Château Léoville Poyferré 2018

Every bit as good as the 2009, and I think better than the 2010 and 2016, the 2018 Château Léoville Poyferré is a total thrill that tops out my scale. Based on 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, its dense purple hue is followed by an incredible, full-bodied monster of a wine that, despite massive amounts of fruit, tannins, and extract, still stays weightless and ethereal, with incredible purity. Loaded with notions of crème de cassis, spring flowers, tobacco, violets, charcoal, and cedar pencil, it's extraordinarily concentrated, flawlessly balanced, and has a finish that won't quit. This is a legendary wine in the making. Give bottles 7-8 years, a decade would be even better, and it will keep for 40-50 years. Hats off to the Cuvelier family for another extraordinary wine!

A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, aged in 80% new oak barriques, the 2018 Léoville Poyferré comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant scents of Morello cherries, plum preserves and blackberry pie, giving way to nuances of cedar chest, unsmoked cigars, vanilla pod and sassafras, plus a waft of crushed rocks. The palate is full-bodied, rich and decadent, delivering hedonic black fruits and lots of spicy accents with a velvety texture and seamless freshness, finishing long and satisfyingly savory. This is a very impressive showing that is delicious out of the gate but has the backbone to give a good 30 years or more of pleasure.

Dark cherry, plum, spice and cacao with earthy notes and wood undertones. Cloves, too. Full-bodied, yet in control and poised. Balanced, complex and flavorful. Firm tannins and a long, precise finish. It goes on and on. Structured is the word. Try after 2025.

Gorgeously rich, heady and seductive nose, really expressive - you can sense the concentration in the rich blackcurrant aromas, soft hints of bramble bush, perfume and super soft spicing. Exuberant but with such clarity on the palate - clear power there, richly juicy and mouth filling - tannins are present but soft, they have texture and do grip the tongue but the overall feel is so well balanced and textured. Lovely weight in the mouth with cherry and blackcurrant flavours, some menthol, liquorice tones giving freshness and a cooling touch as well as a soft minerality that comes across as wet stone nuance on the tongue. A gentle spice also runs through the wine, grilled cedar and cinnamon but it also has such a lively juicy quality with tension and concentration. Incredible. Give this at least 10 years before enjoying. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. Harvest 20 September-12 October.