The 2020 Château Léoville Poyferré, a Bordeaux blend from the esteemed St. Julien region of France, is receiving high praise from wine critics. This wine, commemorating 100 years of ownership by the Cuvelier family, comes with an impressive dark color and a distinctive bottle design. The vintage is composed of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, aged in 80% new oak barrels, with an alcohol content of 14.0%.
James Suckling awards this wine a score of 96, describing it as "really floral on the nose with violets and roses," and noting its "firm and polished tannins" and enticing hazelnut and milk chocolate flavors. He advises patience, suggesting it will be best enjoyed after 2026. Jeff Leve gives it an even higher score of 97, highlighting its "deep, rich, concentrated, and lush" profile, along with its "sweet, ripe, black and blue fruit" finish. He also suggests a drinking window from 2026 to 2055.
Jeb Dunnuck is particularly impressed, awarding a score of 98, and praising its "powerful, concentrated, yet vibrant" style. He notes its "pure crème de cassis, melted chocolate, loamy earth, graphite," and a "great finish," predicting it will evolve beautifully over 50 years. Wine Enthusiast's Roger Voss also appreciates its potential, scoring it 95 and calling it "fresh and structured."
Decanter and Vinous both recognize the wine's current tannic nature but are confident in its future potential, each scoring it 97. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator emphasize its rich, bold character, with scores of 94 and 95, respectively.
Overall, the 2020 Château Léoville Poyferré is lauded for its complexity, depth, and promise, with several reviewers predicting it will develop into an exceptional wine with time.