A tremendous achievement by Hubert de Bouard, the 2000 La Plus de la Fleur de Bouard (a 420-case luxury cuvee) is a blend of 80% Merlot and the rest primarily Cabernet Franc and a dollop of Cabernet Sauvignon. Filled with richness and intensity, with elegance, harmony, and poise, it is one of the top wines of the vintage. Sadly, very little is available. Approachable, with a velvety texture as well as abundant notes of blueberries, coffee, black currants, kirsch, smoke, and licorice, it is a massive, rich (but not heavy) wine that should drink well for another 10-15 years.

Bright saturated ruby. Superripe aromas of blackberry, kirsch and oaky torrefaction, lifted by a floral note. Sweet, dense and chocolatey, with superripe yet lively flavors of dark berries, bitter chocolate and minerals. Remarkably dense tannins contribute to the wine's vivacity and grip without coming across as dry or excessive. Very long and ripe on the back end, with superripe but lively flavors. The index of polyphenols here is a mere 94! This is 14.6% alcohol; the wine remained on its lees, without batonnage, until September of 2001, and will not be bottled until the end of this year. Alas, there will be only 3,000 bottles of this stuff.