Subdued nose (double decanted about 5 hours beforehand) but my, what panache on the palate. Succulent fruit, powdery textures, full of gorgeous potpourri, blueberry, raspberry, and ganache. Wonderfully layered and expanding endlessly, weightless yet full of impact. Really fine.
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Much better than a previous bottle from the same lot. Deep ruby. A little reluctant on the nose but eventually yields a whiff of black cherry. Remarkably intense and powerful on the palate; this has aged as well as almost any wine from the left bank in this vintage. Extremely impressive even if its youthful voluptuousness is long gone. After a couple of hours though it becomes even more withdrawn into itself so probably better not to hold on to this too much longer.
In contention for wine of the vintage, this is what great wine is all about! The surreal levels of depth, exotic textures and an over 60 second finish packed and stacked with perfectly ripe, underripe and overripe plums, cherries and kirsch all coated with truffles, cocoa, herbs, dried flowers and tobacco leaf is one of those experiences you never forget.
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This was by far the most challenging wine of the night for me at the birthday party. When first opened it showed as mean and muddy, diametrically opposite from the way it was in the first 20 years of life. The color was sound, the acidity just right. Very slowly it awoke such that at the two hour mark (in the glass) there was an impressive concentration of dried raspberry wrapped in a thin cocoon of charcoal. Later still, a burst of spearmint blew out from the glass, which lasted maybe 20 minutes before the wine contracted back to its moody phase. You must concentrate on this wine since it doesn’t really try to make you love it; you have to do all the work. Good for a relationship but probably not for a golden anniversary marriage.
Massive wine, not yet budging. Nose is not nearly as flashy as the ‘90 Cheval Blanc in the next glass. Palate is impossibly dense and has lush powerful black fruit. Completely reminiscent of Petrus in terms of density and concentration. Structured and hugely powerful but delivered with soft edges. Clearly excellent and will only improve as it opens up. This happens to be a pristine bottle from an OWC from London so it is likely especially firm and youthful. 96 - 97.
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A Tour de Force 'Best Bottle' Tasting (Republique, Los Angeles): I had zero doubt from the first sniff of the tasting pour from the somm. that this was a perfect wine, on aromatics alone. A youthful black color, no bricking at all. An amazingly fresh, pure and enticing nose displaying sweet red fruit, both intense and perfumed, alongside waves of spice. There was no drop-off on the palate. Concentrated kirsch, baked cherries, truffle, vanilla spice. A glycerined texture, with intensity, purity, lift and length. This wine had it all. When I first tasted this wine at a dinner a few years ago, I scored it at 99 due to drying tannins, but this bottle finished seamlessly. Several others, with whom I have tasted for decades, independently declared this to be the best wine they had ever tasted, a conclusion I had come to myself, with no regret. If I had to pick a weakness, I would concede that after ninety minutes, the wine began to fade a touch, but at almost 40 years' old, that hardly seems problematic. My fourth ever 100 point score, and call me Mr. Oxymoron, because it was the best of that elite bunch, without doubt.
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The structure may have overtaken the fruit. Far from the flamboyant beast it was in the first twenty years it has evolved onto a more “serious” wine that demands attention to appreciate it fully. Still, the beauty of its dark cherry fruit cannot be denied and it opens up reluctantly to reveal its charm over several hours. Fascinating evolution of this wine over the years which still has much more to say.
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Double decanted to serve. The real deal. The beauty of this is the attack of the palate covers the entire palate precisely. Going to the nose, it was flagrant, explosive and pungent. By consensus, it smoked the 82 Petrus on the side.
Certainly a contender for the most consistent 100 Pt older Bordeaux I have tasted, words cannot properly express the levels of opulence, decadence, power, length and complexity found here. Palate coating, but not heavy, this majestic elixir remains youthful, even as it works its way to its 40th birthday.
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1982 Pomerol tasting and dinner (3030 Ocean, Fort Lauderdale, Florida): Very different from the other wines. Darker fruit than the others. This was the wine that changed the most throughout the evening. The powerful nose started out mostly primary, with dark fruits and some licorice. Over time, the fruit became more red, along with leather, truffle, roses, fresh herbs, spice, and some fresh mint. Really elegant and poised on the palate, with a gorgeous finish. The tannins were notably soft and silky, and gave the wine just enough structure, along with the fresh acidity. Just a tick below the l'Evangile tonight.
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My last bottle, from a case I bought at Christie’s New York. I’m not likely to reload at today’s tariff ($3500). It is splendid. Not as pruney as a decade ago, the fruit displays more dark plum and kirsch. This has the opulence the ‘82 Pétrus sorely lacked on this night. Sweet and dense. While very good when opened, it got even better after a couple of hours of air. Gorgeous balance. Bravo.
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From a magnum, and served with canon of Lamb and a salad. Wine was the focus. I cannot forget the taste of this wine. Simply great Pomerol. Never tried Petrus ‘82 but THERE IS NO WAY IT COULD BE BETTER THAN THIS. Length of finish amazing, perfume fell over the sides of the glass. It got better and better over a four hour period. Red fruits in perfect balance liquorice and herbs. No browning at the edges at all.
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Arbor Magnums. Exotic, opulent and just ridiculously good this evening. Floral aromatics with soy sauce kick. Insistent waves of velvet, textured fruit. Super, super glossy nail polish palate.
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Wines Worthy of a Somewhat Impromptu Celebration (21 Club, New York): How to follow some 1982 Petrus? I guess my colleagues felt this wine would do the trick (two bottles, actually, both showing identically). They were right, and then some! The lack of a decant did not appear to hurt the stellar performance at all. Then again, these were my first ever from the chateau! An explosive nose of sweet red fruit, both intense and perfumed, complemented by a dizzying array of spice notes and a touch of leather. Intense and concentrated on the palate, all opulent glycerin but with tremendous precision. There was a seamless and persistent array of red fruit, truffle, vanilla and restrained caramel. Slightly dry tannins on the finish or I might have had to surrender my first perfect score. I can still taste it, nearly 24 hours later. My wine of the year (so far, anyway!), not just the night!
