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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 94.8 pts. and median of 95 pts. in 43 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Serge Birbrair on 4/1/2024: Side by side with 1999 Lafleur it left 99 in the dust. Better fruit, better expression, truly amazing wine. (326 views) | | | Tasted by Vinum Deorum on 9/25/2023 & rated 92 points: A wine that leaves me intrigued and skeptical. It seems too young on the nose, but slightly evolved on the palate. This bottle came from the cellar of a 3 michelin stars restaurant, where it has been stored since delivery in 2000, so I guess it is truly pristine provenance and storage. We made sure the bottle was opened 6 hours before dinner, and decanted 1h30 hour before service. Slightly austere and monolithic on the palate with vegetal hints and earthy notes. Lacks the energy and balance I would have expected. It is powerful and long, but without the structure or the acidity that could show the wine is tasted at a too early stage?
Overall a nice wine, but far from its reputation or from the depth and elegance one can find with other Pomerol from this top vintage. (933 views) | | | Tasted by Jeff Leve on 9/1/2023 & rated 98 points: The nose is intoxicating with its wild cherry liqueur, flowers, licorice, cedar, mint, and black with red fruits. The wine is full-bodied, rich, powerful, vibrant, deep, long, and exotic, with its unique textural-experience and display of fruits. Just starting to open, the wine remains fairly-priced for a Lafleur of this quality, especially when you consider its bottle age. Drink from 2023-2050. (2020 views) | | | Tasted by aagrawal on 11/21/2022 & rated 95 points: Dinner with the wine group (Cindy's Place): Exceptional nose; red currant, capsicum; palate is full bodied, silky, a bit of capsicum, black fruited, classic Bordeaux character, not polished but well integrated, some mint; finish is long. 95 (2351 views) | | | Tasted by Cailles on 7/17/2022 & rated 92 points: Annual BYO Pre-Dinner (mostly mature Bordeauxs): The Pomerol legend from a great Right bank vintage? What could possibly go wrong? Opening the bottle far too early! This was nowhere near to be ready and it didn’t help that the wine was not decanted. 92 pts for the substance and the intellectually intriguing potential.
TN: Rather muted nose. On the palate, however, the wine is much more open, although still young, very young. Dark red berries, herbs, lots of minerality, herbs and spices, some toasty notes. You can sense that the complexity is high, the substance is impressive, the precision is too. But the wine isn‘t as round and harmonious as it could be. This will need much more time in the cellar to soften, open up, become tertiary and form a harmonious composition.
Decanting: Not decanted. This could have needed 3-4 hours in a decanter at least. (3566 views) | | | Tasted by sirpat00 on 7/1/2022 & rated 93 points: Fine frame of aging notes of leather and dry earth with a bright and pure red berry fruit. This was not decanted and started off muted and felt even slightly closed. Unfortunately not much improvement with aeration, generally low intensity. The level of detail here is off the charts, but it is so delicate it is potentially already tipping into fragile. Not entirely sure what to make of it or what to do with any remaining bottles... (2656 views) | | | Tasted by the player on 1/15/2022 & rated 95 points: Amazing bottle especially given the underwhelming experience 4 months ago. Ruby red, tawny rim and signs of bricking throughout the wine. Pristine bottle and cork. Nose of dark red cherries, berries, game, wet earth, and hints of truffles and spice. On the palate very elegant, starts light then gains weight mid late, and finishes with tannins resolve, good acidity