Château La Fleur-Pétrus 2019

The 2018 vintage is comprised of all 3 plots of LFP, all situated within 1,500 feet of each other, at the highest elevation of Pomerol alongside the other top properties of the appellation. LFP 1, the original block, is made up of large gravelly soil with an iron-rich underlayer, drained by its northerly slope. The great elegance of the wine is what made LFP’s quality reputation, and gave it the distinction as Pomerol’s seductress, if you will. LFP 2 sits in the center of Pomerol and is made up of gravelly clay, which along with the greater warmth the particular block receives, results in a wine of tremendous suppleness and dark fruit character. LFP 3, the southern plot, has a remarkably fine, deep gravelly soil, with natural drainage toward the south, and produces a velvety, dense and structured wine.

Another important point, LFP was the first property to plant Petit Verdot after regulations allowed its planting in order to offset current and future heat increases. Today the estate is planted 91% to Merlot, 6% to Cabernet Franc, and 3% to Petit Verdot.

In the cellar, vinifications are extremely precise but traditional: vinification in concrete and stainless steel, aging in oak barriques for 18-22 months (50% new) with great care to limit oxidation.

The wine has its trademark focused and elegant red fruit complemented by the black and earthy fruit, power and depth the wine has taken on in recent years. The tannins and structure build and unfold so gracefully, it is the epitome of what great Pomerol should display.

Globally, 2019 was the warmest year on record. The winter of 2019 was mild, with limited rain and only three days of frost. Spring was mild and temperatures were near-normal for the season, with abundant rainfall at the end of April and again between June 5th and June 18th. Despite the rain, the vineyards remained in a very good state throughout the year. The summer stood in sharp contrast to the rainy spring with limited rainfall. The summer of 2019 will be best remembered for two heatwaves at the end of June and then from July 22nd to 24th. The red grape harvest began on September 18th in ideal conditions, and the Merlot grapes were perfectly ripe and concentrated when picked. A weather disturbance between September 22nd and the 29th did not affect the health of the grapes and allowed them to ripen more slowly under conditions that were less aggressive for the vines, better preserving the acidity levels, with ultimately not too high levels of alcohol. The grapes picked between the end of September and the beginning of October benefited from the concentration developed after veraison.