Chateau La Fleur Petrus Pomerol Bordeaux Wine

Chateau La Fleur Petrus Pomerol, Bordeaux wine producer profile, with wine tasting notes, wine ratings, a history of the property, information on wine making and terroir, along with wine tasting reviews. If you want to read about other important, Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles

Chateau La Fleur Petrus takes its name from its closest neighbors. The Bordeaux wine property is situated less than a stones throw from Petrus. You can also walk to Chateau Lafleur. Not bad company to keep if you’re a chateau located on the famous Pomerol plateau.

In 1953, Chateau La Fleur Petrus was purchased by Jean-Pierre Moueix from the Garet family. Prior to that purchase, La Fleur Petrus was the property of numerous owners and dates back to 1782, the year the chateau on the property was built. Going back as far as the late 1800′s, Chateau La Fleur Petrus began to earn a reputation in the late 19th century, when it owned by the Constant family. The Constant’s were well established in Pomerol, as they also owned the well-known and respected estate of Chateau Clinet. At the time, in the early years of the estate, the wines were sold under the name Petrus Lafleur. Petrus Lafleur eventually passed to the Pineau family. It was under their ownership that the name was changed to Chateau La Fleur Petrus. The Pineau family sold ChateauLa Fleur Petrus to the Garet family, who as I mentioned earlier, sold the Right Bank estate to Ets. Moueix.

While Chateau La Fleur Petrus had cachet before it was bought by Moueix, the wine clearly improved when it was taken over by the Moueix family. Shortly after the vineyard was purchased, the vineyards were decimated and had to be replanted after the 1956 frost. Chateau La Fleur Petrus increased their Bordeaux wine land holdings in 1994, when they added 4 hectares of old vines to their Pomerol vineyards. These vines were obtained from another famous neighbor, Chateau Le Gay. The style of the wines at Chateau La Fleur Petrus is similar to its chateau. It’s an elegant, classic, understated, French country house that was built in 1782. The chateau resides on the northern side of the Pomerol plateau.

Chateau La Fleur Petrus is a finesse style of Bordeaux wine from Pomerol that in certain years, has the ability to age gracefully for decades. Starting with the 1998 vintage, they have been increasing the quality, depth and richness of Chateau La Fleur Petrus.  The 2009 La Fleur Petrus is a stunning Pomerol wine and is possibly the finest wine the estate has ever produced.

The 14.5 hectare Pomerol vineyard of Chateau La Fleur Petrus is planted to 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc on gravel with clay soils. Even though the vineyard is located just across a small, dirt road from Petrus and only a single vine away from Chateau Lafleur, the terroir of Chateau La Fleur Petrus is different than either estate, with its mix of gravel and clay soils. Very little, if any blue clay is found in their soils.

For the production of the wine, two laser sorting tables have been in use since 2009. The winery uses thermoregulated concrete vats. Starting in 2004 they began using stainless tanks. They do no bleedings and malolactic fermentation takes place in tank. In 2009, along with Petrus and other top Moueix properties, they utilized the new, Optical Sorting technology. Chateau La Fleur Petrus is aged in French, oak barrels that range from 33% to as much as 50% new oak for about 18 months. The amount of oak and time in the barrel fluctuates, depending on the quality and style of the vintage. The wine is racked 3-4 times per year and it is fined using egg whites. Chateau La Fleur Petrus releases under 4,000 cases of Bordeaux wine per year.

Starting in 1998, the quality of wines produced at Chateau La Fleur Petrus shot up to an entirely new level! 1998, 2000 and 2005 are compelling vintages of La Fleur Petrus. But as good as they are, the 2009 La Fleur Petrus is the wine to buy!

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