Chateau Léoville Poyferré |
| Newstime：2009-08-04 09:13:39 Befrom： Writer： |
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History
One of the three Léoville estates, Poyferré and its peers Barton and Las-Cases have their origins in the grand Léoville estate that dominated St Julien in the 17th and 18th Centuries. The groundwork for the split was laid in 1769, when proprietor Blaise de Gascq died without an heir, as a consequence the estate coming to four family members, the Marquis de Las-Cases-Beauvoir, his brother and two sisters. In 1826, Hugh Barton purchased a part which he named Leoville Barton, this being the origin of Léoville-Barton. The remaining three quarters remained in the family; the Marquis was succeeded in 1815 by his son, Pierre-Jean. Pierre-Jean inherited most of what remained of the estate from his elders, with a smaller stake coming to his sister, Jeanne. This was effectively the second division of the estate, which was formalised in 1840. Pierre-Jean's holding, half of the original Léoville estate, was the start of Léoville-Las-Cases; Jeanne, who owned just a quarter of the old estate, had a daughter who married Baron Jean-Marie de Poyferré, and thus her vineyards were destined to become Léoville-Poyferré. When the famous classification of 1855 was drawn up, the three Léoville estates were attributed the title of Second Growth.Baron Jean-Marie's son made some ill-judged investments, and as a consequence was forced to sell off many of his assets in 1866, including Chateau Léoville-Poyferré, in order to satisfy his creditors.
Manors were changed hands for several times .The family then sold the estate on to the Cuvelier family. Surprisingly, although the Cuvelier family was already committed to Bordeaux, having already purchased Chateau Le Crock and later Camensac, they did not choose to direct operations at their new acquisition themselves. Instead they elected to employ Roger Delon, of the same Delon family that were managing (eventually owning the property outright) Chateau Léoville-Las-Cases, to manage the estate. Originally the arrangement worked well, as quality at Léoville-Poyferré was high, but over the ensuing decades the situation deteriorated.In 1978, Léoville-Poyferré once again changes hands, this time coming to an accountant by the name of Didier Cuvelier. Since 1979, Didier Cuvelier has managed the estate. There was extensive modernisation of the facilities too, the chai rebuilt in 1984 and then again in 1990, underground water storage installed in 1983, a tasting room and plenty of new oak. With Didier Cuvelier at the helm, things at Léoville-Poyferré started to turn around.
Nowaday’s Owner: Didier Cuvelier
Technique Information
Location: Chateau Leoville Poyferre is not all on the same piece of land. While the Chateau itself neighbors Leoville-Las Cases, the vineyards lie, somewhat scattered, further to the west in the appellation of Saint Julien.
Appellation: Appellation Saint-Julien Controlee
Neighboring chateau: Chateau Leoville-Las Cases(2nd Growth of Saint-Julien in 1855)
Acreage: 80 hectares, including 20 hectares for Château Moulin Riche
Soil: Gironde gravel and sand deposited by the wind
Varietals: 58 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 31 % Merlot, 9 % Petit Verdot, 2 % Cabernet Franc
Average age of vines: 35 years
Cultivation density: 8,500 vines/ha
Viticulture:
Winemaking: Classic methods, 18 - 20 months age in barrel, with 80% new oak every year.
Yield: 87.5 hl/ha
Brand:
Chateau Léoville Poyferré(First Label)(A.O.C. Saint Julien)
Pavillon de poyferre /Pavillon des Connétables(Second Label)(A.O.C. Saint Julien)
Château Moulin Riche(A.O.C. Saint Julien)
Annually production:
Chateau Léoville Poyferré (First Label): 20,000 cases per annum
Château Moulin Riche: 17,000 cases per annum
Character:
Chateau Léoville Poyferré (First Label): First distinguished by their considerable aromatic complexity ranging from red fruits, such as cherry, to mushroom for older vintages. Léoville Poyferré displays a magnificent balance between alcohol, acidity and tannins. The wine develops a sumptuous velvet quality in addition to plenty of elegance and finesse, altogether with a very great potential for aging.
Best Vintages: Chateau Léoville Poyferré(First Label): 1990，2000，2005
Award: 2nd Grand Cru Classe in 1855 Saint-Julien
Website: http://www.leoville-poyferre.fr/
Serving Suggestion
Cellar Humidity and Temperature: 70-85%, 15℃
Serving Temperature: 17-19 °C
Optimal Drinking and Aging Potential: 5-10 years; 15-30 years.
Food match:
Chateau Léoville Poyferré (First Label):
Western food：Red Bordeau is excellent with beef, lamb, grilled veal, game such as pheasant and poultry such as turkey. The wine pairs well with food made with rich sauces. Other good accompaniments are: tandoori, pGtT, bean dishes and stews.
Pavillon de poyferre/Pavillon des Connétables (Second Label)：
Western food：Beef filet en croûte；Goose steaklet.
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