Pensées de Lafleur, Pomerol, 2012

Name: Pensées de Lafleur, Pomerol
Brand: Château Lafleur
Price: 664.33 GBP

Available Vintages

all 2011 2012 2015 2016 2017

justerini & brooks tasting note

Baptiste Guinadeau described 2012 as an ‘exciting, interesting vintage, a vintage of three parts'. A wet spring and early summer which 'replenished and liberated' the soils after three years of drought. There was a risk of mildew, so lots of work was required in the vineyard, but they knew that the 'balance of the vintage could change quickly', and it did. The summer was dry and hot with 46 days without rain; this really helped maturity. The weather changed again in October and became cold and wet for the harvest. The team tasted berries every day to judge when the optimum time to harvest was. The Merlots for Pen sees were picked on the 4th of October and the Cabernets Franc on the 10th of October. The final blend will be 54% Merlot and 46% Cabernet Franc. We were very very impressed by this cuvee; it was even more pretty and polished than usual. There is something brooding and serious about the bouquet, but there are notes of flowers, sweet sexy plums, morello cherries and sweet bramble fruit. Wonderfully intense and fragrant with far more Merlot character this year. Some Cabernet Franc that usually goes into Lafleur was utilized in this cuvee. This is beautifully poised, balanced wine which finishes with pure redcurrant, vanilla and velvety chocolate.

critic reviews

87/100Lisa Perrotti-Brown,The Wine Independent

The 2012 Pensees de Lafleur is medium to deep garnet colored. It opens with a core of prunes and dried figs giving way to rustic notions of sweaty leather and fried herbs plus a medicinal waft. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is firm, chewy, and clumsy, with fading fruit and a hard, rustic finish.

DRINKING WINDOW 2022 - 2030

date of review 02/2023

90/100Neal Martin,Vinous

The 2012 Pensées de Lafleur comes across a little bretty on the nose, and this obscures some of the terroir expression. I would have liked more complexity here. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins, solid with good grip, yet it lacks a bit of charm (not that this Pomerol seems overly concerned). Is it holding something back or just a bit too serious? Tasted blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting.

DRINKING WINDOW 2022 - 2032

date of review 09/2022