1999 Chateau Lafleur, Pomerol, Case of 6 btls

VM94 "The 1999 Lafleur was predestined to fall between two lauded vintages—nevertheless, it certainly should not be overlooked. This is what you might term a "useful" vintage that will drink earlier than the 1998 and 2000. The nose is quite savoury and more ferrous, and at one point I wondered whether there was just a touch of Brettanomyces. The palate, though, has fine delineation, a "cool" Pomerol that is shorn of frills by the cooler growing season. Its grainy tannins are tightly wound considering its 26 years of age, yet expressive Cabernet Franc lends a peppery character on the finish. This is ready to go but will continue to drink well for the next 20 to 25 years. Tasted from ex-château magnum at Kate & Kon's 40-Year vertical in Austria. (Drink between 2025-2045)" NM for VM Sep 2025

JA94 "Violet edges flirt with a savoury tomato leaf aromatic. Unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage, in a year when Pomerol had the upper hand, it is still just edging out of its primary phase, full of white pepper and sage spice. Pure and a little austere on the attack, its well-defined layers of raspberry and redcurrant open and fatten halfway through the palate. A slice of history also, as at this point Lafleur was being made by Jacques Guinaudeau but still owned by Marie Robin." JA for DR Jan 2021

Robert Parker writes, "This wine is a brilliant success, it is one of the stars of the vintage. Lafleur's 1999 is atypically powerful and concentrated, with an inky, saturated purple color followed by a sensational nose of black cherry jam intermixed with liquid minerals, raspberries, and licorice. It is super concentrated, extraordinarily pure, with moderately high tannin. This dense, powerful, impressively endowed wine should turn out to be a classic for Lafleur." Published: Apr 29, 2002