The name Lafleur needs little introduction. Alongside Pétrus, it occupies the very top of the Pomerol pyramid — one of Bordeaux's most revered estates, and one of its most elusive. Les Perrières is not the grand vin, but it carries the same DNA, quite literally.
2019 is widely regarded as one of Bordeaux's finest vintages of the 21st century. A warm, sunny, dry growing season, with long days paired with cool overnight temperatures, delivered wines of gorgeous sensual texture combined with freshness, purity and length. Consistently excellent from top to bottom — in the same vein as 2016 and 2009 — the wines are ageing slowly and deliberately, with plenty of the best still ahead of them. On the Right Bank in particular, the wines are intensely concentrated, with Merlot and Cabernet Franc showing exceptional generosity and intensity.
A striking wine from the limestone plateau of Fronsac, planted with massale selections taken directly from Lafleur itself, the 2019 bursts with aromas of raspberries, violets, warm spices and rose petals. Full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a racy, tensile profile and a long, intensely mineral finish. Beautifully balanced, with a lovely mouthfeel and a pleasing freshness that comes from the limestone plateau.
This is a back vintage, professionally stored in bond in the UK since release — arriving in exactly the condition the Guinaudeau family intended. Jacques Guinaudeau embarked on a massal selection programme to preserve Lafleur's unspoiled genetic patrimony, and Les Perrières is the direct beneficiary — young vines by Bordeaux standards, but already showing extraordinary intensity and character. A joy to drink today, with another 15 or more years of longevity still ahead.
Lafleur in spirit, Fronsac in address. An exceptional bottle.