Chateau Leoville Poyferre 2008

DECANTER: "You're getting the aged, mature aromas; cola, toffee, caramel, vanilla and blackcurrant. Slightly subdued on the palate. still knitted down but so well structured, this will age for years to come. The flavours fill the mouth, soft and succulent, velvety tannins have texture and grip with touches of spice lingering at the back - clove and liquorice with dark cocoa powder. A true gourmet wine that you want a delicious plate of food to soften and expand the different aspects going on. Still succulent and mouth watering, the mature notes coming through but still with the concentration and elegance. A great effort from the difficult 2008 vintage. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "One of the finest over-achieving efforts in this vintage as well as a “best buy” for a top-flight St.-Julien, this 2008 is an irresistible success. It reveals an opaque ruby/purple color, lots of unctuosity and a boatload of sweet cassis and black cherry fruit intertwined with notions of licorice, smoke and oak. Full-bodied, remarkably concentrated and stunningly pure and textured, this sensational wine is already drinking well, and will be even better with 2-3 years of cellaring. It should last for 20-25 years. Bravo!"

WEINWISSER: "Sattes, dichtes Purpur mit violetten Reflexen. Sehr würziges, tiefgründiges Cabernet-Sauvignon-Bouquet, Brombeeren, Cassis, unterlegt mit schwarzen Pfefferkörnern. Fleischiger, kompakter Gaumen, zeigt Muskeln und reichlich Kraft im noch recht strengen, angemessen adstringierenden Finale."

JAMES SUCKLING: "I am impressed with the fruit and velvety tannins. Full and deliciously fruity with soft tannins and rich fruit. Blueberry. Open and gorgeous. Impressive for the vintage."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe. In der Nase feine Röstaromen, süße Lakritze- und Brombeeranklänge, zart nach Nougat, attraktives Bukett. Stoffig, Extraktsüße, feste, gut eingebundene Tannine, zeigt eine beträchtliche Länge, schwarzes Beerenkonfit im Abgang, sehr gutes Entwicklungspotenzial."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "With just a hint of age in its color, the wine is all about the cedar, tobacco, forest, licorice and dark red berry aromatics and concentrated, core of dark fruits, plush but firm tannins and chocolate. Even though you find some secondary development, this is still youthful, so allow it a few more years to develop before popping a cork."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Luscious, inky, nice blend of ripe fruit and St-Julien structure. At a good point now. Polished."

WINE SPECTATOR: "Very direct, with black currant and fig paste jumping out and driving all the way through the lightly muscular finish, where extra iron, espresso and charcoal notes fill in. An iron edge lingers. This needs a little time. Best from 2013 through 2019. 18,330 cases made."