1985 - Leoville Poyferre, Saint-Julien

An underrated wine, the 1985 Léoville Poyferré wafts from the glass with lovely aromas of sweet berry fruit, cedarwood, loamy soil, cocoa nib and subtle hints of licorice. Medium-bodied, velvety and seamless, it's lively and flavorful, with melting tannins, bright acids and a long, penetrating finish. Less fleshy than the generous 1982 and without the richness or musculature of 1989 or 1990, this is nevertheless a terrific effort in a more elegant stylistic register.

The 1985 Léoville-Poyferré has a ripe bouquet with black cherries, black truffle, gamey scents and burning embers. The medium-bodied palate has a lovely texture, smooth and rounded. Secondary notes of allspice, truffle and dried blood emerge towards the harmonious if not amazingly complex finish. It is probably coming to the end of its drinking plateau, though larger formats could be interesting. Tasted at the vertical tasting with Didier Cuvelier in 2009.