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Deep in colour, and a gorgeous wine to smell: warm, fat and rich, brimming with good things – savoury notes, very soft sweet fruits,the autumn land. On the palate, it was amore vital wine than I was expecting: behind lavish raspberry and plum fruitthere were sustained, upright tannins mingled with lively ripe acidity. Brisk and poised yet at the same time generously ripe: on a perfect evolutionary plateau just now.Decanter | 97 DECMy problem with this wine is that I suspect the case I bought as futures was somehow slightly damaged in shipment, as none of the bottles from my own collection were ever as good as those tasted elsewhere. Tasted four times in 2002, all from other cellars, the wine was absolutely brilliant. This is a candidate that tasted so delicious young, I would have never expect it to be so magnificent 20 years later. Nevertheless, it is an example of how balance and concentration, in spite of extremely low acidity and sweet tannin, can fool even experienced tasters. The wine has not fully matured in over a decade, and shows no signs of decline. There is considerable amber to the color, but the aromatics are spectacular. Notes of Christmas fruitcake intermixed with jammy black currants, sweet kirsch liqueur, toasty oak, licorice, and truffle are stunningly intense and persistent. In the mouth, this is all silk, with a voluptuous texture, almost unctuous thickness to the concentrated fruit, and a long, lush, heady finish. It is a slightly deeper wine than either the 1989 or 1990, but at the same time slightly heavier, no doubt because of the elevated alcohol and glycerin. Nevertheless, this is prodigious stuff. Anticipated maturity: Now-2012. Last tasted, 10/02.Robert Parker | 96 RPThe 1982 La Conseillante was the first bona fide success after a long period languishing in the doldrums and the good news is that even after 36 years, this Pomerol continues to give immense pleasure. The aromatics embrace primary and secondary aromas. You can still feel the plushness of fruit that the warm vintage bestowed with mulberry and black plum aromas. Compared directly with the 1989 it is clearly more mature and yet still so pleasurable. The palate is medium-bodied with tannins that have mellowed in recent years, a mixture of red and black fruit, tobacco and clove, a splash of Earl Grey and black truffle towards the finish that is only just becoming loose-knit. It is a wonderful 1982 Pomerol that has probably got another decade on the clock if bottles are of sound provenance. Tasted at the "International Business & Wine" Pomerol dinner at 10 Trinity.Vinous Media | 93 VM(Château La Conseillante) I had not tasted a bottle of the 1982 La Conseillante since 1997, but happily, I had the opportunity to share my lone remaining bottle in the cellar with some visiting friends from Burgundy back in April, where the wine showed quite well indeed. Like many of the 1982s, the La Conseillante is currently not drinking particularly well, as it seems to have settled into a fairly shut down period again and really deserves more time in the cellar to really start to hit on all cylinders. However, the quality here is very evident in its excellent nose of plums, black raspberries, chocolate, tobacco smoke, gravelly soil tones and just a touch of new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and quite plush on the attack, with a pure core of fruit, moderate, buried tannins, and lovely length and grip on the currently fairly reticent finish. With extended air this wine shows the opulence of the 1982 vintage that will come with more bottle age, but it is currently just a tad disjointed and adolescent on the palate and I would keep it tucked away in the cellar for at least another four or five years to allow it to more calmly integrate all of its components. It is a lovely vintage for La Conseillante. (Drink between 2015-2050).John Gilman | 93+ JGBig and rich. Dark brick-red color, with a ruby center. Very ripe fruit on the nose, with raisin, dark chocolate and earth. Lots of tobacco and cherry flavors and velvety, slightly coarse tannins.--1982 Bordeaux horizontal. Best after 2000.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

This is an upper-ninety point La Conseillante that is very much in the style of the 1990. In comparing the two vintages, the 1989 has slightly more noticeable tannin and structure, but it is a perfumed, exotic, sweet, expansive, yummy wine that is hard to resist. These two wines represent La Conseillante’s quintessential smooth as silk style, which often leads consumers to believe the wines will not last. One of the unexplainable facts of Bordeaux wine drinking is that even the softer, delicious, up-front wines can age impeccably when well-stored. Owners of the 1989 La Conseillantes should not hesitate to enjoy them now, as well as over the next 20 years. Last tasted 11/96Robert Parker | 97 RPThe 1989 La Conseillante is one of the top performers in Pomerol and arguably now one of the best values. This bottle confirms that exuberance and joie-de-vivre on the nose, displaying the telltale crushed violets in bloom, with precious but controlled red and black fruit underneath. The palate is sumptuous from the start, presenting cashmere tannin and perhaps a little more glycerine in this bottle. The bravura finish leaves you grinning from ear to ear. Stunning, and it will remain on its plateau for many years. Tasted at the 1989 Bordeaux dinner at Hatched in London.Vinous Media | 97 VMOffers sweet, dried fruits on the nose, with plum jam and Turkish delight candies. Full-bodied, with big velvety tannins and loads of fruit. Chewy and Porty. Has turned so decadent and yummy over the years.