Château Lafleur--Vintage 1999

1 dozen bottles per lot
细节
LAFLEUR

Lafleur is the quintessential Pomerol: flashy, fleshy and exotic. These attributes are taken to further heights of power, density and almost creamy old vine concentration with unique components of its own by the balanced cepage of half Cabernet Franc and Merlot (Malbec was phased out during the 1920s) grown in deep gravelly soil rich in iron, phosphorous, and potassium. Indeed, this pleasant seat was one of the first areas to be planted on the great Pomerol Plateau less than furlong north of Petrus. Many comments are forgotten in the auction room, but I always remember a client murmuring, "there is no such thing as a bad bottle of Lafleur." Lafleur has a track record of remarkable consistency and generally overachieves in mediocre and even poor vintages. On this notes, the estate had a superb run during the regions' down years in the 1960s and 1970s. The focus on consistency is achieved by the tiny production of barely 1000 cases, many years labored tending tiny yields by the Robin family whose motto is "quality over quantity," and the marketing and management lent by the Moieux empire more recently. Small changes introduced to solidify the already remarkable quality include the introduction of a second wine and slightly increasing the amount of new oak. It is always at least that rare combination of heavenly richness and fine breed.

JC

Château Lafleur--Vintage 1999
Pomerol
In original wooden case
"This wine is a brilliant success, it is one of the stars of the vintage. Lafleur's 1999 is atypically powerful and concentrated, with an inky, saturated purple color followed by a sensational nose of black cherry jam intermixed with liquid minerals, raspberries, and licorice. It is super concentrated, extraordinarily pure, with moderately high tannin. This dense, powerful, impressively endowed wine should turn out to be a classic for Lafleur. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #140 (Apr 2002)
1 dozen bottles per lot