Château Leoville Poyferre 2009, St. Julien 750ml
"One of the more flamboyant and sumptuous wines of the vintage, this inky/purple-colored St.-Julien reveals thrilling levels of opulence, richness and aromatic pleasures. A soaring bouquet of creme de cassis, charcoal, graphite and spring flowers is followed by a super-concentrated wine with silky tannins, stunning amounts of glycerin, a voluptuous, multilayered mouthfeel and nearly 14% natural alcohol. Displaying fabulous definition for such a big, plump, massive, concentrated effort, I suspect the tannin levels are high even though they are largely concealed by lavish amounts of fruit, glycerin and extract"
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #199 (Feb 2012) - 100 Pts
"The nose reveals a wonderful intensity of blackberries, prunes, forest floor and smoked meat aromas. The full bodied palate has an incredible structure of crisp acid and very firm fine tannins that is amply fleshed by rich, opulent fruit. Very long finish"
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, 99 pts, July 2010
"One of the stars of the vintage, it will be interesting to see if Poyferre ultimately eclipses Las Cases as the finest of the three Leovilles. The 2009 is even better than the 2000, 2003, and 2005. Its inky/purple color precedes a wine filled with extraordinary opulence, voluptuous texture, and sweet tannin. It offers both intellectual and hedonistic pleasure with layer upon layer of ripe fruit. Yields were 43 hectoliters per hectare, the blend is more than two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot, and the natural alcohol is the highest ever measured at this estate, 13.95%. The high alcohol is not the least bit noticeable because of the extraordinary concentration and freshness possessed by most 2009s - a vintage characteristic that will serve these wines for decades to come. This is a wine to purchase by the case-load. It should drink well for 30-45 years".
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #188 (Apr 2010), 97-100pts