I had poor luck with the 1961 Lafleur until several years ago. In four recent tastings, this wine has been at the upper end of my scale. This particular bottle was extremely young, with an opaque garnet/black color, and a powerful nose of black truffles, sweet, over-ripe cherry fruit, and grilled meats. A sensational wine, with huge body, massive extraction, great exuberance, and considerable tannin in the thick, exotic finish, it is not yet close to full maturity. The notes for this wine are taken from the description of Series III - Flight D of the 1995 tasting conducted in Munich by Helga and Hardy Rodenstock. Many years after the tasting from which this note derives allegations were made concerning the authenticity of old and rare bottles of wine sold by Hardy Rodenstock to collectors around the world. The matter has been the subject of numerous articles, litigation and at least one book. Mr. Parker believes that the wines served to him at this tasting were authentic so this note and the others from that specific tasting continue to be posted on eRobertParker.com.

I had poor luck with the 1961 Lafleur until several years ago. In four recent tastings, this wine has been at the upper end of my scale. This particular bottle was extremely young, with an opaque garnet/black color, and a powerful nose of black truffles, sweet, over-ripe cherry fruit, and grilled meats. A sensational wine, with huge body, massive extraction, great exuberance, and considerable tannin in the thick, exotic finish, it is not yet close to full maturity. The notes for this wine are taken from the description of Series III - Flight D of the 1995 tasting conducted in Munich by Helga and Hardy Rodenstock. Many years after the tasting from which this note derives allegations were made concerning the authenticity of old and rare bottles of wine sold by Hardy Rodenstock to collectors around the world. The matter has been the subject of numerous articles, litigation and at least one book. Mr. Parker believes that the wines served to him at this tasting were authentic so this note and the others from that specific tasting continue to be posted on eRobertParker.com.