The fruit in this is superb, with an al-dente character to the grapes that were perfectly ripe when picked. Surprising openness on the nose, showing blackberries, violet, caramel and cedar with just a hint of chocolate. Turns to tobacco and earth. Medium to full body with creamy tannins and a vivid finish. Pristine through to the end. 54% bouchet (cabernet franc) and 46% merlot.

The 2023 Lafleur is one of a small number of contenders for the title of wine of the vintage and it's one 2023 that appears to surpass its 2022 counterpart. Wafting from the glass with aromas of blackberries cherries and plums mingled with hints of licorice violets and mint it's full-bodied deep and layered with a concentrated core of lively succulent pure fruit framed by beautifully refined tannins concluding with a long fragrant finish. Its exquisite structure intensity without weight and ineffable harmony mark it out as a great Lafleur and one that will be worth a special effort to seek out. It's a blend of 56% Cabernet Franc and 46% Merlot.

Plums, black raspberries, flowers, boysenberries, tobacco, and truffles create the nose. On the palate, the wine pops with its layers of bright, sweet, ripe, and energetic red fruits, cigar wrapper, and chewy black cherries. This is a classic vintage of Lafleur which exchanges its opulence, and power for lift, refinement, concentration, length, and complexity. The wine requires at least a decade, or even more time in the bottle before it is ready, and enjoyable to drink. The estate calls their 2023 a wine from an extreme vintage, without any extremes. The wine blends 54% Cabernet Franc, and 46% Merlot. 14.2% ABV, 3.75 pH. Harvesting took place for the Merlot September 7, 8, Cabernet Franc was harvested September 17. Drink from 2030-2065. 97-99 Pts

Iris and violet flowers greet you on the opening beats, and it's a little more open at this early stage than is sometimes the case with this most profound of wines. Combines deep and creamy cassis and blueberry fruits with pumice-scraping tannins, vibrant and humming through the palate. There are, as ever, hidden depths here that show through the cocoa bean and espresso as it opens up, and this still needs a good 8 to 10 years before reaching its peak. 25% new oak for ageing.

The 2023 Lafleur was picked from September 7 to 17 and is the usual blend of roughly equal parts Bouchets (Cabernet Franc) and Merlot. It has a very backward nose at first only reluctantly opening. Tobacco and touches of shucked oyster shell surface with air. This is a more tertiary bouquet—completely different in style to the neighboring Pétrus. The palate is very linear and strict like the nose fresh with a tincture of dark chocolate and wrapped up with black fruit black pepper and a touch of tea leaves toward the finish. The Bouchets is very expressive on the close and it lingers beautifully. This is not a flamboyant Lafleur—it is very reflective of the growing season perhaps a more cerebral wine that will be fascinating to observe as it ages. This is one of the few profound wines this vintage yet it’s still a challenge. This is a wine for those who like cryptic crosswords and Pomerol.

Dark ripe fruits and some savoury touches of tobacco, dark chocolate and clove with wet stones. Violets and irises come in after a few minutes. Nice depth and weight straight away, this has concentration but nothing overdone. Lots of freshness and zing, it’s finessed for sure and it’s impactful in terms of brightness and flavour, but it doesn’t have so much outward fleshy charm that it can have. It’s linear and straight with a slow expansion of elements that comes after a few minutes. Well crafted and long, this stays with you. Beautifully constructed for the vintage but not the most demonstrate which is quite usual for Lafleur. However, this has refinement and is a really ‘classic’ example. High acidity, bite and tang. It’s missing a touch of star power right now but there’s no doubt of careful sculpting and enjoyable bite.

The 2023 Lafleur is a wine of elegance and restraint at this stage. Pretty aromatics open first leading to an expressive core of red and purplish-toned fruit. Today the 2023 is a wine of reserve more than anything else. It strikes me as a bit light relative to most recent years. 2033-2063

54% Bouchet (Cabernet Franc), 46% Merlot. Cask sample. Complex but restrained. Has real density but with everything contained. Very fine tannins – powerful but not punishing. Long and focused with quite a bit of energy but all under wraps at the moment. (JL)

The 2023 Lafleur is just as compelling in bottle as it was in cask. Deep, complex and resonant, it unwinds in the glass to reveal notes of cherries, raspberry liqueur, iris, violets and mint. Full-bodied, supple and velvety, with a suave attack that segues into an enveloping, vibrant, mouth-filling mid-palate, it exhibits breathtaking purity and harmony.

A smoking 2023 that highlights the complexity and nuances of this château, the 2023 Château Lafleur offers redcurrants, assorted red fruits, spicy herbs, smoky tobacco, cassis, and flowers on the nose. Based on 54% Cabernet Franc and 46% Merlot and aged 15 months in barrel (25% new and 75% once-used), it's medium to full-bodied and has a gorgeously layered, seamless mouthfeel, incredible purity, and outstanding length. The supple, layered character here is truly gorgeous, and it's clearly one of the top handful of wines in the vintage, as well as a perfect wine. Drink 2030-2060.