France · Bordeaux

Chateau La Fleur de Bouard

Château La Fleur de Bouard is a Lalande-de-Pomerol estate owned by Hubert de Boüard de Laforest, co-owner and winemaker at Château Angélus—the Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé 'A'. Acquired in 1998, La Fleur de Bouard was transformed from an unremarkable Lalande property into one of the appellation's standard-bearers through Boüard's application of the same philosophy applied at Angélus: extremely low yields, meticulous selection, and a high proportion of new oak aging. The main wine—Château La Fleur de Bouard Lalande-de-Pomerol—accounts for 150 of the 170 auction lots at an average of $117, with the 2000 vintage the most frequently traded and individual lots reaching $738. Le Plus de La Fleur de Bouard, a prestige micro-cuvée of ultra-old-vine Merlot from 80+ year vines, averages $103 across 20 lots with the 2009 vintage the peak. The overall average of $115 reflects Lalande-de-Pomerol's natural pricing floor relative to the adjacent Pomerol appellation, offering significant quality-value ratio for collectors who follow Boüard's winemaking at lower cost than Angélus.