How is Poyferre pronounced?

My 2003's just came in and I haven't a clue. Maybe poe fur eh?

I don't know if it's correct, but I've heard the first syllable pronounced like "poi" or "poy" (as it's spelt), so poi-fur-eh

[Robin Garr]

My 2003's just came in and I haven't a clue. Maybe poe fur eh?

I'm a terrible source for French pronunciation advice, Jim, but note that Château Léoville Poyferré has an accent over the ending 'é', normally indicating that it's pronounced, not silent. Also, barring some weird non-standard form, I'd expect "oi" to be pronounced "wah" as in "foie gras."

So I'd go with "pwa-fehr-ray" until proven otherwise.

[Robin Garr]

My 2003's just came in and I haven't a clue. Maybe poe fur eh?

My first guess was pretty good, IF the unknown Website UncorkedChicago.com is to be trusted, possibly dubious considering its erroneous rendering of "Las Cases."

<B>Leoville Barton, Leoville Las Case and Leoville Poyferre</B> (leh-oh-vell bar-tohn, lahss cahz, p'wah-feh-ray)

Three Second Growth Bordeaux, France vineyards from the commune of Saint-Julien. Often considered to be better than other wines of their class (especially the first two). Cabernet Sauvignon based, these wines are made for aging. As one may suspect, the three were one until 1826.

Berry Bros & Rudd has this Chateau on their pronunciation guide to top Bordeaux Chateaux under Chateau Léoville-Poyferré, St. Julien.

The link to the page is Here.



Regards, Bob

[Robin Garr]

The link to the page is Here.

Again, it looks like my fractured-French guess was pretty close.

Here's a direct link to the sound file, which incorporates the full phrase "Chateau Leoville Poyferré Saint-Julien."

I agree, Robin, it sounded like you parsed it -- I think. But my hearing French is probably even more fractured than your speaking French. :-)

<B>Leoville Barton, Leoville Las Case and Leoville Poyferre</B> (leh-oh-vell bar-tohn, lahss cahz, p'wah-feh-ray)

Can we get a third opinion? I think that website is wrong. I think it is
poy-feh-ray.

[Robin Garr]

Can we get a third opinion? I think that website is wrong. I think it is poy-feh-ray.

Did you listen to the Berry Brothers sound file? It sounds like "pwa-feh-ray" there, and I don't know of any reason why it should differ from the usual French "oi."

Can we get a third opinion? I think that website is wrong. I think it is poy-feh-ray.

Did you listen to the Berry Brothers sound file? It sounds like "pwa-feh-ray" there, and I don't know of any reason why it should differ from the usual French "oi."

Oi would be Pwa, but oy, I believe, is Poy. I just called and asked someone at Sherry-Lehmannn who claimed to know. He said poy, definitely not pwa. But he and I could of course be dead wrong. I say the word often enough, even once today at the local wine store; so I, too, would like to know if I am pronouncing it correctly. Hopefully one of the French speaking forum members will chime in.

It`s always been poy in my pronounciation!!.....from a brit who speaks the lingo pretty well. The BBR lady was trying in a typical posh colonial accent!!! LOL.

Thanks for all the help guys. I guess I'll go with poy feh ray .

Thanks for all the help guys. I guess I'll go with poy feh ray .

Hey, thanks for thanking us. So many people come onto this forum, ask a question, get all kinds of great responses, and then just disappear.

Don't listen to 'em, Jim. Let's get together in about 15 years on some UP trout stream, catch a mess of brook trout, grill a couple of steaks covered with freshly picked morels, and pop that baby open. I bet we will pronounce it DEE-LISH-US. I'll contribute an 03 Pontet Canet.

Pronunciations follow usage, don’t they? Poyferré could be pwa, as in yoyage (vwah-yahzh). Is Poyferré a family name? If not, I wonder what it means? It’s not in my small French dictionary; in fact there is no word starting with poy.

The proper pronunciation of another St-Julien, Talbot, is still undecided with me. John Talbot, for whom the property was named, was an Englishman; yet somebody on this forum pointed out that the country spoke Gallic when he was an Earl, there; so maybe he pronounced his name Talbeau, like most people pronounce the wine today. Yet again, on Antique Road show, coming from London, or some UK city, a most learned commentator, who knew all about John Talbot, pronounced his name Tall-but.

If a guy named Jules came to America from France, would it be okay to call him Jules, pronounced like the family jules. I guess it would be proper to pronounce it like Jules pronounced it. If I ever get to Chateau Leoville Poyferre, I’ll know the pronunciation for sure.

I confirm that the correct pronunciation - in French, that is - is indeed p'wah-feh-ray.

Best regards,
Alex R.

I confirm that the correct pronunciation - in French, that is - is indeed p'wah-feh-ray.

Correct. So do both the Bordeaux wine trade and Didier Cuvlelier from the owner family. No dissenting opinion here as with Boüard.