Château Lafleur | FINE+RARE

About the producer

In the small commune of Pomerol, Château Lafleur stands out for the extraordinary quality of the wine it produces. A wine that invokes emotion, Lafleur has been endlessly praised by critics and wine lovers all over the world, with Robert Parker calling it one of his “all-time favorite Bordeaux wines”. Château Lafleur has been owned by a single family since 1872, when the great-great-grandfather of the current proprietor bought the estate, and the husband-and-wife team of Jacques and Sylvie Guinaudeau are now aided by their son Baptiste, showing how this estate has been and continues to be, very much a family affair. 

A consistently high-scoring wine, Château Lafleur is incredibly collectible and a vertical of several vintages will offer incredible consistency. Lafleur’s owners, the Guinaudeau family, also own Château Grand Village in Fronsac as well as the “G” Guinaudeau label which produces the "G" Acte wines, renamed Les Perrières de Lafleur since the 2018 vintage.

In the vineyard

There is one overriding factor that really makes Château Lafleur different and distinct from many of its neighbours. It comes down to the unique varietal Château Lafleur has spent a huge amount of time bringing back from the brink of extinction. The varietal is Bouchet and it is perhaps best understood as being the original pre-clonal Cabernet Franc varietal grown in Bordeaux prior to the great frost of 1956. The great frost of 1956 was a devastating blow to the Bordeaux region which led to a major restructuring of the regions vineyards. Pomerol was one of the worst hit areas, with up to 90% of all its vineyards destroyed. Very little of the Bouchet vines survived the frost and today it is believed that just Château Lafleur, Château Ausone, Château Cheval Blanc and a few vines in Château Angélus remain.

It was then that Château Lafleur first committed to not only protect their remaining vines of Bouchet, but to propagate them and create their own heritage nursery of Bouchet vines in order to protect the almost lost genetic make-up of the varietal. Located opposite Pétrus, it is important to note that the geographical proximity of these two estates in no way leads to similar final products. Whereas the vineyards at Pétrus are planted with 100% Merlot, the proportion of Merlot at Lafleur is 50% with the other 50% being dedicated to Bouchet, one of the highest proportions of Cabernet Franc planted in any estate in Pomerol. The significant role that this grape variety plays in the final blend brings aromatic intensity and depth, and helps to place Lafleur firmly apart from the other wines in the region, and even in the whole of Bordeaux. This original clone of Cabernet Franc is quite different from the current genetic clones of Cabernet Franc that are currently being planted in Bordeaux.

These are commercial clones, originating from the Loire Valley. Château Lafleur believes this pre-clonal selection varietal behaves very differently to its modern Cabernet Franc cousin. For a start, Bouchet is much more drought resistant which means it performs much more evenly in the recent droughts in Pomerol over the last 5 years. Secondly, the taste and the colour are completely distinct with the flavour profile being somewhere in the middle between Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It has the tannic structure of Cabernet Sauvignon but the tannins are less blunt and more refined. It is also much better at keeping the freshness than Merlot and it doesn’t have any of the green pepper herbaceous notes of the commercial clones of Cabernet Franc. 

In the winery

The rarity of this wine is clear, with only 1,000 cases produced from 4.5 hectares of vines every year, and tiny En Primeur allocations selling out extremely quickly. It is hard to define quite what makes Lafleur so special. Pétrus and Le Pin get more press, but Lafleur sits quietly in the background as one of the world's most cerebral wines. The wines of this estate are deep and perfumed, with layers of earth and floral notes, and complexity arises from the mixed terroirs the vines are planted on. Parker writes that "they are long-lived, and can often be enjoyed for several decades, often not opening up to show their true potential for several years after release". The estate also produces another wine, Les Pensées de Lafleur.

Created in 1987, this wine receives the same care as the Grand Vin and the vines used in this wine are not, as most second wines of Bordeaux estates, the product of younger vines, but the product of a very particular parcel of land. Although often characterised as a second wine, the intention of the estate was not to create a second wine but to create a wine which expressed the classic Pomerol terroir and blend in contrast to the Grand Vin which stands apart, for one reason, thanks to the unique and varied terroir that the vines are planted on. The wine is packed with fruit and shows great smoothness and length.