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66x Parker 100-Pointers from Bordeaux 1947-2010 tasted blind (Switzerland): Tasted blind. Dark garnet. Nose of dark fruit with plum and cherry, clearly on the ripe side. The palate is pleasant thought due to its structure and freshness. Tannins a touch dry on the finish. Still, very nice overall. This will be a recurring theme – the Merlots of the right bank had much dryer tannins than the Cabernets of the left bank. Group score: 16.77, group rank: 43/64
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Mostly Bordeaux dinner with Bob (Magdalena restaurant at the Ivy Hotel, Baltimore): From Bob’s cellar. Expressive nose displaying incredibly sweet red fruits, kirsch, plum, licorice, dark milk chocolate, caramel, cedar, leather, a hint of mint, lavender and truffle. Excellent concentration, round and silky, warm red fruit driven palate impression, noticeable but none obtrusive sweet tannins and deeply toned red fruit driven finish that lasts for a long time. It is not as kinky as the last bottle but more harmonious. Excellent showing.
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Lafleur is an idiosyncratic wine, which is the source of its appeal. The '82 in particular can be floridly exotic with intense prune, date, licorice and almond flavors. This well stored bottle showed its pedigree, but I wanted more of what it can be, and was, 10 years ago. Still, it's complex and delicious, exposing itself little by little, teasing me with its elusiveness. If you own a few cases, you probably want to go at it pretty soon.
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Distinctive and exotic bouquet with notes of cinnamon, Christmas mulling spices, prune, truffle, red wine reduction, and a tiny bit of old world funk and earthiness. It truly smells like a dry vintage port, in a good way. Better depth and length than the 82 Haut Brion next to it, if not quite as seamless and elegant, but this has a near endless finish and a lingering bit of old-school tannins gives this a slight ferrous note. With air, this got more and more exotic, and the depth was truly exhilarating, but at the same time, I really enjoyed how its exoticism Pomerol-ness was contained in a overall package of restraint and elegance. My first (and probably last) Lafleur and what a treat it was.
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This remains one of the great wines of the 20th century! Stunning in every sense and meaning of the word. The floral, truffle, cherry, black and red plum, spicy perfume is off the hook. The intensity of flavor, concentration, richness and length is worth an easy 101 Pts!
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Mystery wine and it tasted nothing like the other 82 lafleurs I have had. bob bought it at a charity auction from famous cartoonists estate and it was banded but I think it may be fake. He said this was consistent with past tastings but I got none of the Cabernet franc or anything like my other notes on this wine. Strange.
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Exhibited youthful elements on the nose including vanilla notes. Red plum, red cherry, perhaps even raspberry, and wood elements notable on the palate as well. Rounded tannins. Needs at least 5 years. Paired with roasted cote de boeuf. 96+
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The 1982 Lafleur is still an adolescent, with a profound bouquet of raspberry, black cherry, shoe polish, minerals and loamy soil. Amazingly dense, layered and concentrated on the palate, this is a rich wine by any metric; but it also has an unerring sense of classicism and mineral purity that makes it anything but confected, marrying decadence with refinement, and in a rather brawny vintage this wine manages to achieve striking elegance. While a good decade away from maturity, the sheer completeness of the 1982 Lafleur signals its grand cru status.
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Beautifully mature, secondary not tertiary. Fragrant, plum, red cherry, orange peel. Medium weight, elegant, harmonious. Held well in the glass all night.
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A small gathering - two perfect wines and questionable 59 Latour (Washington D.C.): Pop and pour, the beginning was slightly underwhelming. Incredibly intense jammy black fruit driven nose but seems a bit monolithic with a hint of port. With air, this is one of the kinkiest and most hedonistic Bordeauxs of my life. Intense black fruits, licorice, exotic sweet spices that I have never experienced in Bordeaux, intoxicating wild flowers, truffle and dark chocolate. Unbelievable concentration, unctuous, intense dark fruit driven palate impression, perfectly integrated sweet tannins and the finish that resonates forever. This improved throughout the night, started around 95 pts but in an hour becoming perfect and the last sip being the best! This is one of the kinkiest and most exotic Bordeauxs that you must taste to believe.
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The slightest fading on the edges. Lovely nose of red fruits, truffles, minerals, chocolate and smoke. Deeply concentrated with a beautiful kirsch cherry flavor along with notes of game and truffles. Fleshy yet structured with still firm tannins. The finish is rich and complex with notes of minerals, licorice and red spice. Fabulous but it needs time. 96+
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Juliano's 40th (The Principal): usually much closer to perfection. somehow the sweetness was a bit overwhelming tonight without the usual exotic explosion on the nose. a rare defeat against Petrus 82 side by side.
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I love the 1982 vintage the the Lafleur may be my favorite. it is not better than the Mouton, but it is more opulent without being sweet. the wine was a little young and tannic when first tasted at 45 minutes after opening, but by 90 it was showing perfectly. This is still a wine on the way up so don;t be in a rush. The viscous texture, the intense, but smooth purity make this a wine to stand with the best of Petrus and want to drink next to greats like the 89 HB and 82 Mouton. Probably gets 100 in a few years
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A last minute backup for Barry's spoiled '98 red label Giacoso Barbaresco Santo Stefano, but no one complained when I popped this stunning masterpiece, surely in the top 5 of the vintage. The cork was moist but fell intact into the bottle as soon as the corkscrew hit it. Moderate orange rim and not very deep in color. Spectacular nose of a candy shop, such as dark cherries, chocolate, vanilla, cream, blueberry, blackberry and many more. It smelled like it would be sweet, but of course it was not. This wine is all about fruit. Do not expect tannin, acid, structure or backbone. This is Pomerol, not Medoc. Yet somehow it all hold together with turning cloying. It reminds me of port without the alcohol and much more complex. Clearly at its zenith.
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Explosive aromatics of kirsch, liqueur, earth, truffles; very big, rich and yet light; hardly feels like a 30 year-old wine; one of the very best '82s tasted as of yet
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In a tasting of 12 wines, all of the 1982 vintage tasted blind and remnants re-tasted the next day. Inky core, nose still taut and reserved (??); Rich, panettone like taste, excellent acidity for the vintage--terrific flavor spectrum . Still structured . Simply a terrific wine ( previous bottles were less than good scoring around 88-90). This bottle is a blockbuster and definitely not a wine of finesse ***** As a fan of Lafleur (the humble 1973 had me at first sip) I had persuaded a then recently opened, and now famous, wine store in NYC to get the wine for us in futures ($220/case). I think I was more than lucky. The 61 and 79 Lafleur were also most memorable. Still waiting for the right company to open my last '79.
