Chateau Lafleur 2020

99 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

One of the wines of the vintage, but likely to prove slower evolving and more introverted than its 2019 counterpart, the 2020 Lafleur unwinds in the glass with aromas of cherries, raspberries, kirsch, black truffle, orange zest and vine smoke. Full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, it's deep and concentrated, with a tightly wound core of fruit framed by rich, powdery tannins, concluding with a long, saline finish. This is another magical bottle from an estate that just seems to do everything right. Best after 2030.

98 Points - Decanter

I was, to be honest, a little unsure of how the gravels here would react to the dry summer but the first hit of graphite and smoky berry fruit makes it clear Lafleur has taken the vintage in its stride. This is an excellent wine, barely showing its potential right now - it's a big year, with knitted-down tannins, serious and powerful, not austere so much as layered, complex and full of hidden energy. The floral aromatics curl up after 10 minutes in the glass, as does bitter chocolate and crushed mint.

98+ Points - Vinous

The 2020 Lafleur takes all the elements of this site and dials them up. All of the natural richness and textural intensity of the year comes through in a decidedly flamboyant, opulent Lafleur. It's an immediate Lafleur, that much is obvious. I imagine the classic Lafleur bouquet will develop in bottle, as aeration starts to release some of the classic Bouchet (Cabernet Franc) notes that are such signatures. Today, the sumptuousness of Merlot really drives the wines' balance, with the Bouchet felt mostly in the structural profile. I can't wait to see how this ages. Best After 2030. 

98 Points - Jeb Dunnuck

Looking at the flagship 2020 Chateau Lafleur, it’s based on 54% Merlot and 46% Bouchets (Cabernet Franc) that spent 15 months in just 25% new French oak. This brilliant Pomerol reveals a saturated ruby/purple hue as well as a dense, primordial bouquet of red and black fruits, tobacco leaf, iodine, flowers, and crushed stone-like minerality. A powerful, full-bodied, concentrated Lafleur built for the long haul, it has beautiful overall balance, lots of ripe tannins, and the vintage's focused, pure, structured style front and center. It needs to be forgotten for a solid decade and will evolve for 40 years or more. Best After 2033.

98+ Points - James Suckling

There’s such beautiful clarity to this with freshly crushed grapes, flowers such as violets, and hints of chocolate. Aromatic. Full and linear with refined tannins that give length and focus. Poised. Such brightness.