Wine Advisor
Le Plus de La Fleur de Bouard 2010
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata
(100% merlot) Fully saturated ruby-red. Aromas of blackcurrant, licorice, balsamic coffee and cocoa. Juicy, powerful and penetrating, with bright dark berry, cocoa and mineral flavors. This seemed excessively tannic at first, but with a few minutes in the glass it showed a much plusher texture and building sweetness. The long finish throws off notes of smoky torrefaction.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Deep, bright, saturated ruby. Aromas of blackberry, bitter chocolate and caraway seed are sexed up by nutty oak. Densely packed, juicy and super-concentrated, with an exhilarating sugar/acid balance and lovely violet lift to the black fruit and toffee flavors. Finishes with terrific subtle length and smooth, building tannins that coat the front teeth. An outstanding vintage for this special cuvee from one of the top properties in Lalande de Pomerol, owned by Hubert de Bouard.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The estate’s luxury cuvee is produced from a 5-acre parcel of vines that was cropped at 20 hectoliters per hectare. A big, dense wine (14.5% alcohol) boasting an inky/purple color as well as abundant notes of creosote, charcoal, blueberries and blackberry liqueur, this full-bodied, opulent, intense effort is as concentrated a wine as one is likely to find from Lalande de Pomerol.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
This is very ripe but rather “static” on the nose with dark cherries, Dorset plum and blackberry wrapped up in a lot of new oak. The palate is full-bodied with grippy dry tannins, a lot of dry extract here with a severe tannic finish. This is rather hard-going to be honest but hopefully it will become more approachable after bottling. Tasted March 2011.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Made from 100% Merlot cropped at minuscule yields of 20 hectoliters per hectare, the 2010 La Plus de La Fleur de Bouard was bottled unfined and unfiltered and came in at 14.5% natural alcohol. This wine ratchets up the level of extract, power, density and richness as well as tannin, so it needs 3-4 years of cellaring and can keep, I would assume, for up to two decades, given the performance of the 2000 in recent tastings I have done. This is a beauty, a full-throttle, pedal-to-the-metal Lalande de Pomerol that is impossible to believe comes from a less heralded appellation. The standard of excellence for Lalande de Pomerol is Hubert de Bouard’s 50-acre property, over half of it located on the highly prized Neac plateau, which consists of clay, sand and gravel sub-soils.
About the Producer
Le Plus de La Fleur de Boüard is made from the oldest vines planted on land consisting of clay-topped boulders expressing the full character of the hotel's ancient Merlot grapes, the only variety used. The yields of these very old vines are apparently very low, ranging from 15 to 29 hectoliters per hectare. The wines are aged for a very long time: 33 months in barrels and 18 months on fine lees. The resulting wine is smooth and elegant. It has a perfect balance and a lovely freshness. This lush, mouth-watering wine offers intense aromas and outstanding elegance.
