Chateau Léoville Poyferré 2020: a century for the Cuveliers

Although 2020 will inherently be remembered by all, for the Cuvelier Family it is of special significance, as it bookmarks the centennial of the Family’s ownership of this Second Grand Cru Classé in Saint-Julien. Against all odds, this vintage managed to deliver its promise and perfectly reveal the timelessness of the terroirs of Château Léoville Poyferré.

The Cuvelier Ethos

Since 1920, the Cuvelier Family has contributed to the tailoring of the unique style of Château Léoville Poyferré with care, thoughtfulness and passion whilst cultivating a free-spirited approach unhindered by convention.

These “aventuriers du vin”, wine adventurers, originally from the north of France, have always had an eye out to the horizon, pursuing their objective: always seeking to improve the wine. Each generation has been the guardian and torch bearer of this ideal, confident of the savoir-faire of their teams throughout the century. They rely on the best kept secret of the property: a terroir of multifaceted graves soils dispersed across the famous plateau of Léoville in Saint-Julien. This is how the family have come to make the famous words of Antoine de Saint Exupéry their own: “What is essential is invisible to the eye”.

An ode to terroir

Fourth generation to preside over the destiny of the estate, Sara Lecompte Cuvelier wanted to pay homage to the real strengths of Léoville Poyferré that may not necessarily be seen at first glance: a secular know-how paired with the complexity of the terroirs.

She has imagined, for the first time in the Chateau’s history, a commemorative bottle that reveals the contours of the vineyard engraved into the glass. Each golden dot glimmers like the infinite nuances that are offered by the different plots in the vineyard, enticing the owner of the bottle to discover some of the precise place names of these precious plots: “Bolitorte”, where the Merlots are racy and opulent, or “Gaunettes”, where the Cabernets Sauvignons are sumptuous and elegant.

An outstanding vintage, true to its style : 

This anniversary vintage celebrates the timeless style of Léoville Poyferré, a powerful wine that has a distinguished suppleness and bright fruit character, for which the press has its own praise

• « Impressive purity of fruit on the nose with crushed raspberries, blackcurrants and blackberries. […] The quality and precision of the tannins are impressive, giving the wine form, energy and equilibrium. » – James Suckling
• « All in all, this is a tremendous wine and I am always in awe of wines that build gracefully and deliberately on the palate ending with a fanfare of class and distinction.» – Matthew Jukes
• « This is a top-notch release from the Cuvelier family. » – Chris Kissack
• « (…) Full-bodied, silky and opulently textured, this concentrated wine offers layers of deep, ripe fruits that simultaneously coat your palate, yet feel fresh and vibrant. The flamboyant, seamless finish builds in intensity as it expands on your palate. » – Wine Cellar Insider 
• « This wine shows great power as well as aging potential. Its richness is balanced by the fresher edge of acidity that stands the wine in good stead as it ages » – Wine Spectator 

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