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Chateau La Fleur-Pétrus

I have already commented in other profiles on how surprisingly sketchy the history and origins of many Pomerol properties turn out to be. La Fleur-Pétrus is no exception to this rule. Despite the name of this estate encompassing the titles of two of Pomerol's most famed ambassadors there is no solid knowledge of how the estate came into being, or who was responsible for its birth. It first appears in the mid- to late-19th century when it was in the possession of the Constant family, members of which also owned Chateau Clinet. Named Pétrus-Lafleur the estate was included in the 1874 edition of Cocks and Féret which documented an annual production of 4 tonneaux (equivalent to 3600 litres). Before the close of the century Constant had been joined at La Fleur-Pétrus by a gentleman named Pineau, possibly a son-in-law.

The property stayed with Pineau's family for several decades, the production gradually increasing until Fabian Pineau was turning out 20 tonneaux per annum during the 1930s. It was then passed to a proprietor called Montouroy for a short period, but before the decade was out it had already landed in the hands of the Garet family. Their tenure was also short-lived, a little more than a decade, as in 1953 the property was acquired by the Moueix family, who have held onto it ever since. Today the wines are some of the best produced in the appellation, and this success is largely down to the work put in over the last five or more decades, rather than any grand efforts from their predecessors.

The Vineyard and Wines

The vineyard of La Fleur-Pétrus today covers approximately 14.4 hectares, somewhat larger than it was in the Constant era when it covered 9.1 hectares. This expansion is largely due to the addition of 4 hectares of vines purchased from Marie Robin, the then elderly proprietor of neighbouring Lafleur and Le Gay, in 1994. The soils are gravelly rather than the characteristic Petrus clay, and the vines unsurprisingly are dominated by Merlot, which covers 80% of the vineyard, the remaining 20% being Cabernet Franc. Although today the vines are nicely mature many were lost during the great frost of 1956, and this is often cited as the reason for a dip in quality of the wines during the 1960s and 1970s when young vines dominated the vineyard. In addition, the Le Gay acquisition included some older Cabernet Franc vines, further bolstering the maturity of the vineyard. These vines were located very close to Lafleur and included in the deal was a small chateau which has since been renovated, so La Fleur-Pétrus now has a property in keeping with the status of the wine.

The fruit is harvested by hand and fermentation is carried out in cement vats, the norm for the Moueix properties and indeed the appellation as a whole. The wine is made in a small outbuilding of the chateau. Once fermented it is transferred into oak, typically for 18-20 months, one-third of these barrels being new each vintage. It rests in the La Fleur-Pétrus cellars for one year but in order to make way for the next vintage it is transported out to spend its second year in the Moueix buildings down in Libourne. Eventually it is bottled under the label of the grand vin, La Fleur-Pétrus, there being - to the best of my knowledge - no second wine.

Most of my exposure to La Fleur-Pétrus comes from recent primeur assessments, naturally a process flawed by the unfinished nature of the wines, although I have tasted one or two more mature vintages. Even looking at the wines in this situation though it is clear that the quality produced at this estate today is extraordinarily high; these are wines of great style, similar in character to the likes of Trotanoy or Petrus, but without the price tag to match (although that does not mean they are 'cheap'). The 2008 showed very well indeed, and like its stable-mate Petrus I placed it in my top ten wines of 2008. The wine had less intrinsic appeal in 2007, although as this was not a strong vintage this is perhaps not that surprising. (30/9/09)

Contact details:
Address: 54, quai du Priourat, 33502 Libourne
Telephone: +33 (0) 5 57 51 78 96
Fax: +33 (0) 5 57 51 79 79
Internet: www.moueix.com

Chateau La Fleur-Pétrus - Tasting Notes

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Chateau La Fleur-Pétrus (Pomerol) 2009: A Mouiex wine. A slightly darker hue than some other Moueix wines here. On the nose a tight core of black fruits, blackcurrants and dark cherries. Beautifully textured on the palate, sweet and quite fleshy, supple and flattering. Lots of ripe tannins but they are very well hidden by this layer of fruit, with a lovely sense of grip coming in. Great acidity at the core. Wonderful structure and balance here, and an elegant substance to the finish. Delicious potential. From my 2009 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 17.5-18.5+/20 (March 2010)

Chateau La Fleur-Pétrus (Pomerol) 2008: Bright and crystalline fruit on the nose here, although with a good plummy style. Dense, creamy, textured, sweet fruit coating the tannins which are firm, fairly well polished, with good fruit. A well-judged wine indeed, full of potential. I like this very much. From my 2008 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 17.5-18.5+/20 (April 2009)

Chateau La Fleur-Pétrus (Pomerol) 2007: Sweet fruit on the nose, touched with gamey richness and oak. Well defined and very nicely composed substance on the palate, a raft of sweet plummy fruit with a firm and attractive character. Towards the finish it shows an attractive, flattering body. Nicely balanced, this wine has plenty of appeal. This has very good potential indeed. From my 2007 Bordeaux en primeur assessment. 16-17+/20 (April 2008)