Chateau Lafleur   Lafleur

2007 Lafleur

By Chateau Lafleur

2007 Lafleur from Chateau Lafleur, Pomerol, Bordeaux

The biodynamically reared 2007 Lafleur from Chateau Lafleur stands as a testament to the resilience and exceptional adaptability of Pomerol's microclimate amidst Bordeaux's challenging vintages. Born from a year that tested viticulturists and vintners with its capricious weather patterns, this vintage encapsulates an unanticipated elegance, often overlooked due to the shadow cast by the illustrious years that flank it.

 

Vintage Variations: A Distinctive Expression

2007 across Bordeaux was a grower's conundrum, ending in a harvester's race against time. The dry winter led to an early bud break, but the ensuing cool, damp summer slowed vine development, necessitating astute canopy management and precise timing of the harvest. However, Pomerol's exceptional terroir – with its heat-retaining iron-rich clay – allowed the Merlot grape, a predominant varietal in this blend, enough vigor and maturity to develop its complex character.

It is in this interplay of challenge and terroir where the 2007 Lafleur finds its voice: a gracefully maturing vintage that now reveals a refined tapestry of flavors. The bouquet offers a mélange of dark berries and hints of savory truffle, underscored by softer, tertiary notes of leather and moist earth as it subtly speaks of its phase in evolution.

The experience on the palate is nuanced—a taut balance between acidity and tannins provides structure without overshadowing the delicate layering of fruit and spice. The finish is contemplative – lingering enough to affirm its place among Pomerol's admirable outcomes from a trying year.

 

The Investment Case for 2007 Lafleur

For savvy fine wine investors, the 2007 Lafleur presents an atypical proposition. Against broader market expectations for more acclaimed vintages, it emerges as a dark horse—a vintage whose subtle complexity and maturity now surprise and delight earnest collectors. Its poise today indeed reinforces Chateau Lafleur's reputation for crafting wines that navigate through Bordeaux’s climatic vagaries with grace and finesse.

In conclusion, while 2007 may not stand in the common echelon of great Bordeaux years, the 2007 Lafleur from Chateau Lafleur asserts its uniqueness. It is a wine for those inclined towards the nuance rather than the fanfare—a mature Pomerol offering layered conversations between sipper and glass.

Market price (GBP)

£5,040.00

12x75cl

Highest score

92

POP score

420

Scores and tasting notes

92

Tasted from an ex-chateau bottle at the Lafleur vertical dinner at Attersee in Austria. This 2007 is a real turn up for the books. It has a dusty, slightly foursquare bouquet with cedar and graphite infusing the carapace of blackberry and raspberry fruit. It is well defined but certainly very conservative. The palate is medium-bodied with a dense, introverted entry. Just when you think it is not going to perform up to the estate's usual standards, it dovetails into this gorgeous, corpulent, Merlot-driven finish this is pure and primal. Amazing how last year this 2007 was so closed and unyielding. Perhaps this will not be so much of a long-term Lafleur, but it is very delicious. Tasted June 2012.

Neal Martin - Wine Journal Sep 2013

90

Delicious aromas and flavors of kirsch and licorice emerge from the dark ruby-hued 2007 Lafleur (a blend of 53% Merlot and 47% Cabernet Franc). It is a medium-bodied, round, luscious cuvee revealing more density than most of its peers. Drink it over the next 10-15 years.

Robert Parker Jr - Wine Advocate #188 April 2010

Vintage performance