France

Merlot

Cabernet Franc

Ch. Lafleur

Les Perrieres Chateau Lafleur Bordeaux Superieur

Bordeaux

Bordeaux Supérieur

Deep ruby colour, high floral aromatics, sinewy texture, salinity and grace. A touch of austerity, clear floral character here, iris, peony, chamomile tea, redcurrant, gunsmoke, a curl of grilled sage, this unfurls through the palate with grip on the finish, tension, chalk texture. Harvest 25 September to 3 October. Lafleur team working under Julie and Baptiste Guinaudeau.

Inside Bordeaux

Deep garnet-purple colored. Races out of the glass with energetic scents of red currant jelly, Bing cherries, and red roses, leading to hints of pencil shavings and charcoal. The medium-bodied palate delivers a rock-solid backbone of super-fine-grained tannins and bold freshness supporting the red berry and floral layers, finishing very long and minerally. Gorgeous!

by Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

Fragrant tomato leaf, peony, fresh tobacco, with a saline hit from the first moments that runs through the blueberry fruits. This is a fascinating Les Perrières, really one that those who follow this label will be interested in getting hold of, because it is entirely Cabernet Franc for the first time. It's a little austere, as you might expect, but then this wine often is in its early years due to its limestone soils, and there is a purity and vibrancy underneath the fruit that is stunning, and roots you to the spot. Huge energy, vertical lift, wonderful. 33% new oak for ageing.

Vitality, freshness, grip and length, this is an unusual interpretation of the vintage, reflecting not only the limestone soils on this spot located in the Fronsac area (although not bottled under the AOC), but also the deft viticulture and winemaking that you find from the Guineaudeau family, and the high percentage of Cabernet Franc in the blend. The colour is still hitting the inky depths that you find everywhere in this year, but a blue fruit and steel character greets you on the opening, and the tannins are finely boned, leading to a saline signoff. Continues to prove that Les Perrières is one of the most interesting new ventures in the region. 33% new oak.

A blend of 38% Merlot and 62% Cabernet Franc (Bouchet), the 2021 Les Perrieres from Chateau Lafleur has a medium to deep garnet-purple color. It starts off a little shy, soon unfurling to reveal notes of redcurrant preserves, fresh blackberries, and Sichuan pepper, followed by nuances of star anise, underbrush, and wild sage. The medium-bodied palate is very tightly wound, with vibrant red berry and savory layers, framed by fine-grained tannins and great tension, finishing on a lingering, peppery note.

A blend of 70% Cabernet Franc and 30% Merlot, the 2020 Les Perrieres is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs a fair bit of swirling to unlock earthy/broody scents of tar, black truffles, smoked meats, and crushed rocks, leading to a core of black cherries and stewed plums, plus a waft of chalk dust. The full-bodied palate is wonderfully bright and energetic, featuring vibrant black fruits with great tension and very fine-grained tannins, finishing long and minerally.

The 2019 Les Perrieres is composed of 2/3 Bouchet (Cabernet Franc) and 1/3 Merlot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it opens with considerable oak scents on the nose followed by a core of red and black plums, plus suggestions of fruitcake and Indian spices. The full-bodied palate is packed with oak-laced fruit, supported by chewy tannins and a lively backbone, finishing savory.

As ever it's the architecture in the mouth with Perrières that is immediately arresting, marking it out with its chalky tannins, core of cold ash, gunsmoke, blond tobacco, blueberry and redcurrant fruits, a freshness that belies the heat of the vintage, and a salty scrape on the finish. It took five years of looking for the right site before the Guinaudeau family began to make Les Perrières, and even then it was bottled under the name Acte until they were sure it was working. The site here is 80m above sea level, close to Fronsac and around 1C cooler than in Pomerol. A wonderful wine, 50% new oak.

2024	No priceNot available	Outstanding
2023	No priceNot available	Outstanding
2022	No priceNot available	Outstanding
2021	kr 871,40Available	Outstanding
2020	No priceNot available	Outstanding

Category	Red wine
Vinmonopolet no.
Producer	Ch. Lafleur
Vintages	2024
Country	France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur
Bottle	75 cl

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Sugar	g/l

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