2008 Lafleur
By Chateau Lafleur
2008 Lafleur from Chateau Lafleur, Pomerol, Bordeaux
The compelling 2008 Lafleur from Chateau Lafleur represents a testament to the resilience and adaptive cultivation practices of this esteemed Pomerol estate. Notwithstanding the challenging climatic vagaries of the vintage year, Chateau Lafleur's dauntless winemaking triumphs in delivering a wine of profound elegance and balance.
Navigating Nature's Caprice: The 2008 Triumph
One must tip the hat to the dedicated vignerons who contended with 2008's early season humidity and shifted seamlessly into a seemingly salvational September sun. This hydrothermal rollercoaster sculpted the grapes into an assembly of complexity not customarily present in more temperate years. The ripeness of fruit is laudably synchronous with an undergirding acidity which, for collectors and investors alike, signals exceptional ageing potential.
The Lyrical Qualities of a Mercurial Vintage
Suffused with a regal dark fruit core, the 2008 Lafleur elegantly courts the nose with an ensemble of black cherry and cassis, accented by the terroir-resonant truffle undertones so cherished in Pomerol wines. This vintage articulates its narrative through silken tannins – an impressive feat given the year's earlier trepidations. On the palate, there is an unhurried release of flavors: espresso whispers yield to graphite notes, all intertwined with a subtle herbaceous quality evocative of the Bordelais spirit.
As a paragon of fine wine investment, this 2008 Lafleur articulates value through its vigour and cellaring proficiency. This wine is a collected moment in time – poised remarkably well for longevity – ensuring it remains one of the venerated benchmarks within investor cellars as it graciously ascends towards its apogee.
Embodied Elegance: A Chronicle Written in Vines
In essence, this vintage captures an intricate ballet between winemaker's artistry and nature’s will. It bespeaks a year where every weathered challenge was met with consummate skill, resulting ultimately in a wine that mirrors the resilient beauty of its origin. The 2008 vintage underlines why Chateau Lafleur persists as one of Pomerol’s luminaries and reaffirms its illustrious standing among investors who prize rarity married with remarkable quality. Select aficionados who anchor their portfolio with bottles such as the 2008 Lafleur from Chateau Lafleur understand that they're not just investing in a superb wine; they are curating history, complexity, and beauty in liquid form.
Current market price
$9,090.00
12x75cl
Highest score
96
POP score
341.25
Scores and tasting notes
Tasted at John Armit's Lafleur seminar in London, the 2008 seems to be shutting up shop a little on the nose with dark berry fruit, cedar and a touch of bell pepper that I have not noticed before. But it still remains taut and linear. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy, firm, dry tannins and superb acidity the cuts through the liquorice-tinged, dark fruit. There is a broodiness to the 2008, a sense of introspection compared to the more outgoing 2008, a solidity to the finish that will take time to soften. It will be interesting to compare this against the 2004 in future years. Tasted April 2012.
Neal Martin - Wine Journal Jul 2012
The 2008 Lafleur is a wine to buy from this very under-rated vintage. A blend of 54% Cabernet Franc and 46% Merlot, the wine has a similar color to the 2010, only less purple. With a beautiful nose of boysenberry , black cherry, damp earth and truffle-like notes in what is clearly a classic style, it is built in a masculine, full-bodied manner along the lines of the 1988 or perhaps 1996. This wine needs a good 5-7 years of cellaring and should keep 30 years. It is certainly one of the most backward 2008s from Pomerol.
Robert Parker Jr - Wine Advocate #194 May 2011