Château Lafleur is a tiny 4.5-hectare Pomerol property located opposite Pétrus and producing wines of comparable quality. It is owned and run by Sylvie and Jacques Guinadeau. While the majority of great Bordeaux châteaux have changed hands over the past several generations, Château Lafleur remains in the same family hands to this day. Its vineyards are situated on the gravel-rich Pomerol plateau and adjoin those of La Fleur-Pétrus. The soils here are particularly deep and are enriched by deposits of potassium and iron. Only natural fertilisers are used and yields are painfully low, even by Pomerol standards. Lafleur's wine is typically a blend of Merlot (50%) and Cabernet Franc (50%). It is aged in small oak barrels (50% new) for 18 months. Wines from Lafleur display a spectacularly intense perfume (partly attributable to the high percentage of Cabernet Franc in the blend) and display layers and layers of concentrated, black fruits, minerals, tobacco spices and creamy liquorice on the palate. The best vintages can last for up to 50 years.

Ornellaia’s second wine is a blend of 54% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot with maturation taking place in barriques, 25% of which were new, for a period of 15 months. Pitch black core with a very deep dark red black hue. Cassis, black cherry and liquorice scents sail out of the glass with some cedary tobacco, dried herb, scorched earth and spice notes also evident. Rich blackcurrant and ripe dark cherry fruits carry ample weight and flesh across the palate. Liquorice, vanillin cedar, scorched earth, dried herb and spicy tobacco characters also chime in. Firm slightly drying tannins lend some grip to the long robust aftertaste that has a rustic touch to it. Cellar 6-8 years. Alc. 14.5%

With the estate itself dating back to 1772, and the logo taking inspiration from an ancient connection to the Knights Templars history in the Pomerol region, Chateau Gazin is steeped in both winemaking and national history. Sharing borders with Petrus and LEvangile, it more than holds its own among its distinguished peers! It has been in the possession of the same family since 1917, with the most recent descendent, Nicolas de Bailliencourt assuming control in 1988. Under de Bailliencourts watchful eye, the Chateau has abolished machine harvesting, making a return to hand-picking, and producing lower overall yields.