About the producer

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2019 Pensees de Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

£932.00

6x75cl

0 Immediate | 6 Marketplace

£932.00

6x75cl

£932.00

0 Immediate | 6 Marketplace

2019 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

97.5

£3,150.00

3x75cl

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£3,150.00

3x75cl

£3,150.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

2018 Pensees de Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

£149.00

Bts

0 Immediate | 13 Marketplace

£149.00

Bts

£149.00

0 Immediate | 13 Marketplace

6x75cl

0 Immediate | 4 Marketplace

£881.00

6x75cl

£881.00

0 Immediate | 4 Marketplace

2018 Les Pensees

Lafleur

Bordeaux

95.5

£1,840.00

12x75cl

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

£1,840.00

12x75cl

£1,840.00

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

2017 Pensees de Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

92.1

£106.00

Bts

0 Immediate | 8 Marketplace

£106.00

Bts

£106.00

0 Immediate | 8 Marketplace

3x75cl

2 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

£312.00

3x75cl

£312.00

2 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

12x75cl

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£1,247.00

12x75cl

£1,247.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

2016 Pensees de Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

93.0

£133.00

Bts

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

£133.00

Bts

£133.00

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

3x75cl

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£393.00

3x75cl

£393.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

2016 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

98.0

£3,086.00

3x75cl

1 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£3,086.00

3x75cl

£3,086.00

1 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

2015 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

97.9

£1,221.00

Bts

0 Immediate | 5 Marketplace

£1,221.00

Bts

£1,221.00

0 Immediate | 5 Marketplace

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£5,010.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

12x75cl

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

£14,668.00

12x75cl

£14,668.00

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

2014 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

96.7

£551.00

Bts

2 Immediate | 14 Marketplace

£551.00

Bts

£551.00

2 Immediate | 14 Marketplace

Bts

0 Immediate | 4 Marketplace

Duty Paid

£551.00

Bts

£551.00

0 Immediate | 4 Marketplace

Duty Paid

3x75cl

6 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

£1,652.00

3x75cl

£1,652.00

6 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

3xMags

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£3,307.00

3xMags

£3,307.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

6x75cl

0 Immediate | 10 Marketplace

£3,307.00

6x75cl

£3,307.00

0 Immediate | 10 Marketplace

6xMags

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£6,612.00

6xMags

£6,612.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

2014 Pensees de Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

93.0

£674.00

6x75cl

0 Immediate | 5 Marketplace

£674.00

6x75cl

£674.00

0 Immediate | 5 Marketplace

2013 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

93.9

£4,471.00

3x3L

IM
Import Label: United States

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£4,471.00

3x3L

IM
Import Label: United States

£4,471.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

2012 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

94.0

£2,346.00

6x75cl

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

£2,346.00

6x75cl

£2,346.00

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

2012 Pensees de Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

88.0

£590.00

6x75cl

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

£590.00

6x75cl

£590.00

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

2011 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

93.0

£2,308.00

6x75cl

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

£2,308.00

6x75cl

£2,308.00

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

2011 Pensees de Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

88.0

£124.00

Bts

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£124.00

Bts

£124.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

3x75cl

0 Immediate | 4 Marketplace

£364.00

3x75cl

£364.00

0 Immediate | 4 Marketplace

6x75cl

0 Immediate | 3 Marketplace

£726.00

6x75cl

£726.00

0 Immediate | 3 Marketplace

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£1,019.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