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This great wine can be summed up with one word, "Exotic!" With a kinky nose packed with hints of blueberry, wild strawberry, red, black and white cherries, truffle, stone, spice and wet earth, it's difficult to pull your nose out of the glass. Thick, powerful, rich and intense, the wine fills your mouth and coats your palate with seemingly endless layers of ripe and over ripe fruit. It's amazing to think this wine was produced at a time when not much, if any selection was used, and no new, oak was used as well. Clearly, this is the Right Bank wine of the 1982 vintage!
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Classical superb performance for this thrillingly exotic Pomerol. Lots of prunes and dried fruits, but dark cherry and blackberry as well. Perfect harmony. Fully mature of course, but no hurry to drink up - but no reason not too, either.
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1982 Bordeaux at 30 years courtesy of Mark Taylor (Atlanta, GA): Clearly Merlot. A pretty nose. Dynamic palate, spicecake, sweet core. I liked it but it seemed a bit soft and based on that assumed it to be the L'Evangile. My fourth favorite. I was surprised when it was revealed as Lafleur, as I would have expected a lot more structure.
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Another spectacular showing for this slightly variable wine. Fully mature in color and taste. A huge blast of perfume assaults the nose before you can get the glass anywhere near your mouth. Chanel should bottle this liquid ambrosia. Extremely floral and fruity; roses and strawberry. No hint of prune this time Can I say it? - seems more like a Chambolle-Musigny in fragrance and flavor than a Bordeaux. Simply stunning. Clearly at its apex in every way.
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Power and elegance with kinky, sexy aromatic, exotic over ripe kirshc, plum, blackberry, spice and minerality. Powerful, deep, concentrated and complex. The finish lasts well over a minute.
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Lafleur is always an exciting experience and especially the 1982 version. No longer a chocolate cherry fruit monster with pruny overtones it was in the first ten years of life, it's morphed into something much more complex and interesting. Medium weight, very complex but definitely not overripe. A challenge and a privilege to drink.
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Once again, the '82 Lafleur is a showy spectacular example of the vintage and the property. Not as exotic as it was as a baby, it seems to be getting younger instead of older even though the color is now (deep) garnet at the center with quite a bit of rust at the rim. Black licorice and black cherry are the dominate flavor notes on the palate. Lots of secondary aromas and flavors make a compelling drink. Firm but very fine grained tannins and sound acidity. This will go on for many more years but may not be more pleasurable than it is right now.
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Truffles on the nose. Great color. As rich and multidimensional as they come. Wonderful long finish. Not as "sweet" as the 89 but, in my opionion, WOTV.
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Simply awesome. Jaw dropping levels of concentration and extract. Off the hook kinky plums, cherry, fudge and spice aromatics, coupled with intensity of pure ripe fruit, a perfect, seamless finish that seems like it the Bordeaux will never end as the flavors remain for close to two minutes!
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An easy call for the wine of the night at Palm d'Or for the BWE "power dinner", as Rick calls it. (The superb '82 L'Evangile was second for me.) Gorgeous aroma of amazing complexity of every flower in the shop on Valantine's Day. As silky smooth as a 600-count Egyptian cotton bedspread. A second blast of fruit repeat on the back of the palate so you're not sure whether you want to swallow it and end the party. Luckily, there's more in the bottle so I could repeat the experience, although I selfishly wanted to drink the whole bottle myself. No kirshwasser in this one, though. Only medium body, but just enough supple tannin and acid to keep it lively. Not decanted ahead and just as good two hours later as the original sip.
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South Florida does Lafleur (Cafe Maxx, Pompano Beach, Florida): Definitely the best in show among the eight Lafleurs on display, but not the most thrilling '82 Lafleur I have been lucky enough to taste. The color is deep ruby at the center but no longer juvenile with a hint of orange at the meniscus. The bouquet is stunning - dark, dark plum, cherry and raspberry. Big, luscious, sweet and downright fabulous for sure. The only thing lacking is that special kinky exotic kirsch flavor that some '82 Lafleurs have. Still, its hardly a disappointment and should drink well for many years.
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Awesome, thrilling, stunning. This bottle, part of an auction parcel from Christies several years ago, showed much more structure than previous bottles from the same case. That indescribably exotic character of Lafleur at its best was there, but the sometimes effusive kirsh flavors were subdued in this brooding huge masterpiece. Much more of a black fruit profile than cherry. Obviously a great drink now, but still tight and who knows how much further this can unfold to develop more complexity? There's plenty of backbone here and it would not be easy to pick this out as a Pomerol in a blind tasting. Years and years of happy life to go.
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The Grand Finale with Leve at the French Laundry (Yountville, Napa Valley, CA): As exotic as the 1966 Lafleur was, the 1982 was just so much more over the top. Meat, plums, OMFG!!!! This is hard to believe. It gains in intensity and is like plums and mint macerating in blood, so explosive, overwhelming and consuming. Wow...
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A Mix: Infanticide for Science and Some Mature Beauties (85 Krug, 82 Lafleur, 5 others): Showing definite orange at edge, but that’s all the visual assessment this gets as an intense, super-concentrated purée of blackcurrants simply leaps out of the glass. Creates such a visceral reaction that we suddenly find six adults sitting around the table cooing like children, “Ooh! Blackcurrants! Yeah, and even more blackcurrants! Oh man! Blackcurrants!” Okay, when we all calm down, there is also this beautiful velvety licorice joining it. Liquid sex in a bottle, this is. Behind the intense fruit, there is also a certain spiciness and earth, but it’s hard to get past that velvet and fruit. On the palate, the velvety texture continues with more absolutely pure blackcurrant fruit joined by ripe plum and chocolate. Beneath the suavity, there’s still an element of tannin lurking – that classic iron-like merlot tannin that I think defines Pomerol structure. I don’t score wines and I don’t really care about others’ scores, but I do need to admit that if I did, I might be echoing the Parker 100 here. This just presents an amazing combination of Pomerol typicity and lush, rich, hedonistic concentration. Absolutely redefines Pomerol for me!
