2006 Château Lafleur, Pomerol, Bordeaux
Critics reviews
Hold +3 years or carafe for 2 hours.
Plenty of substance here, such as seductive black fruits and dark spices, if a little tight and extracted on the finish. But there is plenty of appeal and, again, an emphasis on textured and silky, powerful black cherry and bilberry fruits that place you firmly in the best part of Pomerol. Low yields of around 35hl/h. 100% new oak and you can feel it in some of the grilled clove and pepper on the finish.
Drink 2021 - 2040
Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com (July 2021)
The 2006 Lafleur is a vintage that I have not encountered for a little while. It is similar to how it tasted at a decade old, with wild strawberry, blackberry, and hints of cooked meat on the nose, but still pretty backwards and needs time to meld fully. The palate is medium-bodied with still a slightly coarse entry that I don't think would be accepted by Baptiste Guinaudeau today, slightly tarry toward a dense and somewhat muscular finish. Maybe it's just missing Lafleur's usual charm? Yet it's still an impressive Pomerol that requires more cellaring.
Drink 2028 - 2048
Neal Martin, Vinous.com (December 2023)
The 2006 Lafleur, which I had not tasted from bottle before this visit, merits 95 points. One of the vintage’s most brilliant wines, this blend of 61% Merlot and 39% Cabernet Franc is neither as dense nor complete as 2008, but it is structured, closed, and austere (as are many 2006s at present). It reveals a plum/purple colour, a beautifully sweet nose of black and red fruits intermixed with incense, and a steely/iron-like smell.
More open on the palate than the 2008, with more obvious spice and earthy undertones, this powerful Lafleur should be drinkable in 5-7 years, lasting three decades. The tiny Lafleur vineyard, harvested between October 8-14, produced a wine with an atypically high percentage of Cabernet Franc. Proprietor Guinadeau stated that the Cabernet Franc was among the finest he had ever harvested.
Drink 2014 - 2044
Robert M. Parker, Jr., Wine Advocate (April 2009)
Looks quite evolved. Polished, lifted, light leathery notes with Burgundian fragrance. Really rather charming and it certainly has some luscious fruit in the middle. Though it is not terribly persistent.
Drink 2014 - 2028
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com (January 2010)
On the nose, this shows many of the floral and dark berry notes of the 2005, but they are less intense. Full and silky, with beautiful juicy fruit on the palate and a long, delicate finish. I love how this prepares your palate for pleasure. Don’t touch this until 2015. Find the wine.
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com (April 2011)
Good, full, deep red. Brooding aromas of black cherry, cherry pit, and liquorice, plus a note that reminded me of a liqueur of flowers. Sweet, chewy, and very ripe, but with restraint and focus on the youthful, mineral-driven flavours of dark fruits, liquorice, and pepper. This shows the cooler, medicinal cast of a classic young Lafleur, and although almost surprisingly silky now, it really calls for extended cellaring.
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous.com (May 2009)
About this WINE
Chateau Lafleur
Château Lafleur is A tiny 4.5-hectare Pomerol property located opposite Pétrus and producing wines of comparable quality. Lafleur is owned and run by Sylvie and Jacques Guinadeau. Its vineyards are situated on the gravel-rich Pomerol plateau and adjoin those of La Fleur-Pétrus. The soils here are particularly deep and are enriched by deposits of potassium and iron. Only natural fertilisers are used and yields are painfully low, even by Pomerol standards.
Lafleur's wine is typically a blend of Merlot (50%) and Cabernet Franc (50%). It is aged in small oak barrels (50% new) for 18 months. Wines from Lafleur display a spectacularly intense perfume (partly attributable to the high percentage of Cabernet Franc in the blend) and display layers and layers of concentrated, black fruits, minerals, tobacco spices and creamy liquorice on the palate. The best vintages can last for up to 50 years.
Pomerol
Pomerol is the smallest of Bordeaux's major appellations, with about 150 producers and approximately 740 hectares of vineyards. It is home to many bijou domaines, many of which produce little more than 1,000 cases per annum.
Both the topography and architecture of the region is unremarkable, but the style of the wines is most individual. The finest vineyards are planted on a seam of rich clay which extends across the gently-elevated plateau of Pomerol, which runs from the north-eastern boundary of St Emilion. On the sides of the plateau, the soil becomes sandier and the wines lighter.
There is one satellite region to the immediate north, Lalande-de-Pomerol whose wines are stylistically very similar, if sometimes lacking the finesse of its neighbour. There has never been a classification of Pomerol wines.
Recommended Châteaux : Ch. Pétrus, Vieux Ch. Certan, Le Pin, Ch. L’Eglise-Clinet, Ch. La Conseillante, Ch. L’Evangile, Ch. Lafleur, Trotanoy, Ch. Nenin, Ch. Beauregard, Ch. Feytit-Clinet, Le Gay.
Merlot/Cabernet Franc
Merlot and Cabernet Franc are grape varieties commonly used in Bordeaux-style blends, particularly in the Bordeaux region of France. When these two grapes are blended, they can create a wine that combines the best characteristics of each variety.
Merlot is known for its smoothness, soft tannins, and ripe fruit flavours. It often contributes black cherry, plum, and chocolate flavours to the blend. The grapes are relatively easy to grow and ripen earlier than other Bordeaux varieties, making them versatile for blending.
Cabernet Franc, on the other hand, adds structure, depth, and complexity to the blend. It typically brings aromas of red fruits such as raspberry and strawberry, along with herbal notes like bell pepper and tobacco. These grapes have thinner skins and can be more challenging to cultivate, requiring specific growing conditions to reach their full potential.
When Merlot and Cabernet Franc are combined, the result is a well-balanced wine with various flavours and aromas. The blend often exhibits a Bordeaux wine's medium to full body, along with a smooth texture and moderate tannins. The specific flavour profile can vary depending on the proportions of each grape in the blend and the terroir and winemaking techniques employed.
When is a wine ready to drink?
We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.
Not ready
These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.
Ready - youthful
These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.
Ready - at best
These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.
Ready - mature
These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.
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Description
The 2006 Lafleur is a vintage that I have not encountered for a little while. It is similar to how it tasted at a decade old, with wild strawberry, blackberry, and hints of cooked meat on the nose, but still pretty backwards and needs time to meld fully. The palate is medium-bodied with still a slightly coarse entry that I don't think would be accepted by Baptiste Guinaudeau today, slightly tarry toward a dense and somewhat muscular finish. Maybe it's just missing Lafleur's usual charm? Yet it's still an impressive Pomerol that requires more cellaring.
Drink 2028 - 2048
Neal Martin, Vinous.com (December 2023)
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