La Fleur Pétrus 2016

Dark crimson. Floral and complex bouquet that's not as dense as Hosanna's. The personality is not as clear. I wonder how many parcels went into this wine? Solid but not thrilling performance. Very dry end. Drink 2025-2040

Fragrant the nose has violets the palate rich with ripe fruit brooding depth fleshy black plum. The tannins are fine and integrated sweet ripe fruit giving generosity and depth at the back the finish has concentrated black fruits. 2025-40

One of my favourite Pomerols in 2016, this is a dense, complex, nuanced wine with remarkable structure, depth of flavour and focus. The tannins caress the tongue here, supported by aromatic oak, bright acidity and layers of savoury berry fruit. 2026-40

The 2016 La Fleur-Petrus has a wonderful, beautifully defined bouquet of detailed blackberry, briar, truffle and ferrous scents that unfurl in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity. There is a gracefulness about this Pomerol that belies the persistence and sapidity that keep you coming back for more. Excellent. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. 2024 - 2048

The 2016 La Fleur-Pétrus has a straitlaced, conservative bouquet at first, but it gradually opens up with aeration to reveal blackberry and bilberry aromas and hints of crushed stone and rose petal. The palate is smooth and supple, with an almost citrus-like freshness. This is an energetic, joyful La Fleur-Pétrus, fanning out beautifully toward the sensual, slightly tart finish. It shows signs of melioration in barrel, and though I feel that the 2015 is better, it's still a damn good Pomerol. Drink 2024-2048

The 2016 La Fleur Petrus is a blend of 91% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc. I prefer the aromatics here compared to the Latour-à-Pomerol and Hosanna: much more fruit (raspberry coulis and crushed strawberry), allied with mineralité and a sense of joie-de-vivre. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, supple tannin. It offers black fruit infused with melted tar and graphite notes, the Cabernet Franc imparting a very subtle bell pepper note towards the finish. This is a very fine La Fleur Petrus, not as flamboyant as the 2015, yet pretty and sophisticated.Drink Date 2021 - 2045

So much to this and it shows the magic of Pomerol. Full-bodied, layered and tannic with all the energy and focus of a great vintage from this estate. Superb.

Blended of 91% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc, the medium garnet-purple colored 2016 la Fleur-Petrus reveals stunning Black Forest cake, redcurrant jelly and wilted roses scents with underlying suggestions of pencil shavings, yeast extract, dark chocolate and cloves. Medium to full-bodied, the mid-palate possesses superb intensity and depth with layers of perfumed black fruits and loads of red fruit sparks framed by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing on a lingering earthy note.Drink Date2021 - 2048

It's been fascinating to watch the progression of this wine over the past few years as they have pushed out the less interesting parcels and pulled in those of Guillot and Providence. It is now a very complete footprint of 18.7ha around the 'plateau', not dropping below 30 metres (their definition of a plateau). This is now without a doubt one of the true stars of the appellation, planted to 91% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc on gravel and deep clay on an iron-rich subsoil. There are no corners cut here at all. It pulls you in with a seductive caress of violet and peony notes, then fills up the mid-palate with black cherry and bilberry, rounding it off with slate and cool ash. Tightly controlled and perfectly extracted.Drinking Window 2027 - 2050