Les Perrières (Lafleur) 2018

The 2018 Les Perrieres de Lafleur is a blend of 49% Merlot and 51% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it prances out of the glass with wonderfully gregarious notes of kirsch, Black Forest cake and wild blueberries, followed by hints of menthol, rose hip tea and underbrush. The medium to full-bodied palate is packed with energy-charged red and black fruit layers, supported by exquisitely ripe, fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and fragrant. Mmmm, that is good! Drink: 2024 - 2040This is the first vintage of this wine under its new name, and there's an interesting story behind the project. The Guinaudeau family had the vision to plant a new vineyard—in the hamlet of Meyney, on the southwest crest of the limestone plateau of Fronsac—to selected vine cuttings from their Lafleur vineyard in Pomerol, most notably, their prized "Bouchet" vines, which is the traditional name for Cabernet Franc in this area. For the first nine harvests in production, the wines were available under the "Acte" numbers. Now that the vineyard and the family's understanding of it have reached maturity, this new label is born.

Tasted blind. Sweet, floral nose. Tough, dry finish. Very embryonic. 15%Drink 2028 – 2043

Formerly releases as the Act # series, the 2018 Les Perrieres De Lafleur gets its own name in 2018 as the team at Lafleur felt it finally met their expectations. Translating to the “stones of Lafleur,” the vineyard for this wine, which is mostly limestone, was planted from a massal selection from the Lafleur vineyard in Pomerol starting in 2005 and 2006. The first “Act” release was in 2009, and today this is a brilliant wine as well as one of the finest Fronsacs out there. Its ruby/purple color is followed by a beautiful bouquet of crème de cassis, kirsch liqueur, white flowers, and earthy minerality. Medium to full-bodied, incredibly floral and elegant on the palate, with ultra-fine tannins, it’s going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for 15+. If you find a bottle of this, you should buy it.