and great length. Decanted and aerated for an hour and drank over another. (2448 views) | | | Tasted by HeavyPourWine on 12/18/2021 & rated 97 points: Fantastic! Decanted about 30 mins and then let evolve in the glass. Last few sips an hour later were out of this world! Brad - heavypourwine.com (2494 views) | | | Tasted by B Paul on 12/15/2021: Birthday Wine Dinner: Ex-chateau bottle acquired last year. Floral notes with cherries and truffle. Also had strong berry note in the nose. Rich and complex, this just got better and better with air. As good as this was, it is still a bit tight/wound up. It should be a stunner with some more age (maybe another 10 years?). (2125 views) | | | Tasted by Jeff Leve on 12/11/2021 & rated 97 points: It’s been almost 8 years since my last tasting of this wine. It was worth the wait. The boatload of flowers, truffles, cherries, red plums, kirsch liqueur and wet earth on the nose had me hooked. But it was the supple-textured, rich, full, deep pool of ripe cherries and plums on the palate that stole the show! This is a unique Pomerol that should be tasted at least once as there is nothing else like it… (3297 views) | | | Tasted by the player on 10/24/2021 & rated 93 points: Pristine bottle, cork intact. A little underwhelming yet very pleasurable almost Burgundian element to this mature Lafleur. Viscous ruby red color, nose of spice, lots of earth, sweet plums, nutmeg and blackberries. Very subtle entry on the palate, gained a bit of weight after time in the decanter, medium bodied, seems a bit past its prime. Finished long with very finely grained tannins and good acidity. Black fruits dominated by earth and spice. (1872 views) | | | Tasted by jmoon on 8/5/2021 & rated 96 points: Very beautiful nose. Lovely and plush and deep on opening. Opened up after an hour or so. Faded a little, became more red fruit / burgundy like at 3-4 hour mark. No decant recommended for that reason. (1987 views) | | | Tasted by King Julien on 8/1/2021 & rated 96 points: Decanted 4 hours. (1629 views) | | | Tasted by joshabramson on 2/18/2021 & rated 97 points: Tight at first, far more expressive and aromatic with 3 hours of air. Deep, rich, ripe, and elegant. Quite special. (2298 views) | | | Tasted by soyhead on 1/23/2021: my first Lafleur, and a treat
nose - gorgeous nose of cut flowers, cut grass, earth and undertones of charcoal (per the patriarch), and ash (per DC)
mouth - graphite, dark fruit loaded with minerals and a touch of grass. very fleshy and seductive, even voluptuous. a touch of grapeskin/grappa flavor on the finish but no heat at all. a bit of a chameleon wine, kept changing through the night but seductive at each sip. I see the hype. (2150 views) | | | Tasted by Lord of the Bottles on 9/18/2020 & rated 96 points: Gunsmoke and cigar nose, almost like Lafite. Stewed fruit, cinnamon, stewed plum, burnt sugar palate. 30 second finish. A step up from the '99. 96-97. (2583 views) | | | Tasted by Elpaninaro on 12/10/2019: intensely dark red young color, no signs of age, a nose of grand scale with dark berries and red cherries, oak starting to integrate but noticeable, on the palate like the 1998 Magdelaine recently tasted a primary baby built on a massive scale unlike many vintages before or since, another 1975 perhaps, totally primary and accessible fruit- cherries, plums, game, sauvage, with time racy chalk streaks emerge on the back of the palate, thrilling potential here for a wine of enormous scale that will at some point explode into greatness, my only concern is the oak- the scale of structure and fruit here will keep it in check, but it may be sufficiently strong to leave some small unharmonious mark down the road, highest potential here- but much patience required. As with a 2000 Latour recently tasted- don't think years, think decades.