—’89/’99 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2009). Drink now.Wine Spectator | 94 WS(Château la Conseillante) Early on in this wine’s evolution, I was not such a big fan of the 1989 La Conseillante, as I felt it was a bit over-sized for this supremely elegant property. My points of reference when this wine was released were the utterly svelte 1985, the very good 1983, the beautiful 1982, the equally superb 1981 and the classic 1970 vintage of La Conseillante, and in comparison to those wines, the 1989 seemed a departure for a more muscular style. Nearly thirty years down the road, I have a bit more experience and can see that the 1989 La Conseillante is simply a reflection of the personality of this vintage, rather than an overt effort to change the style at the property, and the elegance that this estate is so well known for is starting to emerge very nicely in this wine. The bouquet is beautiful and still fairly youthful, with more layers to unfold with further bottle age, but offering up notes of plum, black cherries, menthol, chocolate, a fine base of gravel and a generous, but balanced serving of toasty oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and velvety, with a good core, lovey length and grip, really lovely acids for the vintage and fine focus and balance on the long, refined and complex finish. Fine, fine juice that is now into its apogee, but has decades of life still ahead of it. (Drink between 2019-2060)John Gilman | 94+ JG

The difference in aromatic power between 1997 and 1998 - a particularly good year in Pomerol - is wonderfully instructive: this displays its violet signature on the nuanced nose, while the flavours are soft, early-tertiary but hugely persistent, gently tugging you back in. It’s a stunning wine, the tannins present but with an overall impression of carefully placed elegance and enrobed power. Of the four vintages tasted so far, this has the most time left ahead of it. Drinking Window 2018 - 2032Decanter | 95 DEC(Chateau La Conseillante) The 1998 La Conseillante is another absolutely stellar example of this vintage. The wine delivers an utterly refined aromatic constellation of red and black raspberries, plums, gravelly soil tones, a nice touch of fresh herbs, cigar smoke, just a hint of tariness and a suave framing of nutty new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, pure and full, with a sappy core of fruit, lovely soil undertow, fine-grained tannins and a very long, complex and velvety finish. This is a tad more forward in personality than the Certan de May or Trotanoy right now, and if one has more than a few bottles in the cellar, it is hardly a crime to drink it today. However, my gut instinct is that it is still on the youngish side and it will be an even more complete glass of wine with another five years in the cellar. This is clearly a step up from the lovely wines made here in the 1989 and 1990 vintages. (Drink between 2027 - 2085)John Gilman | 95 JGAlmost black in color. Hugely rich, ripe bouquet with dark fruits. A hint of tobacco, plus structured tannins and acidity give the wine shape. The richness and depth of fruit are here, but so also is the ability to age. Give this 10 years before matruity.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WETasted at the La Conseillante vertical at Chez Bruce. The first bottle is oxidized, the second better with an intense bouquet with hints of mint, coca and mocha, showing more Cabernet Franc character than recent bottles, with impressive delineation. The palate is medium-bodied, quite fresh and vibrant with grainy tannins, good acidity and persistency with a meaty, savoury, Cabernet Franc driven finish. Very fine and it improves with time, with an edgy citrus finish and delicious dark chocolate/espresso decorating the aftertaste. I have had better bottles of the ’98, but this is still a lovely Pomerol that should enter its plateau in the next couple of years. Tasted December 2010.