Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Château Léoville Poyferré 2014
Saint-Julien, Bordeaux, France 🇫🇷

Overview
A distinguished Deuxième Cru Classé (Second Growth) from Saint-Julien, Château Léoville Poyferré has been elevated under the stewardship of the Cuvelier family and Michel Rolland’s consultancy. The 2014 vintage is a classic Bordeaux blend comprised of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. This cooler year yielded wines with notable polish, freshness, and age-worthy structure.  

Aromas & Flavors
Expressive and refined, the bouquet opens with blackcurrant, cassis, and plum, framed by cedar, graphite, violets, and aromatic spice. The palate is layered with ripe red and dark fruits, along with hints of tobacco, pepper, and soft oak—a harmonious reflection of balanced ripeness and terroir depth.  

Mouthfeel
Medium to full-bodied, with smooth yet structured tannins and vivid acidity. The finish is long and mineral-tinged, echoing Saint-Julien’s limestone terroir while expressing both strength and grace.

Winemaking Notes
Vinified traditionally and aged in French oak barrels (predominantly new), the 2014 benefits from meticulous attention to extraction and maturation, resulting in elegant concentration and finesse.  

Food Pairing
Wonderful with roast lamb, herb-crusted beef, or rich mushroom dishes. Decanting for an hour enhances its layered complexity.

Verdict
A classic expression of Left Bank finesse and depth, Château Léoville Poyferré 2014 strikes an artful balance between fruit, structure, and refinement. Enjoy now with decanter or cellar it to explore its evolution over the next decade.Cheers! — 2 months ago

R Bl

8.9

Gooseberry, grapefruit but also some stone fruit - assertive flavor makes an interesting flavor but challenging food pairing — 10 months ago

Rich Huber

9.0

The nose does not present much. A slight hint of apricot but you really have to dig deep to search it out. The pallet on the other hand is very pronounced. Slightly dry and acidic the fruit is lemon and apricot with a hint of straw. The finish of apricot lingers. A bargain at 15.98 from Wine Exchange. — a year ago

Dheilan Williams

8.9

Very delicate body with almost invisible tannins. Surprising acidity and a wonderfully complex blend of summer fruit and mellow herbaceousness. — 5 months ago

Jay Kline

9.2

This bottle had been opened the night before. The 2021 pours a deep ruby/purple color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of tart and ripe black and red fruits: mixed brambles, purple flowers, olives, black pepper, stony earth and a mix of cool and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acidity. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ and peppery. True to the vintage, this is a cooler expression of Chave’s Saint Joseph and I really dig it. Drink now through 2041. — 8 months ago

Mark Stephany

9.2

Needs food and air — a year ago

B A

9.3

Best expression of Syrah I’ve had in some time. 2021 was a hell of a Rhône year — 2 years ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Double-decanted earlier in the day; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 1995 pours a perfect garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe cassis, black cherry, mixed flowers, tobacco, earth, menthol and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium, integrated tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Classy. This is an elegant expression of Bordeaux and showed so well tonight. Thanks Andy! Drink now through 2040. — 6 months ago

Will Stanley

9.4

First bottle from a case of the 2020 Gigondas village from Ch. de Saint Cosme. It could even be my first time trying Gigondas from Louis Barruol, 14th-gen winemaker here, though I do recall a memorable St Joseph from my birth year that I enjoyed around ten years ago.

This wine is strawberry pink in colour, with good clarity. The nose is shy on the first night, better second; very pretty, with fairly light aromas of blackberry, candied cherry, liquorice, wild herbs, and a hint of grilled meat.

The palate is beautifully polished, striking effortless balance between structure and clarity, sweet fruit and acidity; the tannins are mild and it has wonderful grace through the finish, like a ballroom dancer gliding across the floor. Overall this is a really pure, fresh and elegant expression of Gigondas and has none of the rusticity for which this old appellation is oft known. In fact, it bears greater similarity to old-vine Grenache from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which is no bad thing. Also zero trace of heat despite the 15% abv. Very good stuff from Louis Barruol. This will age with Burgundian grace. Can’t wait to try it again – make sure to decant.
— 10 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Saint Cosme is famous for its estate vineyards in Gigondas but they are also a highly regarded negociant with long standing relationships throughout the Rhone, giving them access to fruit from some highly regarded lieu-dits. Their Cote Rotie is no exception and this was a killer expression of 2014, if you’re into that sort of thing like I am. This bottle was provided from my cellar and was purchased upon release. Opened and splash decanted just before service. No formal notes and holy whole cluster Batman! This was straight up bussin, with rotundone for dayz! A black pepper and olive bomb with all of the garrigue and purple flowers your heart could ask for and some blood and bacon for good measure. The tannins are well integrated and the fruit is just really well balanced with the structure at this point. The finish was long with a dance of fruit and earth on the palate that was hugely satisfying. Some might be turned off by the sanguine, feral funkiness this wine possesses but for me, it’s hugely charming. Drink now or over the next 5-10 years with ease. Would be great with a meal or on its own (as it was tonight). — 3 years ago