The 2012 Château Lafleur is the grand vin from one of Pomerol’s smallest, most closely held estates, founded in 1872 and still run by the Guinaudeau family. Drawn from the château’s single vineyard on the Pomerol plateau, Lafleur is unusual on the Right Bank for its roughly equal blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. At 14% alcohol, the 2012 combines Lafleur’s trademark structure with a vintage profile that several critics find especially poised and approachable while still built for the long haul.

Aromatically, the wine shows an intriguing split between bright, lifted notes and darker mineral detail. James Suckling (96) calls the nose “fascinating with orange peel, mangoes, stones and hints of blanched walnuts,” and describes a palate that is “dense and reserved,” with “amazing length and finesse” and a “breathtakingly subtle and complex” finish. Neal Martin, writing in Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate (94), emphasizes precision and classic Pomerol signatures: a “very well-defined bouquet…laden with blackberry, granite, cedar and veins of graphite, all with razor-like precision,” followed by a “medium-bodied” palate with “lovely poise” and “a cheeky dab of spiciness on the finish.”

Decanter’s 95-point review underscores balance over sheer mass, calling it “classic in style but racy and harmonious,” with “berry fruits with a hint of mint,” and a palate that is “so, so long,” adding, “Not the density of a 2005 or 2010 but perfect pitch.”

Among the strongest endorsements, Jeff Leve of The Wine Cellar Insider rates it 97 (96–97), praising “pure sensations of wild…cherries, boysenberry, plum, espresso and stone,” while The Wine Independent (96) highlights “profound scents of dried cherries…iron ore, and cumin seed,” plus “rounded tannins” and “an herbal lift” on the finish. Overall, the critical consensus is excellent: a long, mineral, classically proportioned Lafleur with standout length and detail.