2016 chateau lafleur, pomerol

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Why We're Buying

Wine critic Robert Parker described the Château Lafleur grand vin best, calling it "one of the most distinctive, most exotic, and greatest wines – not only in Pomerol, but in the world". Today, it's the highest-priced wine in Pomerol and a must-have for investors and connoisseurs.

Critics Scores

Jeb Dunnuck

A thrill a minute as well as one of the most singular, exotic, elegant wines in the vintage, the 2016 Château Lafleur is a blend of 55 Cabernet Franc and 45 Merlot that’s only from the choice lots of estate vineyard. Brought up in one-third new French oak, this saturated ruby/purple-colored effort offers heavenly notes of raspberries, blueberries, camphor, dried flowers, and ground herbs, and it has a Grand Cru Burgundy-like complexity and elegance. Full-bodied, beautifully concentrated, ultra-pure, and seamless, it has flawless balance as well as a monster finish. Haute couture at its finest, this is a magical wine to drink over the coming 3-4 decades.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2016 Lafleur is blended of 55 Cabernet Franc and 45 Merlot grown mainly on gravel over clay. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the nose begins by slowly releasing gorgeous, beguiling scents of truffles, black soil, crushed rocks and smoked meats, giving way to a beautiful perfume of red roses, dark chocolate-covered cherries, oolong tea and lavender with wafts of cigar box and iron ore. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is completely coated with taut, tightly wound yet ethereally weighted layers of earth, mineral and perfumed black fruits, firmly fixed by very fine-grained tannins and great freshness, finishing very long and incredibly fragrant.

100

Decanter

The nose is rich and powerful, yet only opens up very slowly with an almost Cabernet Sauvignon depth of expression. The fruit structure is dominated by brambled blackberries and blackcurrants, hawthorn and liquorice. It rises through the palate, the tannins starting to show their Pomerol succulence after a few minutes in the glass. Waves of grilled oak and anis spiral through the beautiful fruit, which is so beautifully defined it forces you to slow things down. There seems little doubt that this will close down further over the next few years. A serious Lafleur, touching on brilliance. There's no question that this is going to go and go. Drinking Window 2026 - 2045

James Suckling

The texture of this wine is so memorable. The incredible tannins are so fine and creamy that they envelop both your mouth and your mind. The wine is full-bodied yet ethereal and balanced with incredibly energy and character. The flavors just keep on changing, from cherries and currants to truffles and earth. Some brick and terracotta, too. Fresh throughout with complete clarity. Great structure, yet creamy and light. Try after 2024.

Wine Enthusiast

This is a dense, generous wine with fine fruit and concentrated tannins. I find lots of acidity here but also a solid base of tannins. It has a good, long-term future.