(*****), 2040++ (3186 views) | | | Tasted by HongKongPhooey on 10/29/2019: Sold (2981 views) | | | Tasted by BillyNelson on 9/22/2019 & rated 99 points: I know much depends on when, were, how and with whom you drink a wine but this is a top 3 lifetime, desert island wine for me ..... Ethereal nose, exotic palate and unreal finish ...... On the night this was drunk with a few other '98 right bank titans and it really shone. (2737 views) | | | Tasted by fcxj on 9/11/2019 & rated 94 points: Jumps from glass. Light touch on palate. (2794 views) | | | Tasted by Burgnick on 12/11/2018 & rated 91 points: Two hours of slow ox plus 90 mins of decanting. Sweet raspberry, smoke, cedarwood and kirsch on the nose. Palate had the silky cab franc touch but still backward and unyielding. It lacked the power and depth for a strong right bank vintage. Not very convinced about this wine. (3244 views) | | | Tasted by M.S.L. on 6/14/2018 & rated 96 points: Bordeaux right bank 1998 tasting. 16 wines including Petrus, Cheval Blanc and VCC (Copenhagen, Denmark): Much more ready than the Petrus in the same flight, but still structured. A weird elderflower smell came through that I was almost embarrased to mention, but luckily I was not the only one who picked it up. Otherwise a lovely wine with many more years to reach full maturity. (2950 views) | | | Tasted by JonnyG on 3/27/2018 & rated 91 points: Stubborn and backwards, didn't budge despite a 2-hour decant, maybe with 24 hours but I plan to wait 4-5 more years before opening another one, and even then would allow time for lengthy aeration. A fascinating, herbal nose, dominated by green, brambly aromas alongside a touch of smokiness. Fresh but compact palate, with some black cherry notes hiding behind the dominant herbal flavors. I know this may sound like label bias, but the group agreed the wine was compelling and exuded class, yet may take years to reveal itself. Lesson learned, with no regrets. (3321 views) | | | Tasted by etyc on 3/29/2017: This got off to a slightly slower start compared to the '04 HB. However, it certainly shone with time in the glass as it kept evolving. Nose of smoke, cassis, plums. On the palate, this was chocolatey, leathery, cedary, balanced with the right amount of freshness. Wow! Had we had more time to evaluate & vote, this would definitely have been wine of the (2nd) flight. By the end of the dinner, most would have this as the top 3 wines of the evening, amongst the '03 Margaux and '04 HB... (4696 views) | | | Tasted by bboard on 2/26/2016: Wine drinks well, with an hour decant and drank over next 2 hrs. Our bottle had tons of sediments. Amazing aromas throughout the night. Super dark wine, plums, cassis, smoky, complex, powerful, concentration. Gosh, I wonder how it can get better with more years ahead? (5442 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Jane Anson
Decanter, Petrus, Château Le Pin and Château Lafleur: 1998 v 1999 (9/7/2020)
(Château Lafleur, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Neal Martin
Vinous, Enigma Variations: Lafleur 1955-2015 (Nov 2018) (11/1/2018)
(Lafleur Lafleur Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Neal Martin
Vinous, A Century of Bordeaux: The Eights (May 2018) (5/18/2018)
(Lafleur Lafleur Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, May 2018 (5/1/2018)
(Château Lafleur Pomerol Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Neal Martin
Vinous, Juxtapose With You: Pétrus, Lafleur & Le Pin (Feb 2018) (2/18/2018)
(Lafleur Lafleur Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (12/10/2007)
(Ch Lafleur Pomerol Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Kapon
Vintage Tastings, Shanghai Nights (8/14/2007)
(Lafleur) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (3/11/2006)
(Ch Lafleur Pomerol Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (9/1/2004)
(Ch Lafleur Pomerol Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (11/1/2003)
(Ch Lafleur Pomerol Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, May/June 1999, IWC Issue #84
(Chateau Lafleur Pomerol) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, May/June 1999, IWC Issue #84
(Chateau Lafleur Pomerol) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Decanter and Vinous and Winedoctor and JancisRobinson.com and Vintage Tastings. (manage subscription channels) |
| Château Lafleur Producer websiteRed Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comBordeaux Bordeaux Wine Guide
Vins Bordeaux (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux)
History of Bordeaux
History of 1855 Bordeaux Classification
"2009 is all about ripeness, with wines impressively packed with ripe fruit and high alcohol levels. They are showy, in-your-face, and full of pleasure. The 2010s have the fruit and alcohol levels of the 2009s, but with a compelling freshness on the finish that balances the fruit and provides a perfect sense of structure." - Ben Nelson
"2016 is a landmark vintage in certain spots of Bordeaux and it should be remembered as one of the most inspired campaigns of the last 40-50+ years." -Jon Rimmerman
"The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded – although the response to the en primeur campaign was muted. Quantity was high too, with the equivalent of 770 million bottles of wine produced. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance." - Jancis Robinson
"2017 was complicated, but there are some excellent wines. Expect plenty of freshness and drinkability from wines that will offer excellent value, and others that will rival 2016 in terms of ripeness and ageability. But they are likely to be the exception not the rule, making careful selection key." - Jane Anson
"In the past, a vintage such as 2022 may have been overripe, raisined and low in acidity but 2022 had a sneaky little reservoir in its back pocket - a near perfect marriage of cool/cold/rain the previous winter and the previous vintage that literally soaked the soils (a key to why 2022 is not 2003...or 1893)." - Jon RimmermanLibournais Libournais (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux) - Read more about St. Emilion and its wines - Read more about Pomerol and its wines
Saint Emilion Grat Classified Growth, Classified Growths, Grands Crus Classes, GCC
In 1954, while the "Graves" growths had just published their own classification, the wine syndicate of Saint-Emilion, composed by wine growers, brokers and wine traders with the approval of the INAO - Institut National des Appellations d'Origine (A.O.C), decided to work on a classification for the wines of Saint Emilion. Initially, four grades were defined. These were reduced to two - First Great Classified Growth (A and B) and Great Classified Growth - in 1984.
