Chateau Lafleur - Pomerol 2011 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

92 / 100

byIan D'Agatathe8/31/2014

Bright, deep ruby-red. Bright, cool aromas of black cherry and cassis, with a distinct white pepper cabernet franc lift and lots of floral perfume (a whopping 63% cabernet franc here!). Sweetly oaky and lush, with lovely inner-mouth perfume to its shockingly forward flavors of strawberry, cocoa and minerals. Precise, seamless and light on its feet, this builds subtly and lingers on the finish, leaving behind a note of flinty blackcurrant. This wine has really softened since the Primeurs. "Actually, I was aiming for that," Baptiste Guinaudeau told me. "I knew we'd have no difficulty getting tannins in 2011 so all of my winemaking was aimed at extracting as gently as possible." (92(+?) points)

Jamessuckling.com

97 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe2/19/2014

Complex aromas of blackberry and whole white truffles with hints of wet earth and stones. Full body and structured with gorgeous, velvety tannins, but reserved and polished. Very long finish with fabulous fruit. Goes on for minutes. This is all class: the red wine of the vintage. Better in 2019.

La Revue du Vin de France

17-18 / 20

the5/31/2012

On connaît le penchant de la famille Guinaudeau et la prédisposition du terroir de Lafleur pour le cabernet franc. Mais le record de l'an passé (62% dans le grand vin) n'a pas été égalé, sa part étant redescendue à 53% en 2011. Un choix judicieux pour une sélection resserrée : cuvée sans dilution et très identaire.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

91-94 / 100

byIan D'Agatathe5/12/2012

Bright ruby-red. Classic Lafleur aromas and flavors of black cherry, cassis, licorice, minerals, cocoa and white pepper are just this side of austere. Perfumed and elegant in the mouth too, with a very fine-grained texture and light touch to the flavors of strawberry, dark cherry, spices and herbs. Really vibrates on the long finish, which features fine tannins and captivating floral lift. Another potentially great Lafleur, though in a more austere style than usual.

Decanter.com

18,5 / 20

the4/30/2012

Serious wine made, as usual, with precision. 53% Cabernet Franc. Dense and restrained on the nose with a hint of chocolate. Layered, long and linear palate - structured for ageing. On a par with the 2008. Drink 2020-2040.

Wine Advocate

92-94 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/30/2012

This tiny jewel of a property has produced a beautifully rich 2011 Lafleur from a blend of 53% Cabernet Franc and 47% Merlot. The Merlot was picked between August 31 and September 12, and the Cabernet Franc between September 22-23. The 2011 reveals a floral-scented bouquet with notions of kirsch, licorice and black raspberries. It is medium to full-bodied with terrific fruit purity, good minerality and slightly more acidity and freshness than are found in such ripe vintages as 2009 and 2010. At present, the Guinandeau family, the owners, are using between 50-60% new oak in an attempt to emphasize their great terroir and the extraordinary fruit quality they achieve from both the old vine Cabernet Franc and Merlot. This cuvee possesses some serious tannin and will undoubtedly need 5-6 years of cellaring after its release, but it should be one of the longer-lived wines of the vintage, lasting 25+ years.

TAST

18 / 20

by Bettane & Desseauvethe4/30/2012

Robe assez fluide, bouche tendre et délicate, sans violence, profondeur suave, long et impressionant, sans lourdeur ni tanins agressifs.

WeinWisser

19 / 20

byRené Gabrielthe4/30/2012

2024-2060

The Wine Cellar Insider

96-98 / 100

byJeff Levethe4/27/2012

The wine was produced from a blend of 53% Cabernet Franc and 47% Merlot. Violets, truffle, cherry, forest, earth and spicy aromas couple with concentrated, sensuous layers of ripe, fresh and pure clean plum, cherry and blackberry. On the palate, the wine moves between red to dark berries while building and expanding in depth and intensity. 96-98 Pts

Wine Advocate

93-95 / 100

byNeal Martinthe4/27/2012

Tasted at the property with the entire Guinaudeau family (baby commenting through the intercom.) The Grand Vin is a blend of 47% Merlot cropped on 31st August and 12th September and 53% Cabernet Franc cropped on 22nd and 23rd September. It has a generous bouquet with scents of raspberry, wild strawberry, oyster shell and a touch of kirsch, more open and approachable than the 2009 and 2010. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, crisp tannins. It has wonderful fruit concentration and minerality, very good depth on the back palate that is lacquered in truffle tinged black fruit. It has wonderful focus: a linear Lafleur with a persistent finish. Excellent. Tasted April 2012

Jancis Robinson

18 / 20

byJulia Harding MWthe4/23/2012

Drink 2019-2030 Jacques Guinaudeau describes the 2011s as more 'secret' than the exuberant 2009s and the exceptional 2010s. 47% Merlot (31 August, 12 September), 53% Cabernet Franc (22-23 September). The best Merlots were those they picked on 31 August. Very small berries and they had to limit the height of the canopy to reduce the water stress. A little note of mint here too, from the Merlot, but there's also a dark-fruited sweetness and a note of red cherry, small berries, and a hint of something floral. Fragrant. And a dusty minerality. Utterly fresh, so fleeting, it seems, on the palate but then it goes on and on. Starts dry and grows softer on the finish. There's a dark but lightweight minerality. So, so long. (JH)

Asian Palate

92-95 / 100

byJeannie Cho Lee MWthe4/20/2012

"On the nose, the violets and plums suggest a soft, gentle wine; however, this wine is filled with intense layers of tannins with great density and depth. The flavours are concentrated and surrounded by tannins at this stage but the wine also displays minerality and grace. This is a wine that will take a decade or more to come around. The wine is serious and has a stature that suggests it will improve greatly with age. Be patient with this wine."

Jamessuckling.com

94-95 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe4/1/2012

Lovely nose of blueberries and blackberries with hints of flowers. Full body, with super silky tannins and an iron backbone of acidity. It's very minerally, almost ferrous. Chewy finish. This is very structured. Some might find it a little boney. But it's racy. Cabernet Franc gives the great quality.