"The 2017 La Fleur de Gay is powerful, dense and very oaky, with heavy torrefaction and chocolate notes that dominate. There is not much subtlety here."
88-90 points, Antonio Galloni
"The 2017 La Fleur de Gay offers much more concentration than its sibling La Croix de Gay, the vines located central on the gravel plateau bestowing higher quality fruit: crushed strawberry and cranberry, a touch of truffle and smoke. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, a fine bead of acidity and a fresh finish with good tension and length. This is a very fine La Fleur de Gay that should age well in bottle."
90-92 points, Neal Martin
Pomerol, on the Right Bank of Bordeaux’s Gironde River, produces some of the world’s most sought-after wines, including those from such storied properties as Chateau Petrus. Yet Pomerol, the smallest of the fine-wine-producing districts of Bordeaux, offers no Grand Cru or Premier Cru wines: It’s the most significant Bordeaux appellation not included in any quality ranking. At the time of the historic 1855 Classification of Bordeaux, Right Bank chateaux were considered remote and difficult to travel to, and so were ignored by the merchants who created the classification. (St. Émilion, a notable neighbour on the Right Bank, created its own classification system in 1954.)
Pomerol has managed to do quite well without this form of validation. Pomerol’s predominantly clay soil is ideally suited for Merlot, the primary grape used in the appellation. Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon are also included in Pomerol’s blended red wines. The wines of Pomerol are lush and rich, and generally not as tannic as the Cabernet-based wines of Bordeaux’s Left Bank. Although Pomerol’s very best wines are capable of aging for decades, most are made for immediate consumption. These Merlot-based wines are known for their lush texture, elegance and grace, as well as the softer tannins they offer in comparison to the Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines made elsewhere in Bordeaux.
