Chateau Lafleur Gazin 2023

JEB DUNNUCK: "All Merlot pulled from 8.5 hectares of vines on the eastern side of the appellation, the 2023 Château Lafleur-Gazin sports a deeper ruby/purple hue as well as rocking red and black fruits that give way to spicy oak, chocolate, and loamy earth-like nuances. This richly textured, medium to full-bodied Pomerol has a round, lush mouthfeel, terrific mid-palate depth, and outstanding length. Count me impressed. This is worth checking out."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, dezente Randaufhellung. Zarte Kräuterwürze, ein Hauch von Heidelbeeren, reife Kirschen, kandierte Veilchen und Orangenzesten. Saftig, komplex und elegant, feine Extraktsüße, reife Tannine, schokoladiger Abgang, feine Röstaromen und Karamell im Nachhall, sehr gelungener Stil."

JAMES SUCKLING: "A solid and structured Pomerol with blackberry, black olive and light brown-sugar character. Hint of smoked wood, too. It’s medium- to full-bodied with very integrated, slightly muscular tannins and a persistent finish. 100% merlot."

VINUM: "Ein Duft zwischen Tabak, Tee und getrockneten Kräutern, dazu rote Beerenfrucht, geröstete Haselnuss; rund im Auftakt, reife Frucht, pudriges Tannin, sehr gute Länge. Elegant!"

DECANTER: "Expressive and aromatic on the nose, perfumed and floral. Nicely scented and full aromatically. Juicy, sappy, agile, nice energy and focus with bright fruits, lovely ripe tannins and overall lots of persistence. Feels finessed and polished, structured and suave. Good liveliness, great blackcurrant and cherry fruit, lots of blueberries too, wet stones and graphite. A nice, cool, polished wine. Stylish. Great for drinking soon. A top buy."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The Mouiex firm acquired this estate in 2021 (after cultivating it in "fermage" since 1974) and sold off the less optimally situated parcels lying on sandy soils. The 2023 Lafleur-Gazin offers up aromas of dark berries, cherries, baked plums and mint, followed by a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered palate that's quite deep and extracted, perhaps reflecting an understandable ambition to signal new seriousness at this address. It's 100% Merlot."

WEINWISSER: "Delikates rotbeeriges Bouquet, Himbeere, zarte Fliedernote und Graphit. Am saftigen Gaumen mit weicher Textur, herrlicher Extraktfülle, stützendem Tannin und mittlerem Körper. Im aromatischen Finale ein Korb mit roten Beeren, heller Mineralik und körniger Adstringenz. Top-Wert aus Pomerol!"

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Medium-bodied, refined, elegant, and vibrant, the fruits are soft, pure, sweet, and on the red berry side, with a licorice, dark cocoa, and savory edge in the finish. The wine is produced from 100% Merlot. Drink from 2026-2038."