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 93+ RP-NMThe 1998 La Conseillante is a wine that I had not encountered since 2010. This is certainly more vigorous than the previous three vintages: raspberry and crushed strawberry fruit, hints of mocha and leather, and a sprig of wild heather in the background all with fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with taut tannin and a superb line of acidity that maintains the vigor of this Pomerol. It feels tensile and alive; a blend of red and black fruit mixed with black truffle, clove and sage, leading to a sustained finish that fans out with confidence. At twenty years old the 1998 La Conseillante continues to state its claim as the best wine of that decade. Tasted at La Conseillante vertical at the property.Vinous Media | 93 VMNo written review provided. | 92 W&SStarts off slightly herbal, but then turns to flowers, leaves and dark fruits. Decadent, turning to sweet tobacco. Full-bodied, with beautiful silky tannins and a meaty, berry and spicy aftertaste that evolves to chocolate and coffee. Complex and refined. No reason to wait.—’88/’98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Drink now. 4,580 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

The 2000 La Conseillante is brilliant (this was tasted from magnum) and while mature, is still youthful and vibrant. Deep ruby/purple colored and loaded with notions of currants, plums, chocolate, Asian spice, and incense, it offers full-bodied richness, fine tannin, and a silky, elegant, yet concentrated style on the palate. This beauty can be drunk anytime over the coming two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDLa Conseillante made an excellent wine in 2001, another great one in 2005, and the estate hit home runs in both 2008 and, above all, in 2009. In fact, the latter vintage may well end up being the modern-day reference point for La Conseillante. Nevertheless, there’s a lot to be said for this 2000. An elegant, gentle style that is never a blockbuster, the 2000 La Conseillante has a deep ruby/plum/purple color and an unbelievably expressive nose of sweet kirsch liqueur intermixed with raspberries, incense, toast, and licorice. Full-bodied yet ethereal in the sense that it seems to combine power along with eloquence and delicacy, this is a beautifully pure wine that has just hit its plateau of full maturity, although ideally I think it would benefit strongly from another 4-5 years of bottle age and drink well for two to three decades.Robert Parker | 96 RP(Château La Conseillante) The 2000 vintage of La Conseillante has produced an absolute classic and all this beautiful wine needs is another six to eight years of cellaring to start to come into its own. The exceptional bouquet offers up a complex and really pure blend of red and black raspberries, cigar wrapper, a superb base of soil, fresh herbs, coffee, cedar and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very pure, with a rock solid core of fruit, great structure, moderate tannins and outstanding length and grip on the very focused and blossoming finish. This is a high class vintage of La Conseillante that will probably prove to be superior to either of the riper vintages of 2009 or 2010 and end up being one of the longest-lived vintages from this estate in many, many years. A great wine. (Drink between 2017-2060)John Gilman | 95 JGPretty, with a perfumy hint to the range of bergamot, blood orange, kirsch and damson plum fruit flavors, which are backed by a graceful, floral-edged finish. Very silky and suave, this expands steadily and dramatically in the glass but still forgoes power for a lacy seduction. This really stands apart from the powerfully ripe general profile of the AOC in ’00 but seems likely to last just as long in the hunt as the other top dogs.—Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2028. 5,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe colour tells you so much here - it’s clearly rich and concentrated, with younger and more complex layers of cassis and blueberry fruit compared to the the 1999. A tannic backbone is in evidence, and this is still relatively closed up; the 2000s are in general moving in and out of a closed phase, so give this time once opened, perhaps even an hour or so in a carafe. Give it the time it needs and the nose really does evolve very beautifully in the glass and produces crackling, warm autumnal flavours. No need to get stuck in just yet. Drinking Window 2018 - 2034Decanter | 94 DECThe 2000 La Conseillante is much broodier than the previous two vintages, 1998 and 1999. This demands encouragement from the glass, eventually opening with blackberry, briary, black truffle and terracotta scents. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly “furry” tannin. It is not as precise as say, the 2005 or 2010. There is impressive weight here, a concentrated and broad-shouldered La Conseillante, but what is missing is the finesse and poise that more recent vintages have shown. I find the millennial La Conseillante more impressive in its youth, though now it is just looking a little heavy-handed. Tasted at La Conseillante vertical at the property.Vinous Media | 92 VMAn incredibly subtle and sexy nose of perfume, flowers, red fruits, and sliced plums. Full-bodied, yet refined and silky. This is delicious and pretty, and just starting to open up with flavors of tobacco, cedar, and cigar box. No need to wait.James Suckling | 92 JSNo written review provided. | 91 W&S

