2023 Château La Fleur-Pétrus
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Tasting notes
This is a bit reticent on the nose at first, but tightly wound red strawberry and plum emerge, along with faint tobacco, tealeaf and potting soil. A serious, introverted style of La Fleur-Pétrus, the wine feels very structured and a bit closed down at the moment, but this is built for the long haul, with ample fresh acidity and grippy, fine-grained tannins. Blend: 96.5% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 0.5% Petit Verdot
Critic scores
James Suckling
William Kelley, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Perfumed and refined, the 2023 La Fleur-Pétrus has turned out very well, offering aromas of rose petals, dark berries, plums and incense, with new oak rendered almost imperceptible. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and deep, it is layered, built around a concentrated core of fruit framed by powdery tannins and concluding with a long, penetrating, mineral finish. The blend comprises 97% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, matured in 50% new oak.
The 2023 La Fleur-Pétrus is impeccable. Delicate yet pliant, La Fleur-Pétrus captures the duality of the vintage. Soft contours envelop dark red plum, cedar, pipe tobacco, dried herbs and incense. The 2023 opens beautifully with a bit of time in the glass. I suspect it will do very much the same over the next few years in bottle. This is such a classy, polished Pomerol.
Sporting a vivid purple hue, the 2023 Château La Fleur-Petrus reveals terrific aromatics of ripe red and black fruits, black cherries, graphite, dried herbs, and loamy soil, as well as loads of baking spices. Based on 97% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot and aged 16-18 months in 50% new French oak, it's rich, medium to full-bodied, has a concentrated, layered mouthfeel, plenty of ripe tannins, and outstanding length. As it sits in the glass, it picks up more of that classic La Fleur-Petrus complexity and nuance. Hide this for 5-7 years and it will keep for 20-25 years with ease. Drink 2031-2053.
About the producer
Château La Fleur-Pétrus was the first acquisition of many in Pomerol by Jean Pierre Moueix, who went on to own Château Trotanoy, Château Hosanna and most notably Pétrus. Jean Pierre Moueix was born in Corèzze in moved to Saint-Émilion with his parent in 1929 following the Great Depression.