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Tasted as part of Classics Taste of Bordeaux wine dinner. Served with Squab Breast with braised celery root. Beautiful, mature Bordeaux, but this bottle was slightly past it's prime. Minerals and blackberries, but with a thinning structure. The sommelier, Manny, indicated that he had had a bottle a year ago which was at it's prime, but all three bottles opened tonight were similar.
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'A Taste for Life' hosted by WineCommune (San Francisco, CA): Sadly this was corked, and along with a corked 1970 Lafleur the day before this was one of the biggest disappointments of the night. Despite the fact that this was clearly corked (strong notes of TCA and brackish sea-water) the nose also showed ripe, ripe layers of fruit with roasted plums and some cocoa. I normally never put corked wine in my mouth, but I made an exception for this one and tried it after tasting through the others. The wine showed unreal structure with noble, dusty tannins hanging around for minutes. Sadly, the fruit was indeed stripped by the TCA as all that could really be found was a huge mouthful of structure with very little fruit. Bummer!
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Premier Cru bottle. Finally, a winner. Only medium ruby so it’s losing color. No orange yet, though. The tell-tale prunes dominated at first. Then morphed into an astonishing sweet wild strawberry. Then an hour later, back to the prune. While only medium full, the sheer Beaty and originality of the Merlot is amazing. Exquisite wine at its peak. Can it possibly last?
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Christie’s OWC. Disappointing for the first time. Faint anonymous nose. Similar on the palate. Decent and not flawed but totally lacking the flair for which this wine is famous.
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Christie’s bottle, from OWC. enjoyed at Norman’s (Coral Gables). Surprisingly subdued this time but still really good. Overwhelmed by the ‘82 Pétrus this time.
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Christie’s bottle, from OWC. The most bizarre showing yet for this most idiosyncratic Pomerol. Kinky. Cherry liquor. Big. Not too tannic. Fully mature without a doubt. You either love it or hate it. I know which I am. Impossible to compare to any other wine.
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Tasted blind. Darkest color of the flight. Lavishly perfumed. Multi-flavored. Seductive. Perfectly focused long finish. Superb but far from subtle. Scary good.
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First of a case I purchased at Christie’s New York on site in April. A Merlot masterpiece. Very dark. Massive, creamy, incredibly persistent. Sweet prunes, black olive and blackberries. Over-ripe in the best sense. Explosive finish. Ready now. Parker rated it 100; he may be not be exaggerating.
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Clearly the star of the “Controversial ‘82s” tasting at Dakotah Grill. Massively concentrated and nearly black. Berries of all sorts, prunes too. Wild, flamboyant, slutty. First Growth quality without a doubt. Others have noticed- it’s now $1200.
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Hugh’s bottle. Exotic, kinky, sexy Lafleur. Unlike any other Bordeaux. Maybe closest to a great vintage of Rayas. Big, concentrated. Idiosyncratic. Soft tannins. Hard to tell how this will evolve. I like it but prefer the more classical L’Évangile. Undeniably impressive though
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3/30/2024 - englishman's claret wrote: 97 Points
Subdued nose (double decanted about 5 hours beforehand) but my, what panache on the palate. Succulent fruit, powdery textures, full of gorgeous potpourri, blueberry, raspberry, and ganache. Wonderfully layered and expanding endlessly, weightless yet full of impact. Really fine.
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4/9/2023 - georgeohr wrote:
Cork on the finish……..
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2/12/2023 - sdr wrote: 95 Points
Much better than a previous bottle from the same lot. Deep ruby. A little reluctant on the nose but eventually yields a whiff of black cherry. Remarkably intense and powerful on the palate; this has aged as well as almost any wine from the left bank in this vintage. Extremely impressive even if its youthful voluptuousness is long gone. After a couple of hours though it becomes even more withdrawn into itself so probably better not to hold on to this too much longer.
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12/13/2021 - georgeohr wrote:
Once again…..fantastic……put on weight over the first 3 hours…….will live forever. No question the wine of the vintage….
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12/11/2021 - Jeff Leve wrote: 100 Points
In contention for wine of the vintage, this is what great wine is all about! The surreal levels of depth, exotic textures and an over 60 second finish packed and stacked with perfectly ripe, underripe and overripe plums, cherries and kirsch all coated with truffles, cocoa, herbs, dried flowers and tobacco leaf is one of those experiences you never forget.
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11/6/2021 - sdr Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was by far the most challenging wine of the night for me at the birthday party. When first opened it showed as mean and muddy, diametrically opposite from the way it was in the first 20 years of life. The color was sound, the acidity just right. Very slowly it awoke such that at the two hour mark (in the glass) there was an impressive concentration of dried raspberry wrapped in a thin cocoon of charcoal. Later still, a burst of spearmint blew out from the glass, which lasted maybe 20 minutes before the wine contracted back to its moody phase. You must concentrate on this wine since it doesn’t really try to make you love it; you have to do all the work. Good for a relationship but probably not for a golden anniversary marriage.
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11/3/2021 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 96 Points
Massive wine, not yet budging. Nose is not nearly as flashy as the ‘90 Cheval Blanc in the next glass. Palate is impossibly dense and has lush powerful black fruit. Completely reminiscent of Petrus in terms of density and concentration. Structured and hugely powerful but delivered with soft edges. Clearly excellent and will only improve as it opens up. This happens to be a pristine bottle from an OWC from London so it is likely especially firm and youthful. 96 - 97.
