Château Lafleur undoubtedly has one of the finest vineyards (4.5 hectares) in the Pomerol appellation. Owned by Marie Robin until her death in 2002, Château Lafleur was subsequently acquired by the Guinaudeau family, who have been active in managing the estate since 1872. In fact, Jacques Guinaudeau has been in charge of Lafleur since 1985. The rectangular-shaped vineyard in a single block is surrounded by prestigious neighbors: Pétrus, La Croix de Gay, Hosanna, Vieux Château Certan, and Gazin. Lafleur has a rather unusual mix of grape varieties for Pomerol: 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet-Franc. Jacques Guinaudeau feels that the soil matters more than the grape variety. A survey showed that Lafleur has five distinct soil types. The three best parts consist of a clay-gravel plot to the south, a more gravelly plot to the southwest, and a clay-sand plot in the north, in front of the château. The remaining two parcels, an eastern plot with sandy-clay-gravel soil and, in the heart of the vineyard, a small, deep rise, are rich in nutriments and water, thus more productive and less quality-oriented. Wine from these two plots are essentially used to produce the 2nd wine, Les Pensées de Lafleur.

In the Bottle

Since the late 1990s, Lafleur has become better-focused and more mineral, but without sacrificing any of the depth or wonderful texture that have made it great. This unique terroir of gravel on clay means that grapes at Château Lafleur always ripen well. Many old vintages, such as 1947, 1961, 1975, 1982, and 1990 prove that Lafleur has always been a superb wine. More recent vintages such as 2000 and 2005 are of similar stature. Classic years such as 2008, 2004, 2001, and even 1999 will delight those wine lovers fortunate to own them in 20 or 30 years. For instance, 1978 and 1979 Lafleur are currently at their peak.

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Chateau Lafleur