Chateau Lafleur 2022

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Intensive dunkle Beerenfrucht, unterlegt mit einer sehr charakteristischen Würze, fein Hauch von Kräutern, Rost, Grafit, Brombeeren sind unterlegt. Komplex, zart nach Lakritze, reife Kirschfrucht, aber dann folgen die straffen, tragenden Tannine, salzige Mineralität, die Kraft ist vollkommen verpackt, enorme Länge, tolles Potenzial, die Elemente sind noch nicht vollends verbunden, aber die Aussichten sind grandios."

DECANTER: "A sublime wine from Lafleur in 2022 that delivers a vibrant, electric and incredibly charming wine with subtle power. A beautiful nose, inviting, generous and elegant, sweet and forward with hints of ripe fruit and roses. Sleek, sharp, direct and coursing with energy on the palate interweaving layers of dark fruits, tightly-knitted tannins, savoury spice and fresh minerality. Plum, damson, cherry, violets, floral and cool blue fruits, graphite and slate with a blood-iron tang. The edges have electricity and bite despite the clear concentration and power in-between. Long length that goes on and on. Perhaps less openly charming and generous than some at this point but this takes its time to open, carefully expanding and showing its potential. Wonderful."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Boysenberries, black raspberries, cherries, lilacs, violets, cocoa, and plum liqueur create the intoxicating perfume. Texturally, the wine meshes its viscosity, volume, density, opulence, and power with energy and lift. The levels of depth, and concentration here are are off the charts. The unctuous finish exceeds 60 seconds as it expands, builds, and coats your mouth, teeth and gums. It is important to note, that nothing is out of place, nothing is heavy. Everything is balanced and seamless. Like all great Lafleur vintages, this has almost unlimited aging abilities, yet the wine can be enjoyed after 5 years or so of bottle age. The wine blends 51% Cabernet Franc and 49% Merlot. 14.5% ABV, 3.8 pH. Harvesting took place from September 3 - September 17. Drink from 2030-2065."

JAMES SUCKLING: "A structured Lafleur with tannins that spread across the palate that are polished and serious. Full and so beautiful. Shows complexity with white pepper, cloves, and rose stems. Velvety and thoughtful. 51% cabernet franc and 49% merlot."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "A deep, gourmand vintage for this singular estate, the 2022 Lafleur unfurls in the glass with aromas of mulberries and cherries mingled with hints of rose petal, iris, orange zest and vine smoke. Full-bodied, layered and enveloping, it's pure and seamless, with supple tannins, huge depth at the core and a long, resonant finish. One of the most characterful as well as most consistent wines produced in contemporary Bordeaux, it will surely emerge as one of the vintage's high points."

WEINWISSER: "51 % Bouchet, 49 % Merlot. Ganz tiefgründiges Bouquet, zarte schwarzbeerige Konturen, Wildkirsche, dunkler Graphit und frisches Schwarzbrot. Im zweiten Ansatz vorsichtiges Veilchenparfüm, getrocknete Rosenblätter und Orangenzeste. Am vielschichtigen Gaumen seidige Textur, sehr seriös, stützende feinnervige Rasse, mineralischer Kern und engmaschiges Tanninkorsett. Im konzentrierten, langanhaltenden Finale Wildkirsche, Oliven und Szechuanpfeffer. Ganz großes tiefgründiges Pomerol-Kino! 2030 – 2060."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: „A blend of 49% Merlot and 51% Bouchet (Cabernet Franc), with a pH of 3.8, Lafleur 2022 has a deep garnet-purple color. The nose is incredibly backward and closed, slowly unfurling to offer glimpses at plum pudding, baked black plums, and dark chocolate, followed by subtle nuances of licorice, violets, cast-iron pan, and Indian spices, with a touch of wood smoke. The medium to full-bodied palate is built like a skyscraper, with very firm, very fine-grained tannins and plenty of freshness supporting the tightly wound black fruits and earthy layers, finishing with incredible length. It will need a lot of time."

JEB DUNNUCK: "Moving to the Grand Vin, the 2022 Château Lafleur is 51% Bouschet (an older selection of Cabernet Franc) and 49% Merlot brought up in a mix of new and used barrels. It's a concentrated beast of a wine offering incredibly purity in its red, blue, and black fruits as well as notes of spring flowers, minty herbs, graphite, and chocolate. Full-bodied on the palate, it has a great mid-palate, building tannins, and a straight, focused, inward style that's going to demand significant bottle age."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Very embryonic, even recalcitrant at the moment. Changes in the glass but all the components are there – gourmand fruit, plentiful but fine tannins, plush texture and better balance than Les Pensées. Firm, long, austere finish. As always will need time."