A striking wine from the limestone plateau of Fronsac planted with massale selections from Lafleur, the 2019 Les Perrières de Lafleur is indecently good. Bursting with aromas of raspberries, violets, warm spices and rose petals, it's full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a racy, tensile profile and a long, intensely mineral finish. Les Perrières de Lafleur is compelling testimony to the primacy of vine genetics over age, as the Cabernet Franc here is a mere 3-4 years old and the Merlot 7-8, yet the resulting wine already boasts incredible intensity and character. It certainly puts the "Supérieur" in the appellation "Bordeaux Supérieur."

An incredible Fronsac that readers should seek out is the 2019 Les Perrieres De Lafleur, which comes from a massale selection of vines from Château Lafleur planted on the clay and limestone soils of the Fronsac plateau. A mix of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, it has a darker ruby hue to go with a gorgeous perfume of black raspberries, darker cherries, sappy herbs, flowers, and forest floor. Gorgeous on the palate as well, this medium to full-bodied beauty has ultra-fine tannins, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. It's a joy to drink today, yet it has another 15+ years of longevity ahead of it.

The 2019 Les Perrières de Lafleur is too oaky on the nose and this masks the terroir expression. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins, graphite infused black fruit with a strict and structured finish redeemed by satisfying freshness. A bit "serious" for a Pomerol at this level, but it may surprise with bottle age. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.