Château Lafleur Gazin Château Lafleur Gazin
Pomerol, France
Vintage:2022 (Current)
2012 (Past) | 2014 (Past) | 2015 (Past) | 2016 (Past) | 2017 (Past) | 2018 (Current) | 2020 (Current) | 2021 (Current) |
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Reviews
The Wine Advocate 91 Points
Exhibiting aromas of sweet raspberries, cedary oak and spices, the 2022 Lafleur-Gazin is medium to full-bodied, sweet and fleshy, with powdery tannins and a minty finish.
Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points
I loved the 2022 Château Lafleur-Gazin, a spicy, layered, remarkably complex Pomerol that has a rocking core of ripe red and black cherries, medium to full body, a round, layered, yet still focused and precise mouthfeel, and classic Pomerol leafy herbs, chocolate, and earthy goodness on the nose. I love it even today given its balance and elegance, yet I see no reason this shouldn't evolve gracefully over the coming 20-25 years.
JamesSuckling.com 95 Points
Sweet plums and savory tobacco with a touch of grilled oranges. Medium- to full-bodied, this has well-etched, chalky tannins and a compact, lengthy finish. Opulent and not high in acid, but there is still a sense of freshness. Drink from 2026.
Decanter 93 Points
A richly scented nose, heady aromatics of ripe fruit and exotic spices. Soft and caressing on the palate, this has a nice juiciness and sense of lift despite the clear concentration of ripe, dark fruits. It's powerful but the acidity helps it to not become oppressive. A touch of alcohol comes in towards the finish giving some heat and toasted spice which needs to settle. A bit restricted and compact right now but nice promise.
Wine Spectator 92 Points
Silky and fresh, with spice-tinged raspberry and blackberry coulis notes that stretch out over the fine-grained structure. Offers pretty tea and singed wood hints on the finish. Drink now through 2035.
Overview
Situated on the northern edge of the plateau of Pomerol, nestled between Château Gazin and Château La Fleur-Pétrus, this wine has been produced by Ets. Jean-Pierre Moueix since 1976.
The vineyard (averaging 30 years of age), is planted on soils varying from gravel to clay to silt, allowing for a very elegant expression of Merlot. The vineyard management and vinification are carried out traditionally and with great care, producing a plump, supple, fleshy wine with ripe fruit and silky tannins.
Château Lafleur-Gazin is certificed HVE 3.
Winemaking
In thermoregulated concrete and stainless steel vats. Gentle and controlled maceration and extraction. 16 to 18 months in French oak barrels, of which 30-40% are new.
Tasting Notes
Eminently approachable, even in its youth, Lafleur-Gazin is a delightful expression of the lighter style of Pomerol wines.
Harvest Notes
The winter of 2021-2022 was mild, dry, and rather sunny. December was the only month with surplus precipitations (+50%).
A few nights with negative temperatures in early April forced us to protect our vineyards against frost, but otherwise spring was relatively mild leading into a very hot and dry summer. Remarkably intense and unusually long heat waves followed one another (June 15-19: high of 40.5°C, July 12-15: high of 40.1°C, July 31-August 13: high of 39.2°C).
Fortunately, we received 80 mm of rain at the end of June and a few showers on July 20 (15 mm) and August 15 (10 mm) that helped the vines withstand the summer drought and enabled balanced ripening of the grapes.
Observation and understanding the reactions of the vine to the climatic constraints allowed us to adapt our viticultural methods. We did not practice leaf removal in the first half of the summer in order to preserve enough shade to protect the grapes from the sun and avoid stewed fruit aromas. Precise grooming and green harvesting allowed us to adapt the yields to the extreme climatic conditions of this vintage. The skins grew thick, the tannins soft and the fruit intense.
Harvest took place from September 5-23 under favorable conditions, with optimal maturity reached on most parcels.
Technical Information
Varietals: 100% Merlot
Acres: 21 acres acres
Soil Composition: Gravel, clay and silt
Average Vine Age: 30 years