Purchased in 1998 by Hubert de Boüard de Laforest, internationally renowned winemaker and co-owner of Château Angélus in St Emilion, Château La Fleur de Boüard is located on a slope facing the most famous Pomerol crus, close to the village of Néac on the most sought after terroir of Lalande-de-Pomerol. Now supported by Emmanuel Teillet, Hubert applies his technical and oenological know-how in a new, environmentally-friendly approach to wine growing. They have always believed that estates in Lalande-de-Pomerol are capable of producing outstanding wines, on a par with the greatest Bordeaux appellations.

Previously known as Château La Fleur Saint Georges, the family followed the age old tradition of renaming a property following a change of ownership and christened the property La Fleur de Boüard. The region is renowned for its warm, mild conditions which lead to early flowering, hence many properties in the locality carry ‘la fleur’ in their names.

They have a truly unique winery; the building is made of glass and timber that fits in perfectly with the estate’s landscape. At La Fleur de Boüard, the use of natural gravity throughout the cellar curbs any use of pumps, making for the gentlest extraction possible, while optimising the volume of free-run wine. A quest for elegance and perfection is guided by a desire to protect this terroir by precise analysis and expertise. Their major innovation is the property’s vat house, which is unique in the world. Using effective, new technology, the wines are made applying a revolutionary process, based on a system of hanging upturned truncated cone-shaped tanks, which appear to float in the air, while ingeniously exploiting gravity.

The 29 ha property has a high proportion of Merlot within its vineyards, although the property is slowing and sympathetically increasing the levels of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon to better reflect the special terroir as well as their desire for finesse and elegance. The blend of key wine is consistent with the plantings made of around 80% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot.