The vineyard of Léoville dates back to 1638, when it still bared the name Mont-Moytié in honor of its creator. It would become the largest property in the Médoc until the French Revolution. Following a partial acquisition by the Barton family in 1826, the rest of the property was inherited by the Marquis de Las Cases and his sister. Her share was passed on to her daughter, Marie-Jeanne, wife of Baron Jean-Marie de Poyferré. Hence, Chateau Léoville Poyferré was born in 1840. Each “Léoville” then added the surname of their family and were independently edified to the rank of Second Grand Cru during the 1855 classification. After some difficult years, the Poyferré family sold the property in 1865 to Lalande and Erlanger, wine merchant and banker respectively. In 1920, under the spell of Saint-Julien, the Cuvelier family purchased both Chateau Léoville Poyferré and Chateau Moulin Riche from wine broker Edouard Lawton, Armande Lalande’s son-in-law.
Saint Julien is a small appellation, almost “confidential”, which covers just 920ha, with 11 Grand Cru Classés accounting for 85% of the vineyard area. The terroirs of Saint-Julien produce wines of marked quality, distinguished by their beautiful concentration, delicate profile and elegance. These qualities result from the microclimate influenced by the proximity to the Gironde Estuary. The soils are cultivated in accordance with tradition and viticultural work is carried out by experienced chateau staff.