Chateau Lafleur (Futures Pre-sale) 2010

"This red shows such beautiful and ripe aromas of blackberries, orange peel, hazelnuts, and tropical fruits. It's full-bodied, with superb texture of polished tannins that are velvety. The length last for minutes. It's muscular yet elegant. It flexes it muscle yet pulls them back. What gorgeous tone to this young red. Try in 2020."

100 Points

James Suckling

"Good, deep ruby-red. Deep, brooding but lively aromas of raspberry, strawberry, violet, licorice and minerals, plus an element of chocolate mint. Bright and fresh on entry, then shows a steely, austere quality to the strawberry, raspberry, tar and iodine flavors. Distinctly less floral and forward than the 2009. Strongly mineral on the long, pure back end, with ultrasmooth tannins; in fact, I would say that Lafleur's are the finest, most polished tannins of all in 2010. This is destined to be very long-lived. Incidentally, Baptiste Guinaudeau couldn't recall if any previous vintage of Lafleur had such a high percentage cabernet franc. My early candidate for wine of the vintage, along with Latour.
Barrel Sample: 96-99 Points "

99 Points

International Wine Cellar

"Packed, with a charcoal frame and hints of alder and mesquite offering an impressive, aromatic profile, while flavors of crushed plum, warm linzer torte and blackberry preserves form the massive core. Dense, chewy and velvety, this features a riveting iron note and enticing tobacco accents that help to expand and lengthen the finish. Best from 2020 through 2040."

97 Points

Wine Spectator

"As for the Lafleur itself, their 2010 is another fabulous wine from this extraordinary terroir. Composed of 62% Cabernet Franc and the rest Merlot (identical to what I saw early on), this wine is tightly knit and built for the long haul. Neither is it as exuberant nor as opulent as the 2009 was showing at a similar stage of its life. In stylistic terms, it is more along the lines of a more modern-day 2000 . Deep ruby/purple, with sweet black raspberry and black cherry fruit as well as hints of forest floor, licorice and crushed rock, this wine has superb texture and a full-bodied mouthfeel – then the tannins kick in. This is a powerful, backward wine, and despite its elegance and precision, it needs at least a decade of cellaring. It is slightly more reserved and tannic than I remember it from barrel, but it is locked and loaded with potential. Forget it for a decade a drink it over the following 30-40 years.
Rating: 96+"

96 Points

The Wine Advocate