2016 Château la Fleur de Boüard Lalande-de-Pomerol Bordeaux 750 ml

It’s easy to see why Château La Fleur de Boüard invites comparisons to the legendary Château Angélus. 

• They’re both helmed by the same visionary, Hubert de Boüard.
• They’re both Right Bank Bordeaux powerhouses, with ample fruit and age-worthy structure.
• They’re both definitive wines for their appellations.

Here’s the difference: A bottle of Angélus, a Grand Cru Classé A icon from the prestigious appellation of St.-Émilion, will cost you a cool $400. De Boüard’s standout 2016 Lalande-de-Pomerol comes one of the most underrated appellations in Bordeaux—one that savvy buyers have been trying to keep secret for decades—which is why we’re able to offer it to you today for a fraction of that. 

The Wine Cellar Insider calls the wine a “benchmark for any wine from the Lalande de Pomerol appellation” and a “perfect ringer” for its much more expensive neighbor, Pomerol—a testament to the skill of the Angélus team and Hubert de Boüard’s vision. No matter who you give the credit to, though, the fact remains that this is a stunning bottle of Bordeaux for the price, which is evident from the moment you pull the cork.

The color is a deep ruby-purple, and the wine springs to life after an hour in the decanter, filling the room with aromas of roasted plums, mulberries, and hints of cedar. With a decadent layer of Ugandan chocolate and pipe tobacco, it’s got the fragrance of a wine twice the price. The palate reinforces that idea, with a rich mouthfeel and classic Right Bank flavors that echo the nose.

De Boüard has always been a Bordeaux visionary, a vintner who transformed his family estate Château Angélus from an under-performer to a 100-point, blue-chip collectible estate in a decade, through force of will and technical expertise. La Fleur de Boüard represents a similar project, and the 2016 is his best yet—the product of a 98-point Bordeaux vintage that Vinous called “absolutely remarkable.”

While Lalande-de-Pomerol is considered to be a satellite appellation today, the best estates proudly labeled their wines simply as Pomerol prior to rule changes in 1928. Those vintners knew the same thing that led Hubert to found La Fleur de Boüard—that the best terroirs in Lalande, with their classic clay and gravel soils, are even better than in the western part of Pomerol, where the vineyards have much more sand.

As if its superior location weren’t enough, the de Boüard family has made significant investments in making La Fleur a true Grand Vin. The winery would be at home among the Médoc’s First Growths, with stunning truncated-cone fermenters that appear to float in the air, suspended between floors to allow the wine to be moved entirely by gravity—perfect for ensuring gentle extraction and velvety tannins.

The Angélus team takes the blend of 85% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon from Fleur de Boüard’s low-yielding vineyards and gives it the same luxury treatment as its high-dollar cousin. From rigorous sorting to aging in 75% new French oak, no expense is spared—except, of course, in the final price.