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2011 La Conseillante

2011 La Conseillante

93+ JG

Featured Review
(Château La Conseillante) The big news at La Conseillante is that Jean-Paul Berrouet, formerly the Director at Château Pétrus, has begun consulting at the estate. Given that Monsieur Berrouet is not a fan of high percentages of new oak, it seems likely that future vintages of La Conseillante will see the percentage of new oak reduced from the current eighty percent to a more manageable number, which will probably allow even more of La Conseillante’s beautiful terroir to shine through in the grand vin. In any case, the 2011 La Conseillante is an outstanding example of the vintage that seems likely to surpass the very, very good 2010 in the fullness of time. The wine is a blend this year of eighty-two percent merlot and eighteen percent cabernet franc. The beautiful and classically reserved nose offers up a fine mélange of dark berries, black raspberries, espresso, gravelly soil tones, woodsmoke, fresh herbs and cedary wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and quite bright, with a lovely core of pure fruit, firm tannins and excellent length and grip on the focused and youthful finish. While I have scored the 2010 and 2011 at the same level, I have a very strong preference stylistically for the more classical 2011 here. A superb wine. (Drink between 2022-2060). John Gilman

Cellar Tracker | 93+ JG

Critic Reviews

(Château La Conseillante) The big news at La Conseillante is that Jean-Paul Berrouet, formerly the Director at Château Pétrus, has begun consulting at the estate. Given that Monsieur Berrouet is not a fan of high percentages of new oak, it seems likely that future vintages of La Conseillante will see the percentage of new oak reduced from the current eighty percent to a more manageable number, which will probably allow even more of La Conseillante’s beautiful terroir to shine through in the grand vin. In any case, the 2011 La Conseillante is an outstanding example of the vintage that seems likely to surpass the very, very good 2010 in the fullness of time. The wine is a blend this year of eighty-two percent merlot and eighteen percent cabernet franc. The beautiful and classically reserved nose offers up a fine mélange of dark berries, black raspberries, espresso, gravelly soil tones, woodsmoke, fresh herbs and cedary wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and quite bright, with a lovely core of pure fruit, firm tannins and excellent length and grip on the focused and youthful finish. While I have scored the 2010 and 2011 at the same level, I have a very strong preference stylistically for the more classical 2011 here. A superb wine. (Drink between 2022-2060).

John Gilman | 93+ JG
The market in many ways passed over the 2011 after the fanfare of 2009 and 2010, but in fact there are plenty of excellent wines from a year that was very dry from April to September with some rains during harvest, making the harvest date critical. There are dry tannins that threaten the mid-palate, but it opens up extremely prettily to reveal dark, fleshy fruits - a classically balanced, very enjoyable wine. It has great aromatics after five minutes in the glass, linear and stretched out. Drinking Window 2019 - 2034.

Decanter | 93 DEC
The 2011 La Conseillante is impressive, and I suspect one of the gems in the vintage. Full-bodied, concentrated, and layered, with lots of spice, bouquet garni, graphite and assorted darker fruits, it has the classic elegance and polish of the estate and while still young, is drinking beautifully today. Enjoy bottles over the coming two decades.

Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JD
This has evolved beautifully. The nose shows black truffles, berries and chocolate character. This is full-bodied, with very firm but polished tannins and a long, focused finish. Needs three to four years to soften, but a pretty, balanced wine for the vintage.

James Suckling | 93 JS
The quintessential elegant style of Pomerol, the 2011 La Conseillante offers copious aromas of raspberries, mulberries and spring flowers. Medium-bodied with pure fruit, seamlessly integrated tannin, acidity and wood, and a soft, velvety textured finish, this classic effort is ethereal in its elegance and precision. Drink it over the next 10-15 years.

Robert Parker | 92 RP
Frankly toasted, with a warm ganache coating over the core of steeped plum and raspberry fruit, which lends a slightly showy and muscular feel for now. Alluring spice, incense and black tea notes flitter through the finish, hinting at a suave, alluring element that should develop in the cellar. Best from 2016 through 2025. 3,750 cases made.

Wine Spectator | 92 WS
The 2011 La Conseillante has a relative light (at least compared to the previous two vintages) bouquet with aromas of black cherry, mint and cold stone. I appreciate the precision here even if it might be missing a little complexity. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly firm and obdurate tannin. This is a masculine La Conseillante, grippy and a bit curmudgeonly at the moment, although bottle age will leaven its grumpiness. Give this another two or three years in the cellar. Tasted at La Conseillante vertical at the property.

Vinous Media | 91 VM

Wine Details for 2011 La Conseillante

Type of Wine Bordeaux Red : Picture in your mind a combination of cedar, lead pencil, blackcurrant, plum and mineral aromatics, and texture that caresses your palate like a playful lover. The experience is thrilling from the first whiff to the final seconds of a tannic, generous finish - that is what you'll get from a Bordeaux Red
Varietal Red Bordeaux Blend : The inhabitants of the Bordeaux region of France have been cultivating wine-grapes for thousands of years. Ancient Roman ruins litter the vineyards from Saint Emilion to Graves where the art of blending Bordeaux varietals has been practiced and perfected over a very long history. Bordeaux’s climate, terroir and soils, though varied, provide the optimal growing conditions for the red grape varietals planted in the region.

