Château Léoville Poyferré is an estate in the Saint-Julien appellation of the Médoc. It was rated a second growth in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification, and was traditionally the softest of the three Léovilles. The 80-hectare (198-acre) vineyard is planted 65 percent to Cabernet Sauvignon with 25 percent Merlot, 8 percent Petit Verdot and 2 percent Cabernet Franc. The gravelly soils provide good drainage for the vines, which helps negate disease pressure and leads to concentrated fruit. In the winery, the grapes are cold-macerated for colour extract and aromatic purity, and fermented in stainless steel vats before aging. Château Léoville Poyferré is aged in oak barriques for 18 to 20 months, and the proportion of new oak has increases in the last few decades.