1998 Château Lafleur

This bottle of 1998 Lafleur exudes such mineralité on the nose that it is rendered more distant and less appeasing to the senses than the 1999 Lafleur. However, there is undeniably brilliant delineation with almost flint-like scents filtering through the black sultry fruit. It is certainly less opulently gregarious than bottles tasted within the first decade of its life. The palate is medium-bodied with tannins just beginning to soften, less demonstrative than bottles encountered previously and less “sexier”. I guess you could say that this is a Lafleur that has “grown up” in recent years but it has something up its sleeve for those prepared to wait another decade. The 1998 is one for the more patient amongst readers. Tasted at the “International Wine & Business” Lafleur dinner at Ten Trinity, London.

The 1998 Lafleur continues to shine and this bottle might be one of the best I have encountered. Still showing little in terms of its age, it has a captivating bouquet whereby the Cabernet Franc steals the show with hints of black pepper and clove, plenty of dark fruit, that subtle dark chocolate scent loitering off-stage. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, still a little broody but maybe now it is just beginning to come out of its shell. There remains a firm grip though it is underpinned by very fine tannin, multi-dimensional black fruit and then surprises with an understated but succinct finish with black truffle on the aftertaste. Maybe its curmudgeonly phase it coming to an end? Tasted at the Business & Wine Pomerol seminar in London.