Les Pensées, Pomerol
    Château Lafleur

    Les Pensées, Pomerol, 2023

    93/100
    Inside Bordeaux
    94-96/100
    The Wine Independent
    92-94/100
    Vinous
    Available Vintages
    Broking
    1. 2023

      3x75cl

      DP

      £466.37

    Justerini & Brooks Tasting note

    Omri explained 2023 is "not a solaire vintage, it’s not a “classical” cool vintage, it’s not another hybrid vintage like 2016, 2018 or 2020 with a wet, cold spring and then a very hot, dry summer… The best we’ve come up with so far is it’s an extreme vintage with no real extremes… It felt extreme when we were working in the vineyard, it was challenging and complex, but when we look back at the data, it was quite unremarkable.” The wines they have produced certainly are remarkable and very much appeal to our palates. They are dense, but less overly fruity than recent greats like 2019 and 2022. They have wonderful aromatics and bright, tense cores of fruit framed by gloriously ripe tannins packed with detail. It's a masterful range, which sits right up there with the very best from these estates. The 2023 Pensées is one of the most enthralling examples of this cuvee we can recall tasting. Produced from 70% Merlot and 30% Bouchet this has all the usual charm with a more complex, serious character. Initially floral with salty, earthy notes. So silky, contoured rather than voluptuous, refreshing dark berries and griotte with layers of earth and stones, a very serious, controlled Pensées with a tear drop shaped finish, hints of coffee beans, cacao and flowers. Very smart indeed.

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    Critic Reviews

    94-96/100
    Lisa Perrotti-Brown,
    The Wine Independent
    A blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Bouchet (Cabernet Franc), the 2023 Pensees de Lafleur has a deep garnet-purple color. It needs a swirl or two to spur it on to gallop out with powerful notes of juicy black plums, wild blueberries, and raspberry preserves, leading to an undercurrent of wood smoke, charcoal, bay leaves, and Sichuan pepper. The medium-bodied palate is light on its feet and beautifully poised, with very fine, silky tannins and alluring freshness, finishing very long and earthy.
    drinking window 2029 - 2050
    date of review 05/2024
    93/100
    Jane Anson,
    Inside Bordeaux
    Unusually high Merlot for Pensees, this combines gorgeously rich texture with mouthwatering salinity on the finish, moving through plump and plus black cherry and raspberry fruit. The team here always knows how to skilfully construct a wine, and this picks up concentrated notes of fennel and mint that raise the game. 25% new oak for ageing.
    drinking window 2028 - 2040
    date of review 05/2024
    92-94/100
    Neal Martin,
    Vinous
    The 2023 Les Pensées contains more Merlot this year, at 70% of the final blend. It was picked between September 7 to 17. This has another very minerally bouquet, well-defined, quite nervy and focused, with a subtle marine influence. The palate is medium-bodied with impressive concentration and freshness on the entry. Black plum and a touch of dark chocolate come through, framed by a slightly granular texture. Cracked black pepper emerges on the structured but not heavy finish. Excellent.
    drinking window 2027 - 2042
    date of review 04/2024

    product details

    Specifications

    Country:
    France
    Region:
    Bordeaux
    Appellation:
    Pomerol
    style:
    Red Wine
    Grape Variety:
    Merlot Cabernet Franc
    abv:
    15%

    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.