Wine Advisor
Lafleur 2014
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Description
Château Lafleur is a tiny 4.5-hectare Pomerol property located opposite Pétrus and producing wines of comparable quality. Lafleur is owned and run by Sylvie and Jacques Guinadeau. Its vineyards are situated on the gravel-rich Pomerol plateau and adjoin those of La Fleur-Pétrus. The soils here are particularly deep and are enriched by deposits of potassium and iron. Only natural fertilisers are used and yields are painfully low, even by Pomerol standards. By the 1980s, Chateau Lafleur was on its way to becoming one of the world’s most in-demand wines selling for more than the First Growths. In 1975, Robert Parker made his first visit to the estate and since then never stopped writing about the wine. His comments on Chateau Lafleur excited consumers all over the world, and thus became one of those Pomerol wines that tied to the success and continuous praise heaped on the wine by Robert Parker.
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The Château Lafleur 2014 is a blend of 44% Merlot picked on 25 September and 56% Cabernet Franc picked on 5 and 6 October, the yields coming in at 28 hectoliters per hectare. Bright purple in color, the bouquet is pixelated. It is decidedly neither powerful or voluminous but instead very subtle and reflects its terroir, hints of sous-bois and truffle filtering through with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine, very precise tannin and nigh on perfect acidity. There is the trademark Lafleur structure and sense of "authority" here, perhaps a little more salinity emerging towards the finish compared to other vintages with a touch of spice right on the finish. It will require the patience of a saint, at least a decade in the cellar, but it will reward you with something heavenly.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2014 Lafleur has a lucid hue. The bouquet bides its time, gradually unfolding with scents of raspberry coulis, blackberry, black truffle and just a faint hint of dark chocolate, all beautifully defined and yet you know it is keeping something in reserve. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannin. There is that backbone, which of course you expect with this Pomerol, but also a sense of refinement and poise, a seam of spiciness that develops with time in the glass that prolongs the finish. No, it is not the greatest Lafleur that I have tasted. It's just a really great Pomerol that will give many years of pleasure.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2014 Lafleur is dark, intense and also wonderfully vivid in the glass. A wine of restraint and total finesse, it will need at least a few years to start coming into its own. Today, it is the wine's persistence and overall harmony that really stand out. There is a level of translucence and energy in the 2014 that is utterly captivating. The blend is 56 % Cabernet Franc and 44 % Merlot, with the Franc super-expressive at this stage. Silky tannins add to the wine's pure appeal. Even at this early stage, the 2014 is brilliant.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
A rich, powerful wine, the 2014 Lafleur hits the palate with a mélange of exotic spices, flowers, crème de cassis, sage and lavender, all supported by firm yet impeccably balanced tannins. The blend of 56% Cabernet Franc and 44% Merlot meld together the expressive aromatics and structure of Franc with the mid-palate voluptuousness of Merlot, all in a striking, showy wine that will provide immense pleasure to those lucky enough to find it. The dense, persistent finish is totally alluring.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2014 Lafleur has a tightly wound bouquet with earthy, truffle tinged black fruit, hints of dried blood and black truffle developing with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin encasing a sweet core of candied red fruit. The Merlot is very expressive here and offers more brightness than many of its Pomerol peers, which is unusual for a Pomerol so saturnine in its youth. Just beautiful. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
About the Producer
In 2002, the Gwinoders completely acquired Lafleur, becoming the sole owner of Lafleur, and have been operating it ever since. Huabao now has 4.5 hectares of vineyards. The soil types in the garden are diverse, including gravel, clay and gravel. Generally speaking, these soils are relatively poor and very suitable for grape planting. Among the grape varieties planted in the vineyard, Merlot (Merlot) and Cabernet Franc (Cabernet Franc) are equally divided, each accounting for 50%, the planting density is 6,000-7,500 plants/ha, and the average tree age is 30 years.
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