2018 Chateau Leoville Poyferre St. Julien Bordeaux 750 ml

There’s no denying Léoville Poyferré’s 2018. Jeb Dunnuck gave it a perfect score—and then followed that up by making it his wine of the year—the #1 bottle of his 2021 Top 100.

This wine sits at the very pinnacle of Bordeaux, offering a rare taste of perfection—for a remarkable price. In the outstanding 2018 vintage, the powerfully bold Léoville Poyferré’s 100-point score from Jeb Dunnuck surpassed First Growths Lafite-Rothschild ($1,428), Mouton-Rothschild ($1,331), and Haut-Brion ($929).

This is a wine worthy of a starring role on any table. It stands with the First Growths from this excellent vintage and comes from a producer whose wines are mainstays in the cellars of the sharpest Bordeaux insiders. Robert Parker called Léoville Poyferré “the most undervalued” of the three legendary Léoville siblings, and we agree.

The 2018 vintage imbued this wine with profound decadence, and its opulence and complexity was carefully crafted by one of the best winemaking teams in Bordeaux. It was guided by Michel Rolland—the Right Bank–born genius who has earned countless 100-point scores en route to revolutionizing Bordeaux winemaking—and benefited greatly from owner Didier Cuvelier’s investments in the vineyard and cellar.

Cabernet Sauvignon makes up 62% of the 2018’s blend, and it provides Poyferré’s hallmark: powerful, dark fruit and a ferrous structure. It’s rounded out with 33% Merlot—which is profoundly rich when it comes from Saint-Julien—along with touches of Petit Verdot for color and Cabernet Franc for aromatics. Aged in 80% new French oak to give it a finishing layer of polish and decadence, this is truly grand wine.