Chateau Lafleur, Pomerol 2008

Tasted with Baptiste Guinaudeau, the 2008 Lafleur is a wine for which I have a lot of time, and as it approaches a decade old, it is beginning to loosen up a little. There is plenty of fruit on the nose more than I have encountered on previous bottles, with a mixture of red and black fruit and a hint of bell pepper and sage. The main difference is that those previously rigid tannins have loosened their collar in recent months; therefore, this Lafleur is now entertaining the notion of drinkability. There remains a linearity to this Lafleur and there is still that backbone yet it seems to flow nicely across the mouth, and there is superb minerality on the finish. It's probably destined to be overshadowed by the succeeding two vintages, but I suggest you do not overlook the 2008 Lafleur.

The 2008 Lafleur, a blend of 54% Cabernet Franc and 46% Merlot, offers extraordinarily pure notes of raspberries, kirsch, flowers, and subtle forest floor nuances. A wine of exceptional purity and full-bodied intensity that remains light on its feet because of its fresh acids and lower pH, it represents a denser, more complete version of the 1988 and 1996. Built for the long haul, purchasers will need at least a decade of patience before pulling a cork. It should keep for 40-50 years thereafter.