[En Primeurs] Léoville Poyferré 2023 : Nobility and generosity

The challenges of climate and environmental change lead us to rethink and adapt our practices. Precision as our compass, essential to maintaining the course of excellence and preserving the identity of Château Léoville Poyferré.

The team’s dedicated work, executed with millimetric precision, has resulted in a vintage whose generosity does not overshadow its nobility.

A mild, particularly wet winter preceded a season punctuated by successive hailstorms. From the end of April right up to the harvest, our teams responded with exemplary speed to this constant threat. Thanks to our anti-hail system, we emerged from this battle with our heads held high and our vineyards intact. Our weather stations played a vital role, constantly guiding our teams in their work in the vineyards, with particularly short windows of opportunity to protect the vines throughout their growth cycle.

Complex logistics were put in place to manage this demanding vintage, which was marked by recurrent storms. The commitment and reactivity of the entire Léoville Poyferré team made all the difference before the sun returned in August.

September brought with it two major events: a bountiful harvest and the arrival of Alix Combes, who took over from Bruno Clénet, who left the estate after 25 years. Armed with his expertise and driven by a deep enthusiasm for our meticulous viticulture, he has immersed himself in the precision of the intra-plot approach. As the pickers began to arrive, the team fine-tuned the harvesting plan, regularly tasting the grapes from the majestic bunches. A generous welcome from Mother Nature to celebrate the arrival of our new vineyard manager!

The harvest began on the 14th September and spanned 3 long weeks, in ideal conditions to continue the precision work in the vineyard. Didier Thomann, the cellar master, compared it to “a very long, quiet river” and was delighted to see the vat room filling up to a level not seen since it was renovated in 2010!

The excitement was palpable from the moment the harvest entered the vats, with the first macerations revealing a promising quality. The Merlot grapes were already black after the pre-fermentation macerations. They were gently extracted during the alcoholic fermentation, which was limited to 26°C for the first time.

Isabelle Davin, our in-house oenologist, describes the Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon as “breathtaking”. A word that speaks volumes and hints at the pleasure our team had vinifying this vintage! Thanks to the introduction of a new optical sorting machine and a new destemmer, we continue our rigorous selection of grapes, which is reflected in the high quality of the press wines.

Full-bodied, generous, powerful and delightfully fresh, the 2023 vintage is a perfect match for the irresistible personality of Didier Thomann, who celebrated his 60th birthday between running off two vats!