Château LA FLEUR DE GAY 2019

Description

Jean-Marc Quarin 95 points www.quarin.com
Ma meilleure note donnée à ce cru en Primeur. Couleur noire. Nez intense, fin, fruité et profond, avec une nuance légèrement toastée. Délicat en entrée de bouche, de suite très savoureux au milieu, avec un corps fondant et très aromatique, le vin caresse le palais et s’étire longtemps, doux, complexe, vers une longue finale parfumée, sans cesse grasse. Une grande réussite. Assemblage : 89 % merlot, 11 % cabernet franc. Degré d’alcool : 15° – pH : 3,9. Rendement : 28 hl/ha. Production : 7 500 bouteilles.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown 89-91+ points www.robertparker.com/
Displaying a deep garnet-purple color, the 2019 La Fleur de Gay is broody and sluggish to show itself at first. With coaxing, notes of stewed plums, boysenberries and warm blackberry pie begin to emerge with suggestions of chargrilled meats, tar, tobacco leaf and sautéed herbs. The full-bodied palate has a firm texture of chewy tannins and just enough freshness to support the muscular black fruits and savory layers, finishing on a dried-herbs note.

Neal Martin 89-91+ points www.vinous.com
The 2019 La Fleur de Gay comes across a bit sullen on the nose compared to its Pomerol compadres. Broody black plum and loamy scents just miss that spark and joie-de-vivre. The palate is medium-bodied with chewy tannins on the entry, very saline in the mouth, just a tad more bitter than expected. Tasted from two bottles, neither really evoked memories of some excellent La Fleur de Gay from the past. Maybe in an awkward phase?

Jane Anson 94 points  www.decanter.com (at Bordeaux, 06 May 2020)
Beautiful ground coffee and grilled oak flavours from the first attack, this is an excellent wine that has balance and fresh menthol notes running right through it. Plush vibrant tannins of Pomerol, with black cherry and damson fruit abounding. You can feel just how well this is going to age. Tasted twice two weeks apart. A 2ha estate so this is pretty small volume, great quality. A low yield of 23hl/ha. Drinking Window 2027 – 2044

Château La Fleur de Gay is a special cuvée produced by Château La Croix de Gay from a parcel of clay-gravel soil that lies close to Pétrus and Lafleur. It made its début in 1982, though the first true vintage was in 1983. The early vintages contained a small amount of Cabernet Franc; however, it was soon replaced by 100% Merlot. These Merlot vines are the oldest owned by La Croix de Gay, and many are around 50 years old. The wine is vinified in 2 concrete vats that vary in size. Once the wine is finished fermenting, it is then aged in 100% new French oak barrels for approximately 18 months. In certain years, it can be quite a decadent, sumptuous wine, full of sweet fruit and velvety tannins.