The 2016 Leoville-Poyferre Bordeaux Blend is a highly acclaimed wine from the St. Julien sub-region of Bordeaux, France. Crafted by the distinguished producer Leoville-Poyferre, this red wine is composed of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, and 4% Cabernet Franc. It is bottled with a cork closure and has an alcohol content of 13.5%.
The 2016 vintage has garnered exceptional reviews across the board. James Suckling awarded the wine a score of 97, praising its "power and depth" and describing it as "extremely long and beautiful." He emphasized its “chewy tannins” and noted that it will require another five to six years to fully mature.
Vinous reviewer Neal Martin also gave it a notable 96 points, mentioning that the wine appears "closed up a bit on the nose," yet possesses a “beautifully proportioned and symmetrical” palate. He highlighted its seamless integration of oak and suggested it will be "awesome" with more time in the bottle.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate's Lisa Perrotti-Brown was equally impressed, giving it a 97+ score and calling it a "brilliant bottle of wine." She described the wine as "alive in the mouth," with intense black fruit and floral layers, supported by “super firm, ripe, grainy tannins."
Wine Spectator awarded the wine another 97 points, noting its "richly layered" structure with flavors of plum, blackberry, and black currant, complemented by "ganache, sweet tobacco, and warm tar notes." The publication forecasts the wine’s best drinking window from 2025 through 2040.
Jancis Robinson offered a slightly lower but still commendable score of 93, appreciating its "rich and winning" character and “long and beautifully balanced” profile.
Jeb Dunnuck gave one of the highest ratings at 98 points, extolling its "heavenly bouquet" and describing it as "one of the most flamboyant and opulent wines in the vintage."
Decanter also gave it a stellar 98 points, calling it a "classic expression of claret" and highlighting its sophisticated, well-integrated tannins and lasting potential.
Additional reviews from The Wine Enthusiast, The Wine Independent, and others further solidify the 2016 Leoville-Poyferre as a top-tier wine, with strong recommendations for aging to allow its full complexity to develop. This vintage is poised to offer exceptional drinking pleasure for decades to come.