94-
96
THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Aromas of rose petals, raspberries, plums and musk introduce the 2021 Pensées de Lafleur, a medium to full-bodied, seamless and enveloping wine that's deep and sensual, it's ripe tannins entirely concealed in an ample core of succulent, pungently perfumed fruit. As I've written before, this cuvée derives from vines growing in the part of Lafleur's vineyard through which a water course once flowed and where the soils are richer in clay and better hydrated. It's a blend of 59% Merlot and 41% Cabernet Franc; this bottling hasn't really been a "second wine" since the late 1990s—but the market doesn't seem to have caught on."
18+
WEINWISSER: "Betörende Waldhimbeere, rotes Johannisbeergelee, betörender Iris-Duft und ein Hauch Moschus. Am subtilen Gaumen mit seidiger Textur, engmaschigem reifem Tanningerüst, sehr komplexem Körper. Im konzentrierten Finale schwarzbeerige Konturen gepaart mit tiefschürfender Terroirwürze – ganz langes Rückaroma mit salzigem Extrakt. Ragt in seiner Klasse deutlich hervor."
95
DECANTER: "Smoked earth and iron touches with iris and rose perfume on the nose alongside sweet spices and tobacco. This is an exceptional wine giving sublime enjoyment and appeal. Gentle, soft and delicate yet also juicy and succulent with mouthfilling acidity - really lifted and bright. This has enjoyable roundness but no overt heaviness, it’s so refined with concentrated strawberry and red cherry brightness. Still quite taut, more on the subtle side, with a slow dedication and persistent drive. It’s certainly not shouting but carefully showing it's layered complexity, refinement and general deliciousness. Tannins are so fine, barely even noticeable giving a subtle frame and structure. Just before the finish it becomes more round and spherical with the wet stone, the graphite and density appearing on the palate. Like all wines in the Lafleur stable this year, they expand slowly but surely."
93-
95
JEB DUNNUCK: "The 2021 Pensées De Lafleur, as always, comes from the more classic Pomerol clay soils that run through the middle of the vineyard, and it always has a more classic Pomerol style compared to the Grand Vin, which has its own unique style. A finesse-driven, elegant, medium-bodied beauty, it has lots of floral nuances, some earthy minerality, and a terrific core of black cherry and darker berry fruits. As with all the 2021s here, the tannins are terrific, and it has a very Burgundian, seamless profile both in its aromatics and texture."
93
FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, breitere Randaufhellung. Zart nach Hagebutten, rote Waldbeeren, etwas Sanddorn, floral, zarte Kirschfrucht. Wirkt leichtfüßig am Gaumen, feine rote Kirschen, reife Tannine, mineralisch und frisch, bereits zugänglich, salziger Nachhall, ein charmanter Speisenbegleiter."
90-
92
LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "The 2021 Pensees de Lafleur is made from 59% Merlot, harvested on 28 September, and 41% Cabernet Franc, harvested on 2 October. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it storms out of the glass with powerful notes of stewed black and red plums, mulberries, and fresh black cherries, plus suggestions of potpourri, eucalyptus, pencil shavings, and charcoal. Medium-bodied, the fruit dances on the palate, featuring a lively backbone and ripe, rounded tannins to support, finishing long and with wonderful purity."