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10/8/2021 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 100 Points
A Tour de Force 'Best Bottle' Tasting (Republique, Los Angeles): I had zero doubt from the first sniff of the tasting pour from the somm. that this was a perfect wine, on aromatics alone. A youthful black color, no bricking at all. An amazingly fresh, pure and enticing nose displaying sweet red fruit, both intense and perfumed, alongside waves of spice. There was no drop-off on the palate. Concentrated kirsch, baked cherries, truffle, vanilla spice. A glycerined texture, with intensity, purity, lift and length. This wine had it all. When I first tasted this wine at a dinner a few years ago, I scored it at 99 due to drying tannins, but this bottle finished seamlessly. Several others, with whom I have tasted for decades, independently declared this to be the best wine they had ever tasted, a conclusion I had come to myself, with no regret. If I had to pick a weakness, I would concede that after ninety minutes, the wine began to fade a touch, but at almost 40 years' old, that hardly seems problematic. My fourth ever 100 point score, and call me Mr. Oxymoron, because it was the best of that elite bunch, without doubt.
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8/12/2021 - fcxj wrote: 96 Points
Great bottle, ripe black fruit aromatics, very clean. Lush, sweet palate. Class of 1982 vintage for my money.
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7/25/2021 - sdr Likes this wine: 93 Points
The structure may have overtaken the fruit. Far from the flamboyant beast it was in the first twenty years it has evolved onto a more “serious” wine that demands attention to appreciate it fully. Still, the beauty of its dark cherry fruit cannot be denied and it opens up reluctantly to reveal its charm over several hours. Fascinating evolution of this wine over the years which still has much more to say.
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7/19/2021 - tinybubbles wrote:
Lafleur on the nose but subdued. Palate largely red fruit, not a perfect bottle.
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6/19/2021 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 96 Points
Not the cleanest bottle yet still impressive layering here.
96-97
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1/6/2021 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 96 Points
This bottle was more evolved than some, showing sophisticated savory spice notes to balance the silky fruit
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6/19/2020 - Burgnick Likes this wine: 97 Points
Double decanted to serve. The real deal. The beauty of this is the attack of the palate covers the entire palate precisely. Going to the nose, it was flagrant, explosive and pungent. By consensus, it smoked the 82 Petrus on the side.
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5/21/2020 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 96 Points
Very good. More expressive than the magnum from one year ago.
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12/19/2019 - fcxj wrote: 98 Points
Rock star when right and usually is. Power, structure and weightless purple fruit.
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11/13/2019 - fcxj wrote: 96 Points
This is the wine of the vintage. Maybe Latour overtakes it but not yet. Decadent, exuberant black fruit aromatics.
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10/8/2019 - fcxj wrote: 98 Points
Voluptuous black fruit aromatics. Sweet palate. Bombastic. Wine of the vintage in my book. Maybe Latour overtakes later, way later. From magnum.
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11/20/2018 - Jeff Leve wrote: 100 Points
Certainly a contender for the most consistent 100 Pt older Bordeaux I have tasted, words cannot properly express the levels of opulence, decadence, power, length and complexity found here. Palate coating, but not heavy, this majestic elixir remains youthful, even as it works its way to its 40th birthday.
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8/25/2018 - DrinkBordeaux wrote: 97 Points
1982 Pomerol tasting and dinner (3030 Ocean, Fort Lauderdale, Florida): Very different from the other wines. Darker fruit than the others. This was the wine that changed the most throughout the evening. The powerful nose started out mostly primary, with dark fruits and some licorice. Over time, the fruit became more red, along with leather, truffle, roses, fresh herbs, spice, and some fresh mint. Really elegant and poised on the palate, with a gorgeous finish. The tannins were notably soft and silky, and gave the wine just enough structure, along with the fresh acidity. Just a tick below the l'Evangile tonight.
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8/25/2018 - sdr Likes this wine: 94 Points
My last bottle, from a case I bought at Christie’s New York. I’m not likely to reload at today’s tariff ($3500). It is splendid. Not as pruney as a decade ago, the fruit displays more dark plum and kirsch. This has the opulence the ‘82 Pétrus sorely lacked on this night. Sweet and dense. While very good when opened, it got even better after a couple of hours of air. Gorgeous balance. Bravo.
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4/18/2018 - SINOPTICUS Likes this wine: 100 Points
From a magnum, and served with canon of Lamb and a salad. Wine was the focus. I cannot forget the taste of this wine. Simply great Pomerol. Never tried Petrus ‘82 but THERE IS NO WAY IT COULD BE BETTER THAN THIS. Length of finish amazing, perfume fell over the sides of the glass. It got better and better over a four hour period. Red fruits in perfect balance liquorice and herbs. No browning at the edges at all.
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4/4/2018 - fcxj wrote: 98 Points
Arbor Magnums. Exotic, opulent and just ridiculously good this evening. Floral aromatics with soy sauce kick. Insistent waves of velvet, textured fruit. Super, super glossy nail polish palate.
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10/16/2017 - tinybubbles wrote: flawed
Oxidized.
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12/20/2016 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 99 Points
Wines Worthy of a Somewhat Impromptu Celebration (21 Club, New York): How to follow some 1982 Petrus? I guess my colleagues felt this wine would do the trick (two bottles, actually, both showing identically). They were right, and then some! The lack of a decant did not appear to hurt the stellar performance at all. Then again, these were my first ever from the chateau! An explosive nose of sweet red fruit, both intense and perfumed, complemented by a dizzying array of spice notes and a touch of leather. Intense and concentrated on the palate, all opulent glycerin but with tremendous precision. There was a seamless and persistent array of red fruit, truffle, vanilla and restrained caramel. Slightly dry tannins on the finish or I might have had to surrender my first perfect score. I can still taste it, nearly 24 hours later. My wine of the year (so far, anyway!), not just the night!
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9/16/2016 - Collector1855 wrote: 95 Points
66x Parker 100-Pointers from Bordeaux 1947-2010 tasted blind (Switzerland): Tasted blind. Dark garnet. Nose of dark fruit with plum and cherry, clearly on the ripe side. The palate is pleasant thought due to its structure and freshness. Tannins a touch dry on the finish. Still, very nice overall. This will be a recurring theme – the Merlots of the right bank had much dryer tannins than the Cabernets of the left bank. Group score: 16.77, group rank: 43/64
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9/11/2016 - BradE wrote:
Cork seemed perfect, but the label screamed inauthentic. Whatever was in the bottle was decent, if not 82 Lafleur.
