Château Lafleur, Pomerol
    Château Lafleur

    Château Lafleur, Pomerol, 2021

    96/100
    Inside Bordeaux
    95-97/100
    The Wine Independent
    96/100
    Vinous
    Available Vintages
    portfolio
    1. Last Few

      2021

      3x75cl

      DP

      £2,584.76

    Broking
    1. 2021

      3x75cl

      DP

      £1,810.76

    2. 2021

      3x75cl

      DP

      £2,050.76

    3. 2021

      3x75cl

      DP

      £2,998.76

    Justerini & Brooks Tasting note

    Omri described 2021 as a "vintage of work". This is not something the Guinaudeau clan are afraid of. Few teams are as well prepared, but even for the most meticulous, nature can sometimes present new challenges. In all they encountered 10 nights that required frost protection, but on the 6th of April, they noticed that the turbines were having no affect. It turned out that a 2 Km column of cold air (that originated in Greenland) was sitting over Bordeaux. The turbines were simply sucking more cold air down into the vineyards. Thankfully it wasn’t a hard frost, so the bougies deployed amongst the vines prevented any serious loss. and thankfully they worked; . Omri also defines 2021 as another "multi-vintage year". The first half of summer was oceanic and presented mildew pressure. It wasn't the heaviest rain, but it was unrelenting and required a lot of "gardening". When summer finally arrived, the team worked the soils helping oxygenate the vines. Finally, 2021 provided the opportunity to make wines with lift and elegance. We probably sound like broken records, but this is yet another impeccable range of wines from the Guinaudeau family estates, particularly for Grand Village (red and white) and Les Perrieres. Produced from 48% Merlot and 52% Bouchet (Cabernet Franc) the 2021 Lafleur is complex and savoury, with a sense of round river stones amongst earthy dark fruits. Initially reserved, with aeration, regal aromatics emerge, violets, iris, pure cassis, griotte and creme de mûre. Intense and pure, the palate is surprisingly forthcoming, there's plenty of density to the red and black fruits, yet it maintains a very strict, taut line. A salty minerality frames the finish. The tannins are luxuriant and beautifully integrated: complex, supple, fine grained, yet with surprising depth and beautiful aromatic range, savoury, floral, lifted, precise. Superb!

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    Critic Reviews

    96/100
    Jane Anson,
    Inside Bordeaux
    Takes its time, holds itself back, then hugs the palate, keeps its grip on your taste buds. Liqourice, iris, tobacco, violet, cassis and spiced plum, with traces of white pepper, tomato leaf and a curl of gunsmoke, full of sculpted tannins. This will take a few years reach its peak, as it runs against the usual feel of the vintage. Harvest September 17 to October 2. No chaptilisation. 12 nights of frost risk in 2021 but they successfully battled it and it is fairly similar to a normal year in terms of yield.
    drinking window 2028 - 2041
    date of review 03/2024
    96/100
    Neal Martin,
    Vinous
    The 2021 Lafleur has an outstanding bouquet, brilliantly delineated with dense black fruit, melted tar, black olive and a touch of Japanese nori. It seems to grow in the glass, thumbing its nose at the supposed "challenging" growing season. The palate is medium-bodied with much more cohesion and concentration than its peers, exquisite balance, a keen thread of acidity and a precise and persistent finish. This is a strong contender for the wine of the vintage, perhaps vying with L'Eglise-Clinet.
    drinking window 2031 - 2065
    date of review 02/2024
    95-97/100
    Lisa Perrotti-Brown,
    The Wine Independent
    The 2021 Lafleur is a blend of 52% Cabernet Franc, harvested on 2 October, and 48% Merlot, harvested on 17 and 24 September. It prances out of the glass with carefree, showy scents of redcurrant preserves, black raspberries, and rose oil, followed by suggestions of chocolate covered cherries, crushed rocks, graphite, and tree bark. Medium-bodied, the palate has firm, very ripe, very finely grained tannins with amazing tension supporting the intense red and black fruit layers, finishing long and achingly fragrant.
    drinking window 2029 - 2059
    date of review 05/2022

    product details

    Specifications

    Country:
    France
    Region:
    Bordeaux
    Appellation:
    Pomerol
    style:
    Red Wine
    Grape Variety:
    Merlot Cabernet Franc
    abv:
    13.5%

    allergen information

    This product may contain sulphites. Full allergen information is available upon request, please call our Customer Relations Team on +44 (0)20 7484 6430.