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1996 Château Leoville-Poyferre

Not Currently In Auction

Latest Sale Price

December 10, 2023 - $195

Estimate

RATINGS

93Robert M. Parker Jr.

...the nose offers notes of cedar, jammy black fruits, smoke, truffles, and subtle new oak. In the mouth, there is impressive fruit extraction, a tannic, full-bodied structure, and a classic display of power and finesse.

91Stephen Tanzer

Expressive aromas of plum, currant, game, woodsmoke and tobacco. Denser and sweeter than the '97 or '98; structured but pliant. Finishes quite long, with dusty, very fine tannins nicely buffered by fruit.

90Wine Spectator

Blackberry, mineral and citrus fruit aromas. Full-bodied, with slightly angular tannins, but fruity, with a pleasant tobacco undertone on the finish. Just coming around...

17.5Jancis Robinson

...still quite youthful. Big mouthful of round, supple fruit and some gunpowder undertow. Attractive balance and a quite meaty still. I don’t think this would disappoint any claret lover.

REGION

France, Bordeaux, St.-Julien

Saint-Julien is the smallest of the four main Médoc appellations with 2,175 acres of vineyards. It is just south of Pauillac on the left bank of the Gironde, and although it has no First Growth châteaux, its 11 Classified Growth estates are widely admired. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that winemaking in Saint-Julien from all classifications “is consistently both distinctive and brilliant.” He adds it is Médoc’s “most underrated commune.” The best-known estates are Léoville Las Cases, Ducru-Beaucaillou, Léoville Poyferré, Léoville Barton and Gruaud Larose, and most of those have riverside estates. The soil in this appellation is gravelly with clay. Cabernet Sauvignon is the main grape grown, and it is blended with Cabernet Franc, Merlot and sometimes small amounts of Petit Verdot.