Rarely listed on the labels as “blend,” the red wines of Bordeaux are perhaps the most artfully designed and celebrated in the world. The calculated art of blending the native Bordeaux varietals is impressively accomplished in the most famous winegrowing region in the world. The phrase Bordeaux Blend which seems to have been coined by British wine merchants in the 19th Century relates as much to wines made from the blend as to the grape variety combination itself.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec and occasionally Carmenere are the lead characters in the creation of Red Bordeaux Blends. Each plays a part in their own fashion and implemented in various combinations and percentages in each appellation within Bordeaux. Red Bordeaux Blends are majorly composed of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, roughly making up 90% of all Bordeaux Blends. Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec (occasionally Carmenere) are also important components and vital to the production of the region’s red wines.

For simplicity, the winegrowing region of Bordeaux can be divided into three main appellations producing Red Bordeaux Blends; the Left Bank (Medoc), Right Bank and Pessac-Leognan (Graves). The Left Bank has a terroir comprised of a wide variety of gravel, stones, sand, limestone and clay soils on a natural terrain of gentle slopes. This sets the stage perfectly for the production of Cabernet Sauvignon, which is the dominant grape of the Left Bank. For example, Chateau Lafite (Paulliac) is composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Right Bank is dominated by clay and limestone with sand and gravel, but the clay in the Right Bank is distinctly its own and adds to the health, growth and vitality of the vines of the varietals grown here. Right Bank wines are typically 80% Merlot-based, which are often denser, richer and mature earlier than those of the Left Bank (with exceptions – Petrus for example). Merlot is a vital component to Pomerol winegrowing and making. Cabernet Franc also plays a major role in the Right Bank, most notably, in Saint Emilion, where the infamous vineyards of Chateau Ausone and Chateau Cheval Blanc are planted to 55% and 52% Cabernet Franc, respectively. Chateaux that produce wines with a majority of Cabernet Franc are considered “old school” producers, but have perfected the use of Cabernet Franc, which was originally used as a blending grape.

Pessac-Leognan (Graves) enjoys a temperate climate, natural hygrometry influenced by the ocean, and has a terroir composed of gravelly soil over a clay subsoil on sloping, hilly terrain. Natural drainage due to the hilly terrain as well as the gravelly soil structure are perfectly attuned to the Cabernet Sauvignon grape vine, which prospers under these conditions. Pessac reaps the benefits of having the terroir of both the Left and Right Bank as it contains gravel and clay. The clay sub-soil allows the growth and success of Merlot, as well as Cabernet Franc. It is home to the only First Growth not in the Medoc. The 50-hectare vineyard of Haut Brion is planted to 45.4% Merlot, 43.9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.7% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.

The percentage of Petit Verdot and Malbec may be lesser in quantity, but not in quality. They are vital to the region’s creation of Red Bordeaux Blends. The combination of Bordeaux varietals is legendary in the region, around the world and has influenced winegrowers worldwide to plant and vinify wines which resemble those of Red Bordeaux Blends.

Country France : Wine is the lifeblood that courses through the country of France, pulsing with vigorous pride and determination. Viticulture is not just a hobby or an occupation in France; it is a passion, a cherished tradition that has been passed down through generations of wine stained hands. Winemaking is a beloved art that has been ingrained in the culture, an aptitude instilled in sons by fathers and the hallmark for which France’s reputation was built, allowing it to be renowned as, arguably, the most important wine producing country in the world.



For centuries, France has been producing wines of superior quality and in much greater quantity than any other country in the world. It boasts some of the most impressive wine regions, coveted vineyards and prestigious wines on earth. The regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone, Sauternes and Champagne have become the benchmark, for which others aspire to become. Legendary producers such as Chateaux Margaux, Domaine De La Romanee Conti, Chapoutier, d’Yquem and Dom Perignon are idolized world-wide.



France has stamped its name on nearly every style of wine, from the nectar-like sweet Sauternes to hedonistic Chateauneuf Du Papes classic Bordeaux and Burgundy, to its sparkling dominance in Champagne. Many of the most infamous grape varietals in the world, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay originated in France and are not only beloved, but utilized in the creation of some of the greatest wines on earth. French wine production commands the attention of the wine market year after year. With over 860,000 hectares under vine, and numbers close to 50 million hectoliters of wine produced annually, France dominates the market and sets the standard for not only product quality, but also quantity.



France’s many contributions to the world of wine have been absolutely indispensable. The country is the originator of the term “Premier Cru,” coined the term Terroir (a French term so complex there is no literal translation) and has laid the blueprint for a structured appellation system, which others have implemented in their own countries. French vineyard techniques and winemaking practices are mimicked world-wide. California vintners have been replicating Rhone style wines for decades, South America has adopted the French varietal of Malbec and countries around the world are imitating Burgundian styled Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.



With vast diversity in terroir, France is home to some of the most hospitable winegrowing locations on earth. The combination of topography, geology, climate, rainfall and even the amount of sunlight combined with the long historical tradition of winegrowing and making, has allowed the vintners of France to not only hone their skills, but learn from nature to create a product that like the world in which it resides… is very much alive.


Subregion Pomerol

Overview

Producer Chateau La Conseillante

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