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Red Wine: 1986 | Chateau Lafleur | Pomerol

Strong crimson garnet, wide ocher edge, orange reflections. Pleasant blackberry confit on the nose, delicate hints of blackberries, orange zest, fine vegetal spiciness, nougat, attractive bouquet.

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Producer: Chateau Lafleur

Ratings: WA | 96  V | 94

Vintage: 1986

Size: 750ml

ABV: 13.5%

Varietal: Merlot, Cabernet Franc

Country/Region: France, Bordeaux

Detailed Description

Strong crimson garnet, wide ocher edge, orange reflections. Pleasant blackberry confit on the nose, delicate hints of blackberries, orange zest, fine vegetal spiciness, nougat, attractive bouquet. Compact, firm tannins that carry the wine well, fresh cherry fruit, lively structure, rich in finesse, sticks well, firm tannins, with good substance, great accompaniment to food.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins, the Cabernet Franc as usual, more expressive and driving this Lafleur more than the Merlot. It is a masculine wine that has always refused to compromise.

• Vinous: Now at 32 years of age, it has developed a leafy, tertiary bouquet with bay leaf and black tea scents, nicely defined, even if it lacks the fleshy and comeliness of the 1985. It has a lovely tart entry that I might have overlooked in the last couple of bottles that I tasted. Slightly rustic black fruit form the core of this Lafleur with bay leaf and dried blood, tapering towards the finish that has evolved a balsamic note in recent years.

Producer InformationChâteau Lafleur is a tiny (4.5ha, 11 acres) family-run property in the Pomerol appellation on Bordeaux's Right Bank. Its grand vin of the same name is known for its concentration, creamy texture, intense black fruits and spicy character. Famous US wine critic Robert Parker has called it "one of the most distinctive, most exotic, and greatest wines – not only in Pomerol, but in the world". The wine is also powerfully structured and needs more cellaring than most wines in the appellation – in the best vintages it can last half a century. Thanks in part to regular praise from Parker, who first visited in 1975, it is one of the most sought-after and highest priced wines in the world. The vineyard sits on deep layers of gravel on the edge of the Pomerol plateau, next to the La Fleur-Pétrus estate – another of the region's blue-chip wineries. The Lafleur vineyard is planted 50/50 between Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with an unusually high proportion of the latter which contributes greatly to the wine's capacity (and need) for ageing. Yields are very low even by the standards of Pomerol, and only around 1000 cases (9000 liters) are made each year, and typically up to 400 of these may be released as Pensées de Lafleur. This label was created for the poor 1987 vintage when no grand vin was released, though now focuses on specific plots and is not regarded by the producers as a second wine. In the tiny farmhouse cellar, grapes for Lafleur are fermented in small cement vats and undergo malolactic fermentation in barrel. The wine is aged for around 15 months in French oak barrels, of which around 50 are new oak. Pensées de Lafleur is vinified in temperature controlled stainless steel and sees a lower proportion of new oak when maturing. Lafleur was founded in 1872 when Henri Greloud, the owner of Château Le Gay, bought the plot. It remains in the family and is now run his great, great grandchildren Jacques and Sylvie Guinaudeau.

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