2018, Château La Fleur-Pétrus, POMEROL

Bordeaux Blend: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot

The 2018 La Fleur-Pétrus has a wonderful bouquet that exceeds my expectations, featuring black-truffle-infused black fruit and those juniper berries I noticed out of barrel, all beautifully defined and seeming to blossom in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins. There is a slightly granular texture on the entry, matched with a fine bead of acidity. Very harmonious. A pinch of salted liquorice appears toward the finish, which might lag behind both Trotanoy and Hosanna in terms of complexity, but delivers impressive persistence. 94 Neal Martin, Vinous (2021)

The 2018 La Fleur-Pétrus is positively rapturous, just as it was from barrel. Mother Nature appears to have taken all the signatures of this site and turned up the volume. Loud. Rich and beautifully layered, La Fleur-Pétrus dazzles with magnificent richness and a finish that is eternal. Blood orange, mint, rose petal, spice and sweet red berry fruit build over time. I can't remember tasting a better young La Fleur-Pétrus. Give it a few years to shed some baby fat. Magnificent. 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous (2021)

A blend of 91% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2018 la Fleur-Petrus has a medium garnet-purple colour and a slightly closed-down nose to begin, soon unfurling to reveal earthy notions of black truffles, mossy tree bark and damp soil, over a core of plum preserves, wild blueberries and redcurrants, plus a fragrant waft of menthol lilacs. The medium to full-bodied palate has the most gorgeous, velvety texture with well-knit freshness giving lift to the densely packed black fruit and earthy layers, finishing with a beguiling perfume. Stunning. Give it a good 3-4 years in bottle and drink it over the next 30 years or more. 97+ Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate (2021)

There is ton to enjoy here. It's gorgeous, ripped and muscular, with beautifully sculpted fruits as it opens. Some over-concentration on the finish perhaps, with slight fig and prune notes against the juicier damson and black cherry. Still, this is a gorgeous wine that will age well. 95 Jane Anson, Decanter (2020)

Drinking Window: 2023 - 2045