Chateau Pensees de Lafleur 2017

Pensees de Lafleur 2017 from Pomerol is absolutely exquisite. It is perhaps the most Lafleur like Pensees to date with a dash more Cabernet Franc than normal (48%). Pensees always comes from a 0.5 hectare seam that cuts a diagonal strip across the vineyard. There is a clear dip here, which exposes a more normal Pomerol terroir without the top layer of gravel. The Cabernet really sings with aromas of violets, tobacco, cloves and minerals. It really is quite haunting. On the palate, the fruit profile remains floral and fluid with layers of fine cassis and cranberry. This is so complete and seductive, a thoroughly sleek and cohesive wine from a wonderful terroir. Exceptional.

95 Points - James Suckling    Deep, dark berries with lots of tree bark, black tea and dark chocolate. Medium-to full-body and enveloped by fine, polished tannins that give it form and focus. Try after 2023, yet very approachable even now.

94 Points - Jeb Dunnuck    The second wine of Chateau Lafleur which comes from a small, clay-dominated part of the estate vineyard, the 2017 Pensees De Lafleur is 53% Merlot and 47% Bouchet aged 15-16 months in 20-25% new barrels. Its deeper ruby color is followed by a beautiful bouquet of black raspberries, leafy herbs, damp earth, and hints of chocolate as well as a beautiful sense of minerality. Playing in the medium to full-bodied end of the spectrum, it has a gorgeous texture, impressive concentration, fine yet building tannins, and a great finish. The tannins here are brilliant, and this is simply pure class. Drink it over the coming 15-20 years.

94 Points - Vinous    The 2017 Pensées de Lafleur is simply stunning. Tasting it today, I can only conclude that Pensées is obviously more complete and enthralling than many Grand Vins in this vintage. Explosive, deep and beautifully resonant, the Pensées shows tremendous depth and energy, not to mention so much character. What else can I say, except that I absolutely loved it.

93 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate     The 2017 Pensées de Lafleur is a blend of 52% Merlot and 48% Cabernet Franc. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it springs from the glass with vivacious scents of exotic spices—cassia, fenugreek, cumin seed and star anise—over a core of black raspberries, wild blueberries and Black Forest cake plus a waft of roses. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is filled with juicy black fruits and loads of spicy sparks, framed by firm, finely grained tannins and a lively backbone, finishing on a lingering iron ore note.

92 Points - Decanter    The 1,500 candles in the vineyards (as with Petrus and VCC) were effective against the frost here, and as with much of the region the water stress was causing concern until rain at the end of June, which got everything growing again. The dry July and August saw no extreme temperatures, certainly more moderate than 2015, and the picking took place over two periods, with the Merlot on 16 September and the Cabernet Franc on 29 September. Those bouncy tannins are really defined, and this is a fairly serious take on Les Pensées de Lafleur, with accentuated power and tension that comes from its 0.69ha of clay soils (compared to the gravels elsewhere in the 4.58ha vineyard). Good persistency, and lovely floral edging.