Château Léoville-Poyferré

Identity

Château Léoville Poyferré is a winegrowing estate located in Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, in the Gironde department. The property is managed by Sara Lecompte Cuvelier, who took over in 2018. Didier Thomann serves as cellar master, while Isabelle Davin is the estate's oenologist. Château Léoville Poyferré has been classified as a Deuxième Grand Cru Classé since 1855.

History and Philosophy

The history of Château Léoville Poyferré dates back to 1638 when the first vines were planted. The estate as such was established in 1840. The Cuvelier family acquired Château Léoville Poyferré in 1920. Didier Cuvelier managed the property for 40 years before handing the reins over to Sara Lecompte Cuvelier in 2018. The estate is actively committed to environmental initiatives, being part of the Bordeaux EMS (Environmental Management System) and having achieved HVE 3 certification. Viticultural practices such as regular soil analysis, animal- and plant-based soil conditioners, and Guyot Poussard pruning are implemented. Innovations are also being trialled, including connected sensors for downy mildew management and mobile electric wind machines for frost protection.

Appellations

Château Léoville Poyferré produces wines under the Saint-Julien appellation, situated in the heart of the Médoc.

Practical Information

Château Léoville Poyferré is located at 38 rue de Saint Julien, 33250 Saint-Julien-Beychevelle. The estate offers tours and tastings for wine enthusiasts, with packages tailored to varying levels of knowledge. Tours require an admission fee and include a tasting of at least three wines, with prices ranging from €10 to €50. The estate accepts payment by credit card, cheque, and cash. Cellar-door sales are available. Group visits are accepted, with a limit of 8 people. Staff speak French and English. Pets are not allowed, and there is no accommodation on site.

Tasting room and tour opening hours (subject to change):

• From 1 May 2026 to 31 October 2026: Monday to Friday from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm and from 1:30 pm to 6:30 pm; Saturday from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm and from 1:30 pm to 6:00 pm.
• From 2 January 2026 to 30 April 2026: Monday to Friday from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm and from 2:00 pm to 5:30 pm.
• From 1 October 2026 to 19 December 2026: Monday to Friday from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm and from 2:00 pm to 5:30 pm.

For inquiries or tour bookings:

• Telephone: +33 5 56 59 66 79
• Email: lp.visite@leoville-poyferre.fr

Learn More

Official estate website

The Vineyard (Terroir)

The Château Léoville Poyferré vineyard spans a planted surface area of 60 hectares. The soils consist of Mindel gravel terraces over a clay-sandy subsoil, typical of Saint-Julien. The average vine age is 43 years, with an average planting density of 8,000 vines per hectare. The harvest is carried out entirely by hand.

The grape varieties planted across the vineyard are as follows: 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. Around 20 to 25% of the vineyard is farmed organically. Château Moulin Riche, another property owned by the Cuvelier family, features a terroir of dark soils dotted with small Garonne gravel over a surface area of 20 hectares.

Flagship Cuvées

The estate's Grand Vin is Château Léoville Poyferré. The property also produces a second wine, Pavillon de Léoville Poyferré, alongside a distinct cuvée, Château Moulin Riche. The wines are aged traditionally in oak barrels, with up to 80% new oak. The ageing period generally lasts between 18 and 20 months. Vinification is parcel-by-parcel, using stainless steel vats. Cold pre-fermentation maceration and malolactic fermentation in barrels are practised. Adding sulphur at vatting has been replaced by the use of non-Saccharomyces yeasts, keeping total sulphur levels below 100 mg/L.

Vinification and Ageing

Vinification at Château Léoville Poyferré is traditional and plot-by-plot. It involves cold pre-fermentation maceration and malolactic fermentation carried out directly in barrels, alongside temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. Wine ageing takes place in oak barrels, using 80% new oak, for a period ranging from 18 to 20 months. Ageing trials in amphorae are also being conducted. Regarding sulphur management, the estate has replaced sulphur additions at vatting with non-Saccharomyces yeasts, thereby reducing the total sulphur content of the wines.