Château La Fleur-Petrus 2019

Château La Fleur-Pétrus sits on the eastern part of the Pomerol plateau, between Château Lafleur and Petrus, and has belonged to the Moueix family since 1953. The 18.7 hectare vineyard is dominated by Merlot at 91 percent, with small shares of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The plateau here combines gravel over a deep clay subsoil, a cool water-retaining base that lends Pomerol Merlot its density, dark fruit and savoury, mineral character rather than overt ripeness. The 2019 growing season was warm and dry, giving concentrated fruit balanced by the clay's freshness. Ageing runs in French oak, the porous staves allowing slow oxygen ingress that settles the tannins and folds the fruit into restrained wood spice. The colour is a deep Bordeaux red. The nose offers plum, black cherry, red currant, damp earth and tobacco, with a thread of cocoa. The palate is full but composed, the tannins ripe and finely grained, the acidity keeping the long, earthy finish bright. This is a wine with cellar potential that already drinks well with air. Serve at 17 degrees and decant an hour ahead. Match with roast beef, rack of lamb or game.