1 impériale per lot
Details
LAFLEUR 1998
Vintage note: Variable, like so many recent Bordeaux vintages; but, as always in less than perfect weather conditions, so much depended on the foresight and skill of individual château proprietors and/or their winemakers. Mild rainy winter; dry sunny warm spring, encouraging early bud break. April, cold and wet, but early May, having been spared dangerous frosts, was beneficial, resulting in one of the earliest flowerings of the decade. June was erratic while August was too dry and hot with scorching temperatures, up to 39 degrees on 10 and 11 August. This shriveled the vine leaves and grilled the grapes, inhibiting sap rise. September was a roller coaster: good weather, storms and sunshine in the second half followed by heavy rain in October. Merlot, almost always early ripening, was picked before the heavy rains, Pomerol and St-Emilion benefiting. The Médocs were uneven with high Cabernet tannins. Overall, the second largest crop this century. M.B.
Tasting note: Beautiful ruby with amber rim, the nose evoking roasted cherries, and leather. First impression on the palate is of creamy elegance, the middle being super-sweet and fleshy. However, on the finish, the wine is youthful, the tannins being fine but still unresolved, needing 5-10 years to soften into silkiness. A.H.
Château Lafleur--Vintage 1998
Pomerol
1 impériale per lot
Vintage note: Variable, like so many recent Bordeaux vintages; but, as always in less than perfect weather conditions, so much depended on the foresight and skill of individual château proprietors and/or their winemakers. Mild rainy winter; dry sunny warm spring, encouraging early bud break. April, cold and wet, but early May, having been spared dangerous frosts, was beneficial, resulting in one of the earliest flowerings of the decade. June was erratic while August was too dry and hot with scorching temperatures, up to 39 degrees on 10 and 11 August. This shriveled the vine leaves and grilled the grapes, inhibiting sap rise. September was a roller coaster: good weather, storms and sunshine in the second half followed by heavy rain in October. Merlot, almost always early ripening, was picked before the heavy rains, Pomerol and St-Emilion benefiting. The Médocs were uneven with high Cabernet tannins. Overall, the second largest crop this century. M.B.
Tasting note: Beautiful ruby with amber rim, the nose evoking roasted cherries, and leather. First impression on the palate is of creamy elegance, the middle being super-sweet and fleshy. However, on the finish, the wine is youthful, the tannins being fine but still unresolved, needing 5-10 years to soften into silkiness. A.H.
Château Lafleur--Vintage 1998
Pomerol
1 impériale per lot
Special notice
Offered duty paid, but available in bond. VAT at 17.5% will be charged on the hammer price on removal of the lot from bond.