Wine Advisor
La Fleur de Bouard 2011
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata
Dark ruby-red. Bright aromas of strawberry, blackberry and licorice. Enters the mouth fresh and juicy, then turns firm in the middle, showing a restrained sweetness to the vibrant dark berry, cocoa and spice flavors. Finishes with a fine dusting of tannins and a light touch.
Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata
(85% merlot, 12% cabernet franc and 3% cabernet sauvignon): Inky purple. Deep aromas of cassis, cocoa, violet and vanilla. Smooth, rich and dense; with lovely precision to the floral and cocoa flavors. Finishes smooth, with a persistent blackberry note and captivating juiciness. Finishes with copious, mounting tannins but remains smooth and balanced on the long, creamy finish. Excellent.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 2011 La Fleur de Bouard is a rich, full-bodied, ripe, heady, satisfying effort. Big, chewy and delicious, it showcases super-ripe Merlot picked late from small yields. In a relatively short period of time, Hubert de Bouard has created a reference point for how great Lalande de Pomerol can be. When tasted 10-15 years after the vintage, de Bouards wines consistently prove his conviction that he is sitting on a special terroir, even though this appellation is a humble one compared to his nearby neighbors, Pomerol and St.-Emilion.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2011 is a little subdued on the nose although the palate shows good structure and depth. The tannins are rather bold and the oak accentuated on this occasion. The finish is dark and broody, the fruit perhaps squeezed out by the cooler, low pressure conditions. Tasted April 2012.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The luxury cuvee, the 2011 La Plus de la Fleur de Bouard (100% Merlot from a 5-acre parcel of 40-year-old vines), exhibits over-the-top concentration (yields were an amazingly low 20 hectoliters per hectare). An opaque blue/purple color is followed by aromas of blueberry jam, melted chocolate, spring flowers, graphite and subtle oak. Both elegant and powerful, this is a rich, textured, full-throttle claret to drink over the next 10-15+ years. A brilliant reference point wine for Lalande de Pomerol, owner Hubert de Bouard consistently over-achieves in most vintages.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
Very polished with blueberry and blackberry character on the palate. Soft and velvety tannins. Juicy finish. Bright acidity.
About the Producer
Chateau La Fleur de Bouard is located in the heart of France on the right bank of the Garonne River, close to the two famous appellations of St. Emilion and Pomeral, and in a unique geographical location. The vineyards of the winery are located in the Lalande de Pomerol appellation and cover an area of 25 hectares. Of these, 17 hectares are located on the Neac plateau, with soils composed of top clay and deep gravel. The remaining 8 hectares of the vineyard are made up of larger pebble grains and a few clays. The vineyards are planted with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, with a density of 8,547 vines per hectare. The grapes of Château Baudelaire are macerated at a low temperature of 4 to 8°C before being fermented in alcoholic fermentation in wooden winemaking vats or oak barrels. Depending on the grape variety and the year of harvest, the wine is stored in new and old oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and maturation for 12 to 33 months. Château La Fleur Saint Georges offers three series of wines: Le Plus de la Fleur de Bouard, La Fleur de Bouard and Chateau La Fleur Saint Georges. Among them, the 2009 vintage of Bouard has a deep color, aromas of red and black fruits, slightly vanilla and coffee, a rounded palate with silky tannins, a complex structure and a long finish, making it the best Bouard to date.
