Once you uncork the wine, the perfumy aroma permeates the air, red fruits, sweet minerals, a touch of the mahogany chest, flowery bouquets, alluring! Translucent ruby red in colour! The palate is rich and silky, abundance of red fruits, and a satisfying supple finish! Delicious and very well made!
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This was my blind wine. First guesses were 90s Pomerol, but group flailed a bit at chateau (because no one expects that I own any Lafleur). John did guess Pensees, and then Lafleur when I said close. They worked their way through most vintages of the 90s before getting 1997 (like the Spanish Inquisition, nobody expects 1997 Bordeaux). This has rounded out and filled out nicely- somewhat ripe plush texture, black plum and mocha, the finish is the clue not from a great vintage. But quite enjoyable. B+
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Excellent bottle of Pomerol and shocking that this was made in the 1997 vintage. Just shows how producer can beat vineyard or vintage. Drink now or hold for a decade or more.
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Iconic wine soiree, 1st quartet round, 4th meeting (at Yagil's): -- double decanted for sediment removal 4 hours before tasting -- blind tasting: classic left bank aroma of a quality wine. not a typical Pomerol at first. med harmony, lacks structure on the palate. overall a good but not excellent wine from a difficult vintage.
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OK, so this isn't a great Lafleur, but one of the best '97s I've tasted. Medium to full bodied, tannins resolving, good length, spice and red fruits. B+
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No complaints with this bottle. Gobs of fruit left from a difficult year. I've always believed the key to off vintages is *when* to drink them rather than if. The inital nose was raspberry and cherry liqueur. Dark reddish-purple in color with no bricking whatsoever. Medium to full bodied in weight, I thoroughly enjoyed this. The aromatics kept getting better over time and the palate showed leather, cassis, plum and blackberry. Our tool of a waiter broke the cork saying it was dry.. yea whatever.
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(Dinner with d-rob). Decanted for one hour and consumed over three hours. Wow! a 100+ point nose. On the attack, it's all black raspberries, kirsch and prunes with beautiful, sweet tanin. This would be a profound wine, except, as one would expect from the vintage, it lacks the punch and the fruit on the mid palate and finish to make it great. Notwithstanding those faults, this is an incredibly enjoyably, integrated, balanced and delightful wine. Changed very little over the course of the night, until the third hour, when it started to decline slightly and become acidic. Certainly drinking well know and this has the stuffing to go another 10 years, but I don't think it will improve from here. Enjoy!
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Deep plumy ruby color. Mute nose at the beginning, but after some aeration the wine reveals aromas of earth, cedar, currants and wet wood. For a difficult vintage, it is realy a chewy tannic monster. Full-bodied with flavors of plums, chocolate, currants and minerals. The finish lasts over 50 sec. Be patient with this wine. Needs more and more years to became excellent.
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Decanted at 10 AM. Brutally tannic at that point. I try not to join in the internet winegeek sport of Spec bashing, but I recall the mailer for the offering of this wine said "A solid wine. Good dried cherry and berry aromas follow through to a medium-bodied palate, with light tannins and a fruity finish. (89) – The Wine Spectator. " WTF? If these are light tannins I'm Tommy Tune. After 7 hours in decanter and 3 back in bottle, this is still a rather burly Right Banker (I think I would have guessed St. Em rather than Pomerol if blind). Rather deep dark fruits, with notes of coffee and cigarbox. Like the Barton, there's enough tannin to make it better with meat or cheese. Best glass is the last one, as I'm doing dishes. The rare 1997 I think could use more cellar time. This doesn't have the opulence or lushness of a better vintage, but a very credible effort for '97
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Offline in Dobbs Ferry (Dale's House): If I have trouble with more mature Bordeaux, then I am hopeless with younger, more tannic ones. This one still has a darkish red robe of relative youth in the glass. Despite its visual youth, the nose is expressive with spice and rich, dark berry fruit, along with some leafy interest. Palate is quite tannic, showing astringency and a touch of dark fruit, even though this is 1997 and even though this was decanted in the morning. This is the wine I go back to just before I catch my train to the city and it has opened up on the palate some. It’s still a little rough, but is showing rounder dark fruit and a little chocolate richness, just a hint of round Pomerol character. Voluptuous? Not yet. Maybe never. But I really liked the nose and the palate has enough fruit to make this worth waiting on for a few more years. (In his notes, Dale commented on the difference between this tannic showing and the WS note that called it a wine with “light tannins”. After I finished this note, I went searching for others and all of them indicated resolved tannins and easy drinking. Every bottle is different, ne c’est pas?)
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Good wine from a difficult vintage. This medium bodied wine offers up copious amount of cossis, roasted meat and dried herbs on the nose. In the palate, it's easy on the mouth with integrated tannins. It's ready to drink now and will be good for another 10 years.
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4/13/2023 - Tao wrote: 95 Points
Once you uncork the wine, the perfumy aroma permeates the air, red fruits, sweet minerals, a touch of the mahogany chest, flowery bouquets, alluring! Translucent ruby red in colour! The palate is rich and silky, abundance of red fruits, and a satisfying supple finish! Delicious and very well made!
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12/29/2021 - DaleW wrote:
Ripe black plum, hint of coffee, low acid, a bit of tannin,.Good for vintage . B
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9/21/2021 - DaleW wrote:
This was my blind wine. First guesses were 90s Pomerol, but group flailed a bit at chateau (because no one expects that I own any Lafleur). John did guess Pensees, and then Lafleur when I said close. They worked their way through most vintages of the 90s before getting 1997 (like the Spanish Inquisition, nobody expects 1997 Bordeaux). This has rounded out and filled out nicely- somewhat ripe plush texture, black plum and mocha, the finish is the clue not from a great vintage. But quite enjoyable. B+
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2/26/2017 - Rhone Rick Likes this wine: 93 Points
Aged wood and faded red fruit with a perfectly smooth and balanced expression on the palette. Really quite enjoyable.
