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Wine Description
The Story
This great château is located on the plateau of Pomerol next to its famous neighbours Château LAFLEUR and Château PETRUS. It was acquired by Ets. Jean- Pierre MOUEIX in 1953.
Today the estate is composed 90% of Merlot with an average vine age of 30 years and 10% of Cabernet Franc with an average vine age of 50 years. Christian Moueix' obsessive work in the vineyard focuses on sap flow and the treatment of each vine individually. In the cellar, vinifications are extremely precise but quite traditional: vinification in cement and stainless steel, aging in oak barriques for 18-22 months (usually ~50% new oak).
Wine Information
This great château is located on the plateau of Pomerol next to its famous neighbours Château LAFLEUR and Château PETRUS. It was acquired by Ets. Jean- Pierre MOUEIX in 1953.
A unique opportunity occurred in 1994 when Ets. Jean-Pierre MOUEIX acquired from Miss Marie ROBIN (also the owner at the time of Château LAFLEUR) a 10- acres block originally belonging to Château LE GAY and spreading over a wonderful hillock facing Château LAFLEUR. On this hill stood an old but elegant house dating back to 1782 which in 1996 was completely restored and equipped with a new cellar and became the new Château LA FLEUR-PÉTRUS. Château LA FLEUR-PÉTRUS’s deep gravel gives the wine its elegance and distinction. The addition of old Cabernet Franc from Château LE GAY has provided a core to the wine, perfecting its harmony.
Appellation : Pomerol
Owner : Société Civile du Château LA FLEUR-PÉTRUS
Planted acreage : 35,5 acres
Grape varieties : 80% Merlot - 20% Cabernet Franc
Type of soil : gravel
Production : approximately 45,000 bottles
Vintage 1952
Bordeaux by Tb: The recovery after the Second World War was slow and winegrowers had many challenges to overcome. Their production facilities were in poor condition and there was no capital for investments. However, thanks to several large harvests, the period from 1945 to 1961 produced some of the most heralded Bordeaux wines ever made. 1952 is on equal footing to finish on the list of the greatest vintages of the time, among 1945, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1953 and 1959.
In 1952, the season began with a moderately warm and dry spring. The summer months from June to the end of August were dry with an average daily temperature of 20.5C. The temperature climbed above 30°C in 29 days. Unfortunately, Mother Nature turned her back on producers at the very end of the season. The rain and the cold arrived on September 4 and for example in Pauillac, it rained for 22 days. The rain partially diluted the harvest and, due to the cold, the phenolic maturity of late-ripening varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon was left slightly short. Thus, the left bank, dominated by cabernet sauvignon, fared less well than the right bank, where early-ripening merlot dominates. On the other hand, the right bank avoided the worst rains of September and producers like Cheval Blanc with Cabernet Franc oriented wines, were able to harvest their harvest at the same time in mid-September in better conditions than their colleagues from the left Bank.
In our experience, the best wines of the vintage were Cheval Blanc, Pétrus, l’Eglise-Clinet and La Mission Haut-Brion. However, we have been amazed from time to time by the lesser known St-Emilions of this vintage. If we compare the prices versus the quality of these wines, we can conclude them as the great finds of 1950s Bordeaux that most still drink well if the bottles have been restored properly. To get the most out of these wines, be sure to decant them fifteen minutes before serving, as they do not handle air as well as the best vintages.