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8/12/2016 - dcwino wrote: 98 Points
Mostly Bordeaux dinner with Bob (Magdalena restaurant at the Ivy Hotel, Baltimore): From Bob’s cellar. Expressive nose displaying incredibly sweet red fruits, kirsch, plum, licorice, dark milk chocolate, caramel, cedar, leather, a hint of mint, lavender and truffle. Excellent concentration, round and silky, warm red fruit driven palate impression, noticeable but none obtrusive sweet tannins and deeply toned red fruit driven finish that lasts for a long time. It is not as kinky as the last bottle but more harmonious. Excellent showing.
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8/10/2016 - sdr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lafleur is an idiosyncratic wine, which is the source of its appeal. The '82 in particular can be floridly exotic with intense prune, date, licorice and almond flavors. This well stored bottle showed its pedigree, but I wanted more of what it can be, and was, 10 years ago. Still, it's complex and delicious, exposing itself little by little, teasing me with its elusiveness. If you own a few cases, you probably want to go at it pretty soon.
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8/10/2016 - blanquito wrote: 97 Points
Distinctive and exotic bouquet with notes of cinnamon, Christmas mulling spices, prune, truffle, red wine reduction, and a tiny bit of old world funk and earthiness. It truly smells like a dry vintage port, in a good way. Better depth and length than the 82 Haut Brion next to it, if not quite as seamless and elegant, but this has a near endless finish and a lingering bit of old-school tannins gives this a slight ferrous note. With air, this got more and more exotic, and the depth was truly exhilarating, but at the same time, I really enjoyed how its exoticism Pomerol-ness was contained in a overall package of restraint and elegance. My first (and probably last) Lafleur and what a treat it was.
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6/7/2016 - Jeff Leve wrote: 100 Points
This remains one of the great wines of the 20th century! Stunning in every sense and meaning of the word. The floral, truffle, cherry, black and red plum, spicy perfume is off the hook. The intensity of flavor, concentration, richness and length is worth an easy 101 Pts!
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3/31/2016 - ricknat1 wrote:
Mystery wine and it tasted nothing like the other 82 lafleurs I have had. bob bought it at a charity auction from famous cartoonists estate and it was banded but I think it may be fake. He said this was consistent with past tastings but I got none of the Cabernet franc or anything like my other notes on this wine. Strange.
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12/1/2015 - fcxj wrote: 90 Points
1982 blind tasting. Tasted strangely sweet. Perhaps not the best bottle condition? Disappointing given high hopes!
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6/6/2015 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 96 Points
Exhibited youthful elements on the nose including vanilla notes. Red plum, red cherry, perhaps even raspberry, and wood elements notable on the palate as well. Rounded tannins. Needs at least 5 years. Paired with roasted cote de boeuf. 96+
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4/8/2015 - William Kelley Likes this wine: 100 Points
The 1982 Lafleur is still an adolescent, with a profound bouquet of raspberry, black cherry, shoe polish, minerals and loamy soil. Amazingly dense, layered and concentrated on the palate, this is a rich wine by any metric; but it also has an unerring sense of classicism and mineral purity that makes it anything but confected, marrying decadence with refinement, and in a rather brawny vintage this wine manages to achieve striking elegance. While a good decade away from maturity, the sheer completeness of the 1982 Lafleur signals its grand cru status.
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3/21/2015 - sdr Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautifully mature, secondary not tertiary. Fragrant, plum, red cherry, orange peel. Medium weight, elegant, harmonious. Held well in the glass all night.
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10/10/2014 - dcwino wrote: 100 Points
A small gathering - two perfect wines and questionable 59 Latour (Washington D.C.): Pop and pour, the beginning was slightly underwhelming. Incredibly intense jammy black fruit driven nose but seems a bit monolithic with a hint of port. With air, this is one of the kinkiest and most hedonistic Bordeauxs of my life. Intense black fruits, licorice, exotic sweet spices that I have never experienced in Bordeaux, intoxicating wild flowers, truffle and dark chocolate. Unbelievable concentration, unctuous, intense dark fruit driven palate impression, perfectly integrated sweet tannins and the finish that resonates forever. This improved throughout the night, started around 95 pts but in an hour becoming perfect and the last sip being the best! This is one of the kinkiest and most exotic Bordeauxs that you must taste to believe.
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5/1/2014 - dream Likes this wine: 96 Points
The slightest fading on the edges. Lovely nose of red fruits, truffles, minerals, chocolate and smoke. Deeply concentrated with a beautiful kirsch cherry flavor along with notes of game and truffles. Fleshy yet structured with still firm tannins. The finish is rich and complex with notes of minerals, licorice and red spice. Fabulous but it needs time. 96+
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12/3/2013 - Lord Rayas wrote: 94 Points
Juliano's 40th (The Principal): usually much closer to perfection. somehow the sweetness was a bit overwhelming tonight without the usual exotic explosion on the nose. a rare defeat against Petrus 82 side by side.
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9/24/2013 - ricknat1 Likes this wine: 99 Points
I love the 1982 vintage the the Lafleur may be my favorite. it is not better than the Mouton, but it is more opulent without being sweet. the wine was a little young and tannic when first tasted at 45 minutes after opening, but by 90 it was showing perfectly. This is still a wine on the way up so don;t be in a rush. The viscous texture, the intense, but smooth purity make this a wine to stand with the best of Petrus and want to drink next to greats like the 89 HB and 82 Mouton. Probably gets 100 in a few years
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7/18/2013 - sdr Likes this wine: 98 Points
A last minute backup for Barry's spoiled '98 red label Giacoso Barbaresco Santo Stefano, but no one complained when I popped this stunning masterpiece, surely in the top 5 of the vintage. The cork was moist but fell intact into the bottle as soon as the corkscrew hit it. Moderate orange rim and not very deep in color. Spectacular nose of a candy shop, such as dark cherries, chocolate, vanilla, cream, blueberry, blackberry and many more. It smelled like it would be sweet, but of course it was not. This wine is all about fruit. Do not expect tannin, acid, structure or backbone. This is Pomerol, not Medoc. Yet somehow it all hold together with turning cloying. It reminds me of port without the alcohol and much more complex. Clearly at its zenith.
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7/6/2013 - fhirsch Likes this wine: 100 Points
Explosive aromatics of kirsch, liqueur, earth, truffles; very big, rich and yet light; hardly feels like a 30 year-old wine; one of the very best '82s tasted as of yet
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2/11/2013 - rhoneranger2 Likes this wine: 100 Points
In a tasting of 12 wines, all of the 1982 vintage tasted blind and remnants re-tasted the next day.
Inky core, nose still taut and reserved (??); Rich, panettone like taste, excellent acidity for the vintage--terrific flavor spectrum . Still structured . Simply a terrific wine ( previous bottles were less than good scoring around 88-90). This bottle is a blockbuster and definitely not a wine of finesse *****
As a fan of Lafleur (the humble 1973 had me at first sip) I had persuaded a then recently opened, and now famous, wine store in NYC to get the wine for us in futures ($220/case). I think I was more than lucky. The 61 and 79 Lafleur were also most memorable. Still waiting for the right company to open my last '79.
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11/12/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 99 Points
This great wine can be summed up with one word, "Exotic!" With a kinky nose packed with hints of blueberry, wild strawberry, red, black and white cherries, truffle, stone, spice and wet earth, it's difficult to pull your nose out of the glass. Thick, powerful, rich and intense, the wine fills your mouth and coats your palate with seemingly endless layers of ripe and over ripe fruit. It's amazing to think this wine was produced at a time when not much, if any selection was used, and no new, oak was used as well. Clearly, this is the Right Bank wine of the 1982 vintage!
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3/18/2012 - sdr Likes this wine: 98 Points
Classical superb performance for this thrillingly exotic Pomerol. Lots of prunes and dried fruits, but dark cherry and blackberry as well. Perfect harmony. Fully mature of course, but no hurry to drink up - but no reason not too, either.
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3/4/2012 - Eric wrote:
1982 Bordeaux at 30 years courtesy of Mark Taylor (Atlanta, GA): Clearly Merlot. A pretty nose. Dynamic palate, spicecake, sweet core. I liked it but it seemed a bit soft and based on that assumed it to be the L'Evangile. My fourth favorite. I was surprised when it was revealed as Lafleur, as I would have expected a lot more structure.
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12/15/2011 - sdr Likes this wine: 98 Points
Another spectacular showing for this slightly variable wine. Fully mature in color and taste. A huge blast of perfume assaults the nose before you can get the glass anywhere near your mouth. Chanel should bottle this liquid ambrosia. Extremely floral and fruity; roses and strawberry. No hint of prune this time Can I say it? - seems more like a Chambolle-Musigny in fragrance and flavor than a Bordeaux. Simply stunning. Clearly at its apex in every way.
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12/1/2010 - Jeff Leve wrote: 97 Points
Power and elegance with kinky, sexy aromatic, exotic over ripe kirshc, plum, blackberry, spice and minerality. Powerful, deep, concentrated and complex. The finish lasts well over a minute.
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11/6/2010 - mwanasheria wrote: 100 Points
1982 Bordeaux tasting; 11/5/2010-11/6/2010 (Bremen, Germany): A very humbling wine and very moving. Mint, herbs, frankincense, plums, cherries, spices.
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9/4/2010 - sdr Likes this wine: 95 Points
Lafleur is always an exciting experience and especially the 1982 version. No longer a chocolate cherry fruit monster with pruny overtones it was in the first ten years of life, it's morphed into something much more complex and interesting. Medium weight, very complex but definitely not overripe. A challenge and a privilege to drink.
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12/19/2009 - sdr wrote: 97 Points
Once again, the '82 Lafleur is a showy spectacular example of the vintage and the property. Not as exotic as it was as a baby, it seems to be getting younger instead of older even though the color is now (deep) garnet at the center with quite a bit of rust at the rim. Black licorice and black cherry are the dominate flavor notes on the palate. Lots of secondary aromas and flavors make a compelling drink. Firm but very fine grained tannins and sound acidity. This will go on for many more years but may not be more pleasurable than it is right now.
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10/22/2009 - georgeohr wrote: 98 Points
Truffles on the nose. Great color. As rich and multidimensional as they come. Wonderful long finish. Not as "sweet" as the 89 but, in my opionion, WOTV.
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3/15/2009 - Jeff Leve wrote: 100 Points
Simply awesome. Jaw dropping levels of concentration and extract. Off the hook kinky plums, cherry, fudge and spice aromatics, coupled with intensity of pure ripe fruit, a perfect, seamless finish that seems like it the Bordeaux will never end as the flavors remain for close to two minutes!
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3/8/2008 - sdr wrote: 97 Points
An easy call for the wine of the night at Palm d'Or for the BWE "power dinner", as Rick calls it. (The superb '82 L'Evangile was second for me.) Gorgeous aroma of amazing complexity of every flower in the shop on Valantine's Day. As silky smooth as a 600-count Egyptian cotton bedspread. A second blast of fruit repeat on the back of the palate so you're not sure whether you want to swallow it and end the party. Luckily, there's more in the bottle so I could repeat the experience, although I selfishly wanted to drink the whole bottle myself. No kirshwasser in this one, though. Only medium body, but just enough supple tannin and acid to keep it lively. Not decanted ahead and just as good two hours later as the original sip.
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10/29/2007 - Totatalitarian wrote:
A nice bottle, possibly a tad advanced, elegant and exotic. Made me want to take my glass over to the bar and pick up a Bond girl.
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9/7/2007 - sdr wrote: 95 Points
South Florida does Lafleur (Cafe Maxx, Pompano Beach, Florida): Definitely the best in show among the eight Lafleurs on display, but not the most thrilling '82 Lafleur I have been lucky enough to taste. The color is deep ruby at the center but no longer juvenile with a hint of orange at the meniscus. The bouquet is stunning - dark, dark plum, cherry and raspberry. Big, luscious, sweet and downright fabulous for sure. The only thing lacking is that special kinky exotic kirsch flavor that some '82 Lafleurs have. Still, its hardly a disappointment and should drink well for many years.
