Château La Fleur 2018

Cloves and coffee beans give this wine a gourmet twist, and it majors on enjoyable damson and cherry fruit. It’s intensely structured and driven by its tannins. Owned by the Dassault group, with Michel Rolland consulting. A 30 hl/ha yield added to the concentration in this wine. Harvested from 20 September to 11 October.

Crushed blueberries and blackberries on the nose with some vanilla. Full-bodied with a juicy, fleshy texture and a hint of ink. Savory finish with solid length. Chewy at the end. Drink after 2024.

Round, fruity, and sweet, but lacking in complexity. Still, the chewy fruit on the finish has charm. Best suited for early drinking pleasure.

Youthful, dark inky purple color. Pure nose showing a touch of new oak, wild berries, plum and cassis with some dry spiciness. The palate is dense with a youthful texture, rich in tannins but with no hard edges, offering good layers of dark fruit, finely integrated oak and good persistence.

Estate of 27.5 ha (26.5 ha in production) located on the northern plateau of Saint-Emilion. Clay-limestone soils. The average age of the vines is 33 years. Aged in new barrels (75%) and one-wine barrels (25%) for 15 to 16 months depending on the plots. Bouquet of good intensity revealing notes of blackcurrant, a touch of chocolate and chalky nuances. Creamy, fruit-driven palate. The wine has finely grained, well-integrated tannins. Its structure brings freshness across the palate and supports the aromatic expression through to the finish.

The nose is fruity and offers fine intensity/power, delicate freshness, and density (with finesse). It reveals notes of fleshy/pulpy blackcurrant, Boysenberry, and, more slightly, crushed strawberry, together with small touches of crushed blueberry, small black berries, lilac, hints of licorice, subtle hints of camphor and black pepper, and a discreet hint of toast. The palate is fruity, balanced, and offers a tangy backbone, juiciness, silkiness, lovely fine grain, definition, dynamism, elegance, a touch of straightness, density, and a certain indulgence. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy/radiant blackcurrant, pulpy blackberry and, more slightly, juicy/tangy small black berries, combined with touches of juicy purple plum, as well as a hint of toast, licorice, camphor, cocoa/coffee, a very discreet hint of lilac/lily, and toast. Good length. The tannins are fine, elegant, and straight.

Plenty of dark, unsweetened cocoa powder, with some ripe plum and black cherry. A juicy style that’s both powerful and cool, with fine tannins and good freshness. Cohesive overall and simply packed with power.

This full-bodied wine has firm tannins and a smoky perfume from the 20% Cabernet Franc in the blend. The ripe structure promises good aging to bring out the rich blackberry fruits. Drink from 2022.