1989 Château Léoville-Poyferré
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Tasting notes
The 1989 Léoville Poyferré is a vintage that I have not tasted for a number of years. It has a very attractive bouquet of red fruit mixed with peppercorns, pine, cedar and orange peel, showing signs of youth at 30 years of age. The palate is medium-bodied with a rounded opening and quite extravagant for the growing season. Maybe that is a facet that I coveted more when I last tasted the wine; now it just obscures the terroir and typicité somewhat. With aeration it improves and gains length, although I would have liked a little more precision on the charcoal tinged finish. Tasted from an ex-cellar bottle at the château .
Critic scores
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
Even more exotic than the 1990 – almost decadent in its sweet rich spice and depth, even some toasted notes. Then perhaps less weight and concentration on the palate than the 1990 so seems to dry a little at the end. (JH)
This wine has a dark ruby color, sweet notes of cola, black currants, earth, herbs, and vanilla. The wine is medium-bodied, with some noticeable tough tannin and a lean, angular finish. The wine’s aromatics show far more evolution than the flavors. Nevertheless, this wine pales in comparison with the sensational 1990 and the other vintages of Poyferre from the mid-nineties onward. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2018. Last tasted, 10/02.
About the producer
Ch. Léoville-Poyferré is a Second Growth Saint-Julien property that was once part of the same estate as Ch. Léoville Barton and Ch. Léoville Las Cases. It has the most complex and varied soils of the three and produces the most voluptuous, seductive style of wine.