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12/30/2006 - sdr wrote: 97 Points
Awesome, thrilling, stunning. This bottle, part of an auction parcel from Christies several years ago, showed much more structure than previous bottles from the same case. That indescribably exotic character of Lafleur at its best was there, but the sometimes effusive kirsh flavors were subdued in this brooding huge masterpiece. Much more of a black fruit profile than cherry. Obviously a great drink now, but still tight and who knows how much further this can unfold to develop more complexity? There's plenty of backbone here and it would not be easy to pick this out as a Pomerol in a blind tasting. Years and years of happy life to go.
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2/20/2006 - Eric wrote:
The Grand Finale with Leve at the French Laundry (Yountville, Napa Valley, CA): As exotic as the 1966 Lafleur was, the 1982 was just so much more over the top. Meat, plums, OMFG!!!! This is hard to believe. It gains in intensity and is like plums and mint macerating in blood, so explosive, overwhelming and consuming. Wow...
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12/9/2005 - jrufusj wrote:
A Mix: Infanticide for Science and Some Mature Beauties (85 Krug, 82 Lafleur, 5 others): Showing definite orange at edge, but that’s all the visual assessment this gets as an intense, super-concentrated purée of blackcurrants simply leaps out of the glass. Creates such a visceral reaction that we suddenly find six adults sitting around the table cooing like children, “Ooh! Blackcurrants! Yeah, and even more blackcurrants! Oh man! Blackcurrants!” Okay, when we all calm down, there is also this beautiful velvety licorice joining it. Liquid sex in a bottle, this is. Behind the intense fruit, there is also a certain spiciness and earth, but it’s hard to get past that velvet and fruit. On the palate, the velvety texture continues with more absolutely pure blackcurrant fruit joined by ripe plum and chocolate. Beneath the suavity, there’s still an element of tannin lurking – that classic iron-like merlot tannin that I think defines Pomerol structure. I don’t score wines and I don’t really care about others’ scores, but I do need to admit that if I did, I might be echoing the Parker 100 here. This just presents an amazing combination of Pomerol typicity and lush, rich, hedonistic concentration. Absolutely redefines Pomerol for me!
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3/31/2005 - slmral wrote: 95 Points
Tasted as part of Classics Taste of Bordeaux wine dinner. Served with Squab Breast with braised celery root. Beautiful, mature Bordeaux, but this bottle was slightly past it's prime. Minerals and blackberries, but with a thinning structure. The sommelier, Manny, indicated that he had had a bottle a year ago which was at it's prime, but all three bottles opened tonight were similar.
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10/16/2004 - Eric wrote: flawed
'A Taste for Life' hosted by WineCommune (San Francisco, CA): Sadly this was corked, and along with a corked 1970 Lafleur the day before this was one of the biggest disappointments of the night. Despite the fact that this was clearly corked (strong notes of TCA and brackish sea-water) the nose also showed ripe, ripe layers of fruit with roasted plums and some cocoa. I normally never put corked wine in my mouth, but I made an exception for this one and tried it after tasting through the others. The wine showed unreal structure with noble, dusty tannins hanging around for minutes. Sadly, the fruit was indeed stripped by the TCA as all that could really be found was a huge mouthful of structure with very little fruit. Bummer!
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10/1/2004 - sdr Likes this wine: 98 Points
Premier Cru bottle. Finally, a winner. Only medium ruby so it’s losing color. No orange yet, though. The tell-tale prunes dominated at first. Then morphed into an astonishing sweet wild strawberry. Then an hour later, back to the prune. While only medium full, the sheer Beaty and originality of the Merlot is amazing. Exquisite wine at its peak. Can it possibly last?
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5/1/2004 - dcwino wrote: 100 Points
Dinner at a Friend's house (Seoul, Korea): It is still young very opaque but has opulent nose. Very exotic. Perfect wine still long life ahead.
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3/1/2004 - sdr wrote: flawed
Jim’s bottle. Started out pretty enough then quickly turned dull and lifeless. Even CPR could not save this one.
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3/1/2003 - sdr wrote: 85 Points
Christie’s OWC. Disappointing for the first time. Faint anonymous nose. Similar on the palate. Decent and not flawed but totally lacking the flair for which this wine is famous.
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3/1/2002 - sdr Likes this wine: 91 Points
Christie’s bottle, from OWC. enjoyed at Norman’s (Coral Gables). Surprisingly subdued this time but still really good. Overwhelmed by the ‘82 Pétrus this time.
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5/1/2001 - sdr Likes this wine: 97 Points
Christie’s bottle, from OWC. The most bizarre showing yet for this most idiosyncratic Pomerol. Kinky. Cherry liquor. Big. Not too tannic. Fully mature without a doubt. You either love it or hate it. I know which I am. Impossible to compare to any other wine.
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10/1/2000 - sdr Likes this wine: 97 Points
Tasted blind. Darkest color of the flight. Lavishly perfumed. Multi-flavored. Seductive. Perfectly focused long finish. Superb but far from subtle. Scary good.
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6/1/2000 - sdr Likes this wine: 98 Points
First of a case I purchased at Christie’s New York on site in April. A Merlot masterpiece. Very dark. Massive, creamy, incredibly persistent. Sweet prunes, black olive and blackberries. Over-ripe in the best sense. Explosive finish. Ready now. Parker rated it 100; he may be not be exaggerating.
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8/1/1997 - sdr Likes this wine: 97 Points
Clearly the star of the “Controversial ‘82s” tasting at Dakotah Grill. Massively concentrated and nearly black. Berries of all sorts, prunes too. Wild, flamboyant, slutty. First Growth quality without a doubt. Others have noticed- it’s now $1200.
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5/1/1997 - sdr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Hugh’s bottle. Exotic, kinky, sexy Lafleur. Unlike any other Bordeaux. Maybe closest to a great vintage of Rayas. Big, concentrated. Idiosyncratic. Soft tannins. Hard to tell how this will evolve. I like it but prefer the more classical L’Évangile. Undeniably impressive though
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11/19/1994 - bestdamncab Does not like this wine: 75 Points
THANKSGIVING DINNER 6 Chateau yQUEM AND 5 1982 Bordeaux (Walnut Creek, Ca.): Dried flower taste, slightly hot taste, nice fruit but hot fruit, tired, unpleasant.
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