The 2012 Les Pensees de Lafleur is a Bordeaux Blend produced by Chateau Lafleur in the Pomerol region of Bordeaux, France. This red wine, sealed with a cork and boasting an alcohol content of 14%, combines 54% Merlot and 46% Cabernet Franc grapes.
Jancis Robinson, writing for Jancis Robinson's Purple Pages, awarded this wine a score of 90. She highlighted its "intensely aromatic" profile with notes of "pure cassis with just a touch of spice and dusty leafiness." Robinson described the wine as "silky and energised by great freshness," with tannins that are "very dry and papery but not at all drying." She also noted a hint of raspberry in the mix.
John Gilman from View From The Cellar rated the wine slightly higher with a score of 91, suggesting that it has the potential to improve with age. He detailed its creation, mentioning the harvest techniques used to avoid rain damage. Gilman described the bouquet as a "cool fruit-toned" combination of "cassis, dark berry, currant leaf, cigar smoke, dark, gravelly soil tones, fresh herbs and a discreet base of new oak." He found the wine to be "deep, full-bodied, pure and refined," praising its "lovely core of fruit, suave tannins and excellent length and grip on the focused finish."
Jeff Leve from TheWineCellarInsider.com gave the wine a range of 88-90 points. He detected flavors of "sweet, ripe, soft and round black raspberries, cherries, spice, and herbs."
James Suckling, reviewing for jamessuckling.com, also scored the wine at 90. He noted "subtle aromas of chocolate, berries and walnuts," with additional undertones of "clay and orange peel." Suckling found the wine "full-bodied, chewy and tangy," though "a little austere," recommending a few more years of aging for optimal enjoyment.
Overall, the 2012 Les Pensees de Lafleur is a well-regarded Bordeaux blend praised for its aromatic complexity and potential for aging. With consistent scores around 90 from various reviewers, it stands out as a solid choice for enthusiasts of Pomerol wines.