation in the Médoc region where both chateaus, neighbour on one side of the road, still own buildings on the other side but in a reversed position. A very peculiar “crossed” situation!
In 1920, the château as well as the château Moulin Riche entered the portfolio of the Cuvelier family, traders of Bordeaux, already owners of the Château le Crock (Saint-Estèphe). It still is the Cuvelier family who manage the vineyards nowadays.
With already a wealth of a long wine-making history dating back 1638, the domain underwent, since Didier Cuvelier's arrival in 1979, a real metamorphosis that lasted 25 years. “The wine was not very successful, and the planted varieties were not adapted to the soil”, he explains. Survey of soils, restructuring of the plots and plantation, enlargement and renovation of the buildings and the technical installations. The result is a harmonious ensemble mingling historic and modern architecture. Didier Cuvelier is proud of the glass wall in front of the reception room that has the shape of the label and that is highlighted by lighting effects at night.
Léoville Poyferré ranks 2nd Grand Cru Classé of Saint-Julien in 1855. Its terroir extends over 80 hectares distributed in 5 big ensembles. The planted grape varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon, added with Merlot, with a small part of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.
The teams' work focuses on the search of the maturity and finesse of the tannins. Wines are matured 18 to 20 months entirely in barrel. The blend, climax of a whole year work, is done collectively, with Michel Rolland's advice.
The result is an elegant, very fine, well-balanced, complex and velvety wine with a perfect ageing potential. Château Moulin Riche (22 hectares) is vinified at Léoville Poyferré and benefits from the same care as his brother.
Welcoming Paolo Basso, Best Sommelier of the World, in April, Didier Cuvelier could especially present the 2014 of Léoville Poyferré. Already open, we feel the purity of the fruit. Thanks to a very soft extraction, the wine presents a beautiful elegance and strength. After the tasting, a lunched was organized during which Didier Cuvelier playfully presented a blind vertical tasting on themed number 3: 2013, 2003, 1993, 1983... An pleasant return in time which revealed the accomplished progress.
Today Léoville Poyferré regained the prestige of a 2nd Grand Cru Classé. A pride for Didier Cuvelier who is preparing to retire and to step down slowly with the feeling of a well-achieved duty.
Sylvia van der Velden
Château Le Crock 2014
Nice open nose with a ripe fruity side, beautiful peppery and balsamic note, small hint of ivy and pepper. Beautiful material at first taste, elegant body, dense basis with a beautiful intensity, nice freshness giving a classical character, rich and delectable but young tannins and quite long and expressive finish.
Château Moulin Riche 2014
Beautiful spicy note, very neat with aromas of ink, blackberries, blackcurrant syrup. Beautiful note of sucrosity, rich flavours, nice structure, rich and elegant at the same time; ripe tasty and round tannins, beautiful intense finish with a nice persistency, very fine.
Château Léoville Poyferré 2014
Beautiful woody note with scents of vanilla and oriental spice, blackcurrant syrup and very ripe blueberries. Very beautiful rich and tasty material, increasing evolution on the mid-palate with elegance, structured and savoury, great personality, rich and round tannins, very persistent and intense finish with a beautiful sucrosity. Elegance and strength united by the balance.
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