Wow. The blackberry, dried-flower and orange-peel aromas are so impressive at first, but then they go to black truffle and wet earth. Full-bodied with a solid core of powerful yet fine-grained tannins. It goes on for minutes. A very muscular La Fleur-Pétrus. Drink after 2025.
99 points, JamesSuckling.com (December 2019)
The 2016 Château La Fleur-Petrus is more regal and elegant, with an incredibly floral quality in its red and blue fruits, crushed rock, forest floor, and graphite-tinged aromas and flavors. This medium to full-bodied, rich, layered effort has notable structure, integrated acidity, beautiful balance, and a rock star finish. This is pure class and a thrilling La Fleur Petrus that needs 4-5 years of bottle age and will cruise for 2-3 decades.
98 points, JebDunnuck.com (February 2019)
Blended of 91% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc, the medium garnet-purple colored 2016 la Fleur-Petrus reveals stunning Black Forest cake, redcurrant jelly and wilted roses scents with underlying suggestions of pencil shavings, yeast extract, dark chocolate and cloves. Medium to full-bodied, the mid-palate possesses superb intensity and depth with layers of perfumed black fruits and loads of red fruit sparks framed by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing on a lingering earthy note.
97 points, Wine Advocate (December 2018)
The 2016 La Fleur-Pétrus soars out of the glass with striking aromatics. Light on its feet yet also quite fleshy, the 2016 has so much to offer. Blood orange and floral notes add brightness to the red-toned fruit in this silky, beautifully nuanced Pomerol. The 2016 is rich, dense and spectacularly beautiful, with a persistent, saline-drenched finish that makes it hard to resist a second taste.
97 points, Vinous (January 2019)
The 2016 La Fleur-Petrus has a wonderful, beautifully defined bouquet of detailed blackberry, briar, truffle and ferrous scents that unfurl in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity. There is a gracefulness about this Pomerol that belies the persistence and sapidity that keep you coming back for more. Excellent. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
95 points, Vinous (August 2020)
This wine comes from a large (for Pomerol) 46-acre vineyard. It has weight and density as well as dark tannins and rich black fruits. It shows great style with its beautifully integrated tannins. This wine will age well, ready to drink from 2025.
95 points, Wine Enthusiast (May 2019)
Ripe and warm in feel, with an alluring mix of creamy textured cherry, red currant and raspberry reduction notes, mixed with black tea and incense accents. Features a buried spine of graphite, with a hint of Turkish coffee lurking at the very end. Best from 2022 through 2036.
94 points, Wine Spectator (March 2019)
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.