2010 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

97.1

£1,184.00

Bts

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£1,184.00

Bts

£1,184.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

2010 Pensees de Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

91.0

£1,452.00

PR
Provenance: Ex Chateau

1 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

£1,452.00

PR
Provenance: Ex Chateau

£1,452.00

1 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

2009 Pensees de Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

92.9

£487.00

6x37.5cl

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

£487.00

6x37.5cl

£487.00

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

PR
Provenance: Ex Chateau

2 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

£1,326.00

PR
Provenance: Ex Chateau

£1,326.00

2 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

2008 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

93.8

£526.00

Bts

0 Immediate | 7 Marketplace

£526.00

Bts

£526.00

0 Immediate | 7 Marketplace

Mags

0 Immediate | 9 Marketplace

£1,051.00

Mags

£1,051.00

0 Immediate | 9 Marketplace

6x75cl

4 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£3,153.00

6x75cl

£3,153.00

4 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

2008 Pensees de Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

89.5

£640.00

6x75cl

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£640.00

6x75cl

£640.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

2007 Pensees de Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

£507.00

6x75cl

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£507.00

6x75cl

£507.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

2007 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

91.7

£496.00

Bts

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£496.00

Bts

£496.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

0 Immediate | 3 Marketplace

£2,036.00

0 Immediate | 3 Marketplace

6x75cl

0 Immediate | 5 Marketplace

£2,978.00

6x75cl

£2,978.00

0 Immediate | 5 Marketplace

0 Immediate | 3 Marketplace

£4,170.00

0 Immediate | 3 Marketplace

12x75cl

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£5,957.00

12x75cl

£5,957.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

2006 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

95.0

£2,252.00

6x75cl

2 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£2,252.00

6x75cl

£2,252.00

2 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

2005 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

100.0

£8,483.00

6x75cl

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

£8,483.00

6x75cl

£8,483.00

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

2004 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

94.0

£371.00

Bts

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£371.00

Bts

£371.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

3xMags

1 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

£2,226.00

3xMags

£2,226.00

1 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

6x75cl

1 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£2,226.00

6x75cl

£2,226.00

1 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

2004 Pensees de Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

88.5

£541.00

6x75cl

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

£541.00

6x75cl

£541.00

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

2003 Pensees de Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

90.0

£752.00

6x75cl

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£752.00

6x75cl

£752.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

2002 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

89.0

£1,483.00

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

£1,483.00

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

6x75cl

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£2,171.00

6x75cl

£2,171.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

2001 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

92.5

£1,178.00

Mags

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£1,178.00

Mags

£1,178.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

6x75cl

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

£3,538.00

6x75cl

£3,538.00

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

2000 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

98.7

£1,664.00

Bts

0 Immediate | 4 Marketplace

Duty Paid

£1,664.00

Bts

£1,664.00

0 Immediate | 4 Marketplace

Duty Paid

6x75cl

2 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

£9,987.00

6x75cl

£9,987.00

2 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

1999 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

93.8

£2,100.00

6x75cl

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

£2,100.00

6x75cl

£2,100.00

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

1998 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

96.0

£493.00

Bts

LA
Label: Damaged

0 Immediate | 4 Marketplace

£493.00

Bts

LA
Label: Damaged

£493.00

0 Immediate | 4 Marketplace

12x75cl

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£5,799.00

12x75cl

£5,799.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

1997 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

88.5

£4,561.00

12x75cl

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£4,561.00

12x75cl

£4,561.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

1996 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

89.5

£465.00

Bts

0 Immediate | 3 Marketplace

£465.00

Bts

£465.00

0 Immediate | 3 Marketplace

6x75cl

1 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

Duty Paid

£2,794.00

6x75cl

£2,794.00

1 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

Duty Paid

1992 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

89.5

£362.00

Bts

0 Immediate | 6 Marketplace

£362.00

Bts

£362.00

0 Immediate | 6 Marketplace

1990 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

94.5

£2,093.00

Bts

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£2,093.00

Bts

£2,093.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

1989 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

96.9

£16,546.00

12x75cl

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£16,546.00

12x75cl

£16,546.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

1988 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

94.0

£326.00

Hlvs

0 Immediate | 12 Marketplace

£326.00

Hlvs

£326.00

0 Immediate | 12 Marketplace

Bts

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

£635.00

Bts

£635.00

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

1986 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

93.6

£662.00

Bts

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£662.00

Bts

£662.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

Bts

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

Duty Paid

£662.00

Bts

£662.00

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

Duty Paid

1985 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

92.0

£538.00

Hlvs

0 Immediate | 12 Marketplace

£538.00

Hlvs

£538.00

0 Immediate | 12 Marketplace

1983 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

91.5

£896.00

Bts

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£896.00

Bts

£896.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

1982 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

99.5

£7,404.00

Bts

0 Immediate | 3 Marketplace

Duty Paid

£7,404.00

Bts

£7,404.00

0 Immediate | 3 Marketplace

Duty Paid

1981 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

£10,320.00

6xMags

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£10,320.00

6xMags

£10,320.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

1950 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

100.0

£2,985.00

Mags

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£2,985.00

Mags

£2,985.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

1947 Lafleur

Lafleur

Bordeaux

£1,802.00

Bts

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£1,802.00

Bts

£1,802.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

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