As of Medoc's 1855 historical grading, the Saint-Emilion Great Classified Growth classification is not only based on qualitative criteria by tasting the wines on a ten years period previous to the assessment, but also on commercial considerations such as:
- sales price levels
- national and international commercial distribution
- the estate's reputation on the market
Properties who don't manage to join the club of about sixty Classified Growths are given the denomination of Great Growth ("Grand Cru"), while the remaining wineries of the A.O.C are simply reported as "Saint-Emilion". It is to be noted that the owners must officially apply to appear in the official classification. Thus for example the famous Chateau Tertre-Roteboeuf, whose quality and reputation would easily justify to be listed among the First Great Classified Growths, does not appear here by the will of its owner, François Mitjaville.
The Saint-Emilion Great Growth classification was revised in 1969, 1985, 1996 and 2006. The only two guaranteed vintage (A.O.C) who can apply to the classification are the "Saint-Emilion Grand Cru" and "Saint-Emilion" areas.
By grading 61 properties, the 2006 revision confirmed many growths from the former classification, but also caused a number of surprises and a few inevitable disappointments. Many observers thought that the impressive progression of Perse's Chateau Pavie since 1998 would be rewarded by an upgrade into the First Great Classified Growths (A) category, but finally such was not the case.
Among the estates promoted to the First Great Classified Growths B category are Chateau Troplong-Mondot and Pavie-Macquin, whose efforts made since the Nineties fully justify their new grade. It should be noted that no First Great Classified Growth was relegated to the lower Great Classified Growth class.
Promoted growths from the status of Great Growth ("Grand Cru") to Great Classified Growth ("Grand Cru Classe") are: Chateaux Bellefont-Belcier, Destieux, Fleur Cardinale, Grand Corbin, Grand Corbin-Despagne and Monbousquet.
The demoted growths from the status of Great Classified Growth to Great Growth are: Chateaux Bellevue, Cadet Bon, Faurie de Souchard, Guadet Saint-Julien, La Tour du Pin-Figeac (Belivier), La Tour du Pin-Figeac (Moueix), Lamarzelle, Petite Faurie de Soutard, Tertre Daugay, Villemaurine and Yon-Figeac. If the recent samples of some of the above mentioned properties may justify their current downgrade, there are great chances that estates like Bellevue, Tertre Daugay or Yon-Figeac will be upgraded to their previous rankings by the next revision in 2016 as the progresses noted after 2000, but not entering in the range of vintages (1993 - 2002) appointed for the criteria of selection for the 2006 classification, are noticable.
The two following estates have completely disappeared from the Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classification: Curé-Bon-la-Madeleine (integrated meanwhile to Chateau Canon) and La Clusière (integrated meanwhile to Chateau Pavie).
Finally, no estate considered as "garagiste" has integrated the classification. Valandraud, Mondotte, Le Dome, Bellevue-Mondotte or Magrez-Fombrauge have, for the least, the potential to be ranked as Great Classified Growths. In sight of the very fine quality reached by the above mentioned estates in recent vintages as well as all the innovative wine making methods used by the "garagistes", it remains to be seen whether the authorities will dare to cross the line in 2016..?Pomerol Wikipedia | French wine guide - Read about Pomerol |
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