Château Léoville-Poyferré

As is common in Bordeaux family politics, the original Léoville vineyards were trisected between siblings in 1840. Their redistribution created three new wine estates: Léoville Las Cases, Léoville Barton and Léoville-Poyferré. Las Cases and Poyferré are still closely linked, sharing parking for their wineries to this day. Léoville-Poyferré achieved Second Growth status in the important 1855 classifications, but its quality remained distinctly average until the arrival of Didier Cuvelier in 1979. His family had bought Léoville-Poyferré in 1921, and although he had trained as an accountant, the lure of wine brought him to the helm of the estate. By first bringing in Emile Peynaud (his wine tutor), followed by ,b>Michel Rolland in 1994, implementing an intensive replanting and expansion regime, bringing the total hectares under vine to 80, and modernising the winery, Didier significantly raised the reputation of Léoville-Poyferré, creating a stylish St-Julien which rivals the best for quality at more modest prices. He has now handed over to his cousin, Sara Lecompte Cuvelier.