Chateau Leoville Poyferre label
Chateau Leoville Poyferre bottle

Chateau Leoville Poyferre 2012

Red Wine

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Item# 1659-12

Estate

With origins dating back to 1638, Leoville was the largest vineyard in the Medoc region at the time of the French Revolution. Leoville Poyferre springs from various divisions and successions in 1840.
Its outstanding quality wines gained early recognition when it was ranked 2nd Growth in the 1855 classification. Château Leoville Poyferre was acquired in 1920 by the Cuvelier family.
The various divisions throughout the history of the estate have split the vineyard of Leoville Poyferre into five large areas.
They include all the main types of gravelly soil present in Saint Julien.
This diversity contributes to the amplitude and complexity of the Leoville Poyferre wines.

Vintage

With wide ranges in temperature and rainfall, 2012 was a challenging year for the vineyard. After favorable conditions returned mid-July, this vintage, though off to an early start, proved to be late in reaching its optimum maturity beginning on 8th October.
Tasting after tasting, 2012 never ceases to amaze and charm us.
Winter was cold and dry, particularly in February, causing a significant deficit in rainfall: water reserves were low due to only 314 mm of rain from October to March. Vine growth was rapid, encouraged by mild, dry weather in March. Budbreak was early, comparable to 2003 or 2011.
Cold, wet weather during the month of April slowed down vine growth, causing the vineyard to fall behind in its overall development. Flowering was late and prolonged, similar to conditions in 2006, provoking shatter throughout the vineyard.
Veraison occurred late and was also extended, reminiscent of years prior to 2001.
The vineyard was stressed due to significant heat spikes in July and August, as well as a lack of rain. Having fallen three weeks behind in terms of vine growth, momentum was finally regained thanks to 60 mm of rainfall at the end of September.
The harvest began very late. With the exception of 2008, we have to go back more than 30 years to find such a late harvest.
Even though rainfall was light, it was ongoing throughout the entire harvest.