“The 2019 vintage is a great success at this address.” – Wine Advocate

Heard of OVID, the cult Napa red?

How does it relate to this Bordeaux you may be wondering. Well, they have a line called Experiment and this is pretty much that - just made for Château Léoville-Poyferré.

Except those Experiment bottlings go for about $200. And the venerable Second Growth’s 2019 vintage, the prices average around $150. For a mere FRACTION of those, we bring you a Bordeaux exclusive from Saint-Julien for $35.

Crafted by none other than Michel Rolland the “M” is an experiment. Made from the holdings of the same family, with a blend of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot The resulting synergy, from a wonderfully ripe and open-to-enjoy vintage like 2019, is phenomenal.

Wait, did somebody say 2019 Saint-Julien for 35 bucks? Are you still reading this?!

A recent deep dive by Wine Advocate explains the wizardry behind the scenes here “With some 80 hectares under vine, Léoville Poyferré’s parcels are inter-fingered with those belonging to the Delon and Barton families by the river and on the plateau of Saint-Julien… Winemaking features a 5-8 day cold soak, followed by comparatively long macerations, and maturation is in 80% new oak, with lots destined for new barrels completing their malolactic fermentation in barrel.”

Within a somewhat perplexing hierarchy of many wines all under the same Léoville Poyferré umbrella, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate helps illuminate that “this label was once a second wine for Léoville-Poyferré, but as the vineyard of the historic Château Moulin Riche (which was replanted by Didier Cuvelier) matured, it became an estate in its own right, with a second wine of its own, derived from a 20-hectare block located in inland Saint-Julien.”

What matters most is what’s in the glass. A textbook Saint-Julien, with a fleshy but focused beam of plum, blueberry, and cassis flavors striding through, with warmed anise, sweet tobacco, and iron notes playing backup through the impressive finish. Delicious now, a mouthwatering grip hints that this will also cellar nicely.

What a TREMENDOUS A VALUE this is. This tiny batch is yours to claim, while it lasts.