Winemaker Notes
Eminently approachable even in its youth, Lafleur-Gazin is a delightful expression of the lighter style of Pomerol wines.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A medium-to full-bodied red with vibrant acidity and firm, fine tannins. Bright and polished with berries, walnuts, spices and dried flowers. Milk chocolate, too. Spicy and pretty finish.
Barrel Sample: 93-94 -
Decanter
Dark chocolate-laced wild berries on the nose, hints of fresh raspberries and touches of violet. This has a soft chew on the palate, the tannins giving a plumpness to the texture and giving the fruit a more pronounced, supple frame. This has a lovely refinement to it, the fruit has purity and a crystalline quality while there is depth on the mid-palate to go the long haul. Sleek yet layered with plenty of terroir markers in the soft chalkiness and graphite tone on the tongue. Everything feels in place with hints of Pomerol glamour and completeness. Great!
Barrel Sample: 92 -
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2021 Château LaFleur-Gazin should be outstanding, offering a medium-bodied, charming, mid-weight style as well as pretty aromatics. Notes of cassis and black raspberries, subtle oak, and some spice all define this forward, enjoyable, balanced 2021 that will drink nicely right out of the gate.
Barrel Sample: 90-92 -
Wine Spectator
Modest in scale, but fresh and focused, with a pretty beam of cassis and blackberry fruit speckled with a savory edge. Ends with light floral and red tea notes, showing sneaky overall length too. Drink now through 2035.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
A source of exceptionally sensual and glamorous red wines, Pomerol is actually a rather small appellation in an unassuming countryside. It sits on a plateau immediately northeast of the city of Libourne on the right bank of the Dordogne River. Pomerol and St-Émilion are the stars of what is referred to as Right Bank Bordeaux: Merlot-dominant red blends completed by various amounts of Cabernet Franc or Cabernet Sauvignon. While Pomerol has no official classification system, its best wines are some of the world’s most sought after.
Historically Pomerol attached itself to the larger and more picturesque neighboring region of St-Émilion until the late 1800s when discerning French consumers began to recognize the quality and distinction of Pomerol on its own. Its popularity spread to northern Europe in the early 1900s.
After some notable vintages of the 1940s, the Pomerol producer, Petrus, began to achieve great international attention and brought widespread recognition to the appellation. Its subsequent distribution by the successful Libourne merchant, Jean-Pierre Mouiex, magnified Pomerol's fame after the Second World War.
Perfect for Merlot, the soils of Pomerol—clay on top of well-drained subsoil—help to create wines capable of displaying an unprecedented concentration of color and flavor.
The best Pomerol wines will be intensely hued, with qualities of fresh wild berries, dried fig or concentrated black plum preserves. Aromas may be of forest floor, sifted cocoa powder, anise, exotic spice or toasted sugar and will have a silky, smooth but intense texture.