Chateau Leoville Poyferre 1982

Professional Ratings

• 96 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

  The 1982 Léoville Poyferré continues to drink brilliantly at age 40 (and I have enjoyed three bottles this year), wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet cassis fruit mingled with notions of loamy soil, cigar wrapper, licorice, black truffle and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, broad and sumptuous, with a velvety attack that segues into a deep, fleshy core, it's generous and enveloping, with lively acids and fine, powdery tannins that still deliver a vestige of back-end grip. Today, this is a strong contender for the title of Saint-Julien's wine of the vintage, with Ducru-Beaucaillou and Léoville-Las Cases as its only plausible rivals.

• 94 Jeb Dunnuck

  An absolute joy to drink, and a wine I’ve been lucky enough to have multiple times recently, the 1982 Château Léoville Poyferré is fully mature and has a classic, graceful, nuanced perfume of sweet red and black currants, woodsmoke, tobacco leaf, baking spices, and hints of cedar. With medium to full-bodied richness on the palate, it’s beautifully balanced and has ripe, polished tannins, a solid spine of acidity, and a great finish.

• 93 James Suckling

  Rather porty with dried tomato to the currants and light raisins on the nose. Full-bodied with lots of dried fruit, as well as mushroom, cedar and some bark flavors. It’s nicely layered and complex. Slightly drying out. Drink now.

• 91 Wine Spectator