2006 Château Lafleur, Pomerol, Bordeaux

Tasted at the chteau and then blind at Farr Vintners' tasting, the 2006 Lafleur is a vintage that I have not tasted for a few years. It has a well-defined bouquet with kirsch, strawberry, touches of melted tar and that hint of cooked meat that I picked up on out of barrel. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly coarse tannin on the entry, tarry black fruit, cohesive in the mouth with a touch of black pepper that leads to a conservative finish, which feels just a little austere at the moment. It is an impressive Lafleur from Jacques Guinaudeau, even if I would not place it within the top tier of vintages that he has overseen with his son Baptiste in recent years. Tasted April 2016.Neil Martin - 30/05/2016

A terrific example of Lafleur, the 2006...is almost as good as their brilliant 2005. From yields of 28-32 hectoliters per hectare and a strict selection, proprietor Jacques Guinadeau used most of the young vine production in Lafleur’s second wine, Les Pensees, so there are only 1,000 or so cases of 2006 Lafleur. A noteworthy success, it boasts a deep ruby/purple color as well as a sumptuous bouquet of black cherries, kirsch liqueur, licorice, and minerals, sweet tannin, and a medium to full-bodied style....The 2006 will require a decade of cellaring, and should keep for four decades or more. robert_parker - Wine Advocate - Feb-2009