Chateau La Fleur Morange, Saint-Emilion 2016

97 points Jeb Dunnuck
"This tiny estate located down on the lower plain continues to produce a powerful, opulent style of wine. Their 2016 La Fleur Morange is another beauty, boasting full-bodied richness and serious concentration go with a monster bouquet of crème de cassis, spring flowers, rose petals, and ample sandy, loamy soil notes. It has some oak to integrate, a stacked mid-palate, beautiful tannins, and an awesome finish. Hats off to proprietors Jean François and Véronique Julien and consultant Claude Gros for a brilliant Saint-Emilion. Give bottles 2-4 years and enjoy over the following two decades. The blend is 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc brought up in new 500-liter barrels."

Jancis Robinson
"Dark crimson. Much more restrained nose than Mathilde. Rich and thick. Very distinctive. Not sweet; just concentrated. As though each vine has had its juice put through a concentrator. Not ready for many a day but there is nothing sweet, alcoholic nor oaky about this. Pretty dramatic!!! But definitely not classically styled. 17.5/20 points."

Vinous Reverie Notes
This tiny property 3.5 ha is planted on the southeastern slopes of Saint Emilion, known as “Terre Blanche” with the characteristic clay-limestone soils but uniquely rich in iron residues. This feature, along with some of the oldest vines in St. Emilion (over 100 years old), lends itself to an intense and aromatic character to their wines. Production is incredibly meticulous…strict vineyard management limits the harvest to no more than 10 bunches per vine, and is all hand-picked and sorted. Fermentation is equally meticulous using white wine techniques with red grapes. Truncated cone-shaped vats with temperature-controlled double skins to ensure more accurate control of the temperature during fermentation. No vigorous stirring or pumping, just gravity and an ideal constant temperature. Production is only 5000 bottles per year. Owners Véronique and Jean-Francois Julien began this venture in 1999, and through their efforts, they were rightfully able to achieve Grand Cru status for the last reclassification in 2012.