The Drinks Business reports that Lafleur, having left the Pomerol AOC and wider Bordeaux designation partly over irrigation constraints, has already begun carefully measured watering this season after temperatures in Bordeaux rose into the 40s. The article frames the issue as a broader test for Bordeaux appellation rules under climate pressure, with Lafleur arguing that early intervention can prevent hydric stress, scorched leaves and potentially vine death, while existing AOC dispensations may arrive too late for growers facing extreme heat.