PENSÉES DE LAFLEUR

Société Civile du Château Lafleur

APPELLATION

Pomerol Bordeaux

GRAPE VARIETIES

60% Merlot, 40% Bouchet (Cabernet Franc)

WINEMAKERS

Jacques Guinaudeau
Sylvie Guinaudeau
Baptiste Guinaudeau
Julie Guinaudeau

TECHNICAL DATA

Alcohol
12.5%

2015

95POINTS

JamesSuckling.com

FEBRUARY 2018

2014

95POINTS

JamesSuckling.com

FEBRUARY 2017

Where To Buy VIEW BRAND PORTFOLIO

BACKGROUND

Château Lafleur is located at the crest of the Pomerol plateau directly adjacent to Château Petrus and contiguous to Châteaux Lafleur Petrus, Le Gay, Vieux Château Certan and Hosanna. The vineyard is 11.12 acres “d’un seul tenant”- one contiguous parcel. The indescribable complexity of Château Lafleur comes from the great diversity of its soil types: a gravel slope to the north west, a clay-gravel soil toward the south, a gravel-sand soil toward the east and a rich vein of marl toward the center of the vineyard. The vineyard is planted to Merlot (50%) and to Bouchet (Cabernet Franc) (50%), one of the highest percentages of this varietal in the appellation. The vines average over 30 years in age. Density is on average 2,500 vines per acre.

Château Lafleur is owned and managed by the Guinaudeau family. The tiny vineyard dates back to 1872, when Mr. Greloud, Mr. Jacques Guinaudeau’s forebear, owner of Château Le Gay, purchased Mr. Bernier’s parcel. With the meticulous attention of Jacques and Sylvie Guinaudeau, helped by their son Baptiste, the
wines continually express the natural depth and complexity of this unique vineyard. This singular wine was born in 1987 as a young sibling to the esteemed Château Lafleur. Benefiting from the same care in the cellar, Les Pensées is approachable earlier than its elder but expresses the same complexity of this remarkable vineyard. Only 500 cases of Les Pensées are produced on average every year. The wine is rare and is considered on the level of other “second growths” of Pomerol such as Vray Croix de Gay, Le Gay or Nenin.

WINEMAKING & VINTAGE NOTES

A strict and merciless selection parcel precedes the harvest which is conducted entirely by hand, vine by vine, and often bunch by bunch. A sorting table is used systematically to assure a selection of only the healthiest grapes. Vatting and maceration are conducted according to the needs of the vintage; racking into barrels is immediate following fermentations in a minimum of 50% new oak. The wines are clarified (racked) by hand every three months and remain in barrel for 18 months before bottling.

TASTING NOTES

Gorgeous bouquet of sweet plum, strawberry and raspberry fruit character. On the palate, plum, chocolate and black raspberry. Full and silky, with lovely fruit and a long finish.