Chateau Lafleur 2023

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The 2023 Lafleur is one of a small number of contenders for the title of wine of the vintage, and it's one 2023 that appears to surpass its 2022 counterpart. Wafting from the glass with aromas of blackberries, cherries and plums mingled with hints of licorice, violets and mint, it's full-bodied, deep and layered, with a concentrated core of lively, succulent, pure fruit framed by beautifully refined tannins, concluding with a long, fragrant finish. Its exquisite structure, intensity without weight and ineffable harmony mark it out as a great Lafleur, and one that will be worth a special effort to seek out. It's a blend of 56% Cabernet Franc and 46% Merlot."

VINUM: "Tiefgründig, komplex, floral, dunkle Frucht, feuchter Stein, Tabak, Mokka, Kräuter; reichhaltig am Gaumen, viel Fleisch am Knochen, ausgezeichnete Tanninqualität, das hat Kraft, Druck und viel Präzision, ungemein saftig, von majestätischer Noblesse."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "A blend of 54% Bouchet (Cabernet Franc) and 46% Merlot, the 2023 Lafleur has a deep garnet-purple color. It slowly unfurls with very pure scents of wild blueberries and violets, opening out to notes of boysenberry preserves, licorice, rose bud tea, sassafras, and fragrant earth. The medium to full-bodied palate is deceptively ethereal, yet amazingly dense, with super-fine, pixilated tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and fragrant. Wow!"

JAMES SUCKLING: "The fruit in this is superb, with an al-dente character to the grapes that were perfectly ripe when picked. Surprising openness on the nose, showing blackberries, violet, caramel and cedar with just a hint of chocolate. Turns to tobacco and earth. Medium to full body with creamy tannins and a vivid finish. Pristine through to the end. 54% bouchet (cabernet franc) and 46% merlot."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Plums, black raspberries, flowers, boysenberries, tobacco, and truffles create the nose. On the palate, the wine pops with its layers of bright, sweet, ripe, and energetic red fruits, cigar wrapper, and chewy black cherries. This is a classic vintage of Lafleur which exchanges its opulence, and power for lift, refinement, concentration, length, and complexity. The wine requires at least a decade, or even more time in the bottle before it is ready, and enjoyable to drink. The estate calls their 2023 a wine from an extreme vintage, without any extremes. The wine blends 54% Cabernet Franc, and 46% Merlot. 14.2% ABV, 3.75 pH. Harvesting took place for the Merlot September 7, 8, Cabernet Franc was harvested September 17. Drink from 2030-2065."

WEINWISSER: "46 % Merlot, 54 % Bouchet (= Cabernet Franc). Dicht verwobenes Bouquet, edle Würze, dunkle Mineralik und tasmanischer Bergpfeffer, dahinter rote Johannisbeeren und zarter Iris-Duft. Am tiefgründigsten Gaumen von Pomerol, eine vibrierende Rasse, engmaschiges Tanninkorsett, edler mineralischer Kern und fokussierter Körper. Im konzentrierten langen Finale schwarze Beeren, tiefschürfende Terroirwürze, zarter Eisenton und feinpfeffriger Extrakt."

DECANTER: "Dark ripe fruits and some savoury touches of tobacco, dark chocolate and clove with wet stones. Violets and irises come in after a few minutes. Nice depth and weight straight away, this has concentration but nothing overdone. Lots of freshness and zing, it’s finessed for sure and it’s impactful in terms of brightness and flavour, but it doesn’t have so much outward fleshy charm that it can have. It’s linear and straight with a slow expansion of elements that comes after a few minutes. Well crafted and long, this stays with you. Beautifully constructed for the vintage but not the most demonstrate which is quite usual for Lafleur. However, this has refinement and is a really ‘classic’ example. High acidity, bite and tang. It’s missing a touch of star power right now but there’s no doubt of careful sculpting and enjoyable bite."

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Feine Edelholzwürze, schwarze Kirschen und Lakritze, Brombeeren, Nelken, kandierte Orangenzesten. Am Gaumen komplex, kraftvoll, sehr stoffig, dunkle Frucht, präsente Tannine, salzig-mineralisch, eine mächtige Eisenfaust im Seidenhandschuh, große Länge und Würze, erdig und steinig, bleibt lange haften, noch weitgehend charmefrei im Nachhall, sicheres Zukunftsversprechen."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Complex but restrained. Has real density but with everything contained. Very fine tannins – powerful but not punishing. Long and focused with quite a bit of energy but all under wraps at the moment. Drink 2032 – 2050"