The Guinaudeau family’s mantra is to “never submit to the vintage,” and in 2021 that
meant 10 sleepless nights of frost protection and a growing season that required quick
reactions to perform the necessary treatments without neglecting the other important
viticultural tasks of the year. The reward is the profound 2021 Lafleur, a brilliant blend of
52% Cabernet Franc and 48% Merlot that wafts from the glass with aromas of wild berries,
violets, rose petals, vine smoke and black truffle. Full-bodied, layered and seamless, it’s
deep and penetrating, with superb concentration and beautifully refined structuring
tannins, concluding with a long, resonant finish. A monument in the making, I wouldn’t
be surprised to see it transcend my bracketed score when revisited in bottle