Château Lafleur - Les Pensées 2021

The story of Château LaFleur starts with Henri Greloud, who owned Château Le Gay and was the first to produce single-vineyard wines in Pomerol. In 1872, he purchased one plot of 4.5 hectares of vines and began a complete restructuring of the vineyard, built the house and the cellars and called this place: Lafleur.  In 1930s, Andre Robin worked to develop Bouchet (Cabernet Franc) massale in the vineyards. Their daughters, Therese and Marie Robin took over after Andre’s death in 1946 and kept things relatively the same for almost 40 years until 1984 when Jacques and Sylvie Guinaudeau, the great, great-grandchildren of Henri Greloud made arrangements to lease Chateau Lafleur from Marie Robin, the surviving sister. They got to work in 1985, replanting a quarter of the vines, and, when Marie Robin passed away, the Guinaudeaus sold their rights to Le Gay for afford the full ownership of Lafleur in 2002. Later that year, Baptiste Guinaudeau (son to Jacques and Sylvie) and his wife Julie joined them at Chateau Lafleur.

59% Merlot with 45% Cabernet Franc (Bouchet)

Produced since 1987, this cru reveals a different geological expression of the vineyard of Lafleur, translated through the great clay terroir of Pomerol instead of Lafleur’s mighty gravel. This small 0.7 hectare parcel is is at the center of the Lafleur property with deeper soils ranging from sandy silt to clay and brown sand and less gravel - richer and deeper, and more typical to the soils of Pomerol. The wine is aged for 18 months in barrique (50% new).

"Aromas of raspberries, mulberries, iris and rose petals introduce the 2021 Pensées de Lafleur, a medium to full-bodied, supple and suave wine that's polished, pure and velvety, its sweet core of fruit built around lively acids and ultra-refined tannins, concluding with a long, precise finish." - 94 Points, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"Stunning stuff, the 2021 Château Lafleur Les Pensées has the classic Pomerol sexiness and opulence that defines the vintage. Redcurrants, ripe red fruit, spice, chocolate, and a beautiful sense of minerality and earth all define the aromatics, and it's medium-bodied, with round, supple tannins, beautiful purity, and a gorgeous finish. It's the second wine of this estate but as good as just about every Grand Vin out there." - 94 Points, Jeb Dunnuck

Producer: Château Lafleur

Country: France

Region: Bordeaux

Varietal:  Cabernet Franc, Merlot

Appellation: Pomerol

Vintage: 2021

Size: 750ml