Château Lafleur - Pomerol 2022 (750ml)
Price: $1399.00
| Producer | Château Lafleur |
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| Subregion | Pomerol |
| Varietal | Bordeaux Blend |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Size | 750ml |
Wine Advocate: 100 Points
The 2022 Lafleur has turned out even better in bottle than I anticipated. Wafting from the glass with exotic aromas of mulberries, potpourri, iris, blood orange and incense, it's full-bodied, dense and layered, with a deep and multidimensional core of sweet, succulent fruit underpinned by velvety tannins, concluding with a long, expansive, rose-inflected finish. Élevage has brought a sense of harmony and classicism to the volume and richness that were already apparent en primeur, delivering a Lafleur for the ages.
Others: 100 Points
Falstaff
Deep dark ruby garnet, opaque core, purple reflections, delicate rim brightening. Intense dark berry fruit, underpinned with very characteristic savouriness, fine touches of herbs, rust, graphite, blackberries are underlying. Complex, deliacte liquorice, ripe cherry fruit, but then follow the taut, supporting tannins, salty minerality, the power is completely packed, enormous length, great ageing potential, the elements are not yet fully connected, but the prospects are terrific.
Jane Anson
Delivers the density and serious character of Lafleur, but while this is deep in colour it is not impenetrable, with more nuance than many, jewel ruby with vibrant reflections. Clear austerity to the tannins but this is a wine that always takes patience, and it provides a welcome sense of continuity in a vintage where the byword is excess. Confident, careful, precise, with red roses, peony, heather, slate, steel, graphite, incense, blueberry and raspberry fruit, and oyster shell salinity, layered and joyful, with cooling mint leaf on the finish. Jean-Baptiste Guinaudeau so often sets the conversation in a vintage, and he is doing so again here. Harvest September 3 to 17, 30% new oak. Potential 100
James Suckling: 100 Points
A very tight yet energetic Lafleur showing brambleberries, black olives, leather, lavender and orange peel. It's very primary with perfectly ripe grape character, particularly cabernet franc. Medium- to full-bodied, this has solid density, powerful intensity and totally resolved tannins. Rather weightless. What a wine. The new 1950? This needs time, at least until after 2030, to reveal its true greatness.
Decanter: 99 Points
Blueberries, blackcurrants, cherries, and floral notes with hints of liquorice, espresso, and dark chocolate. The palate is focused, structured, and tightly framed, with flawless tannins that are barely perceptible yet give immense poise. Vibrant yet restrained, this wine is built for the long haul, offering racehorse-like energy and streamlined texture. Initially electric, it becomes more seductive over time, revealing velvety chocolate, lilac, and a creamy, spiced backbone. A wine for contemplation, not for immediate drinking. Powerful, elegant, and profoundly structured.
Vinous: 99 Points
The 2022 Lafleur is a wild, exotic wine. Totally mind-bending, Lafleur completely defies any of the conventional definitions of Pomerol. The aromatics alone are mesmerizing. Red plum, blood orange, espresso, rose petal, crushed rocks and spice all soar out of the glass. The Bouchet (Cabernet Franc) is so expressive here. Even with all of its intensity, the 2022 remains light on its feet. There is simply no other wine like Lafleur on the Right Bank. Magnificent. -- Antonio Galloni
Wine Independent Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW: 96-98+ Points
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: 98+ Points
The Grand Vin 2022 Château Lafleur checks in as 51% Bouschet (an older selection of Cabernet Franc) and 49% Merlot brought up in a mix of new and used barrels. It's a ripe, incredibly powerful Lafleur that has a rare mix of voluptuousness as well as a dense, structured core. Red and black currants, iron, bloody meats, truffly earth, and violet notes are just some of its nuances, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a broad, layered, expansive mouthfeel, tons of ripe, velvety tannins, and a great finish. It needs to be forgotten for a solid decade but will evolve for 30-40 years.
