This delicious fruit-forward/fruit bomb-styled St.-Emilion does not reveal a great deal of complexity, but it offers elegant, sweet kirsch liqueur intermixed with licorice, spice box, and Christmas fruitcake-like characteristics. Well-made and pure with gorgeous texture and a charming, alluring personality, this is a delicious bistro-styled red with abundant character and up-front charm.

Tasted at the chateau and then blind at Farr Vintners' tasting, the 2006 Lafleur is a vintage that I have not tasted for a few years. It has a well-defined bouquet with kirsch, strawberry, touches of melted tar and that hint of cooked meat that I picked up on out of barrel. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly coarse tannin on the entry, tarry black fruit, cohesive in the mouth with a touch of black pepper that leads to a conservative finish, which feels just a little austere at the moment. It is an impressive Lafleur from Jacques Guinaudeau, even if I would not place it within the top tier of vintages that he has overseen with his son Baptiste in recent years. Tasted April 2016.

This starts off very slow, then opens to violet and lilac, with crushed raspberry and strawberry. Full-bodied, with racy, intense acidity and tannins. Powerful and layered, with wonderful, subtle fruit and a long finish. Best after 2015. -JS