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11/6/2016 - DrZett wrote: 91 Points
What to drink before we die... (Restaurant Prinzinger, Düsseldorf (Germany)): Soft tannins and a nice structure and acidity. The finish is quite short. Drink now or until 2020.
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12/18/2015 - PeterH Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really good juice, ready to drink but no rush. Lost to a 1997 Togni
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12/5/2014 - PeterH Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent bottle of Pomerol and shocking that this was made in the 1997 vintage. Just shows how producer can beat vineyard or vintage. Drink now or hold for a decade or more.
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9/23/2013 - Yagil wrote: 90 Points
Iconic wine soiree, 1st quartet round, 4th meeting (at Yagil's): -- double decanted for sediment removal 4 hours before tasting --
blind tasting: classic left bank aroma of a quality wine. not a typical Pomerol at first. med harmony, lacks structure on the palate. overall a good but not excellent wine from a difficult vintage.
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9/15/2013 - Luis N Likes this wine:
Excelent.
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1/28/2013 - DaleW wrote:
OK, so this isn't a great Lafleur, but one of the best '97s I've tasted. Medium to full bodied, tannins resolving, good length, spice and red fruits. B+
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6/17/2011 - PeterH wrote: 94 Points
Wow. Delicious and ready to go
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12/24/2010 - guile wrote: 92 Points
No complaints with this bottle. Gobs of fruit left from a difficult year. I've always believed the key to off vintages is *when* to drink them rather than if. The inital nose was raspberry and cherry liqueur. Dark reddish-purple in color with no bricking whatsoever. Medium to full bodied in weight, I thoroughly enjoyed this. The aromatics kept getting better over time and the palate showed leather, cassis, plum and blackberry. Our tool of a waiter broke the cork saying it was dry.. yea whatever.
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8/6/2008 - Jdog wrote: 94 Points
(Dinner with d-rob). Decanted for one hour and consumed over three hours. Wow! a 100+ point nose. On the attack, it's all black raspberries, kirsch and prunes with beautiful, sweet tanin. This would be a profound wine, except, as one would expect from the vintage, it lacks the punch and the fruit on the mid palate and finish to make it great. Notwithstanding those faults, this is an incredibly enjoyably, integrated, balanced and delightful wine. Changed very little over the course of the night, until the third hour, when it started to decline slightly and become acidic. Certainly drinking well know and this has the stuffing to go another 10 years, but I don't think it will improve from here. Enjoy!
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11/28/2007 - balassis wrote: 92 Points
Deep plumy ruby color.
Mute nose at the beginning, but after some aeration the wine reveals aromas of earth, cedar, currants and wet wood.
For a difficult vintage, it is realy a chewy tannic monster.
Full-bodied with flavors of plums, chocolate, currants and minerals.
The finish lasts over 50 sec.
Be patient with this wine. Needs more and more years to became excellent.
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3/12/2007 - Collector1855 wrote: 84 Points
Pétrus vs. Le Pin - Matchplay 1996-2002 - with pirates (Fribourg): Tasted blind. Nose dominated by oak, some dark fruits with green peppers. On the palate quite lean with dominating oak
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11/26/2006 - sadiebear wrote: 89 Points
I would certainly drink this wine sooner than later...(if you have any)
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3/24/2006 - DaleW wrote: 90 Points
Decanted at 10 AM. Brutally tannic at that point. I try not to join in the internet winegeek sport of Spec bashing, but I recall the mailer for the offering of this wine said "A solid wine. Good dried cherry and berry aromas follow through to a medium-bodied palate, with light tannins and a fruity finish. (89) – The Wine Spectator. "
WTF? If these are light tannins I'm Tommy Tune. After 7 hours in decanter and 3 back in bottle, this is still a rather burly Right Banker (I think I would have guessed St. Em rather than Pomerol if blind). Rather deep dark fruits, with notes of coffee and cigarbox.
Like the Barton, there's enough tannin to make it better with meat or cheese. Best glass is the last one, as I'm doing dishes. The rare 1997 I think could use more cellar time. This doesn't have the opulence or lushness of a better vintage, but a very credible effort for '97
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6/15/2005 - jrufusj wrote:
Offline in Dobbs Ferry (Dale's House): If I have trouble with more mature Bordeaux, then I am hopeless with younger, more tannic ones. This one still has a darkish red robe of relative youth in the glass. Despite its visual youth, the nose is expressive with spice and rich, dark berry fruit, along with some leafy interest. Palate is quite tannic, showing astringency and a touch of dark fruit, even though this is 1997 and even though this was decanted in the morning. This is the wine I go back to just before I catch my train to the city and it has opened up on the palate some. It’s still a little rough, but is showing rounder dark fruit and a little chocolate richness, just a hint of round Pomerol character. Voluptuous? Not yet. Maybe never. But I really liked the nose and the palate has enough fruit to make this worth waiting on for a few more years. (In his notes, Dale commented on the difference between this tannic showing and the WS note that called it a wine with “light tannins”. After I finished this note, I went searching for others and all of them indicated resolved tannins and easy drinking. Every bottle is different, ne c’est pas?)
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11/10/2004 - Hammer wrote: 90 Points
Good wine from a difficult vintage. This medium bodied wine offers up copious amount of cossis, roasted meat and dried herbs on the nose. In the palate, it's easy on the mouth with integrated tannins. It's ready to drink now and will be good for another 10 years.
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