This really does have a wonderful texture that is reminiscent of great pinot noir while remaining obviously cabernet franc and merlot. It shows a seductive nose of cream, berries, chocolate and flowers. It’s full-bodied, very intense and seamless in length. Pure class. Drink now and enjoy but will improve for years ahead.James Suckling | 98 JSDisplaying spectacular aromatics of mulberry, blueberry and raspberry fruit, a dense ruby/purple color, and sweet floral notes, in the mouth the 2005 La Conseillante is not as broad and powerful as Petrus, Trotanoy, Hosanna or Lafleur, but it is gorgeously silky, elegant and stylish. This medium-bodied, savory wine is a graceful, provocative and compelling Pomerol to drink now and over the next 25 years.Robert Parker | 97 RPThe 2005 La Conseillante is a rich, heady Pomerol. Crème de cassis, lavender, chocolate, leather, espresso, licorice and sweet French oak infuse the 2005 with tremendous character. The 2005 is, naturally, a wine of its era. There is quite a bit of extraction and tannin, and yet the wine has aged impeccably. Time in the glass brings out energy and aromatic lift to round things out nicely. The 2005 just got better and better with time, so I suggest giving it a good bit of air. I would prefer to drink it over the next decade or so.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThis is decadent and wild on the nose, with fresh cèpe, raw steak and wild berry. Full-bodied, with loads of velvety tannins, yet refined and caressing in every way. A beautiful, balanced red. The best young wine ever from this producer. Best after 2017. 4,165 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe 2005 La Conseillante is powerhouse effort that’s still youthfully ruby/plum colored and possesses a lively, vibrant style. Deep, concentrated, full-bodied, and incredibly well balanced, it offers a killer bouquet of dark fruits, kirsch, toasty oak, incense, and licorice. While just now at the early stages of maturity, it has another two decades of longevity and is certainly a match for the 2000 and 1990.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDBeautifully creamy in texture, well balanced with some gentle white pepper spice, truffles and soft raspberries along with saffron and smoke edging. This is a great moment to drink, particularly because there was a little less density overall in La Conseillante during this era, and so it has reached a drinking window a little earlier than it tends to do in years from 2010 onwards. Effortless balance. A yield of 38hl/ha. 100% new oak. Drinking Window 2021 - 2038.Decanter | 96 DECConseillante is breathtaking in 2005, a terroir performing at the peak of its potential. The wine is compressed and powerful, layered in sweet merlot tannin and pure, wild berry fruit. It feels cool and dynamic, monstrous at one moment, resonant the next. This was a little disjointed en primeur, and though it has come together in bottle, it still needs long cellar time for the layers of extract to unfold. It seems to take its tremendous sophistication directly from the ground.Wine & Spirits | 96 W&S(Château La Conseillante (Pomerol)) The 2005 vintage of La Conseillante is a great wine in the making, with this estate’s elegant and always transparent personality very much in evidence in this outstanding year. The bouquet is deep, pure and superb, offering up notes of raspberries, black cherries, gravelly soil tones, tobacco leaf, a touch of menthol and a judicious framing of spicy new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very pure on the attack, with a fine core, superb soil signature, tangy acids and great length and grip on the poised and moderately tannic finish. This is a brilliant vintage for La Conseillante. (Drink between 2020-2055)John Gilman | 95 JGTasted in early 2006, the barrel sample of this wine was disappointing. But the wine has now shown the sweetness and richness of its fruit, packed with juicy, ripe Merlot, and is held together by sweet tannins. Developing well; drink in another four years.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

The 2009 La Conseillante has a very classy and sophisticated bouquet with beautifully defined black and red fruit mixed with black truffle and pressed rose petals. The oak is just completely subsumed here. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe and saturated tannin, a fine line of acidity, fresh and tensile with a sense of mineralité on the finish. This bottle shows even better than the one poured at the property 12 months earlier. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 97 VMThis tasted brilliant in London a few weeks ago at the Bordeaux 10 Years On tasting, but even better in New York. There’s so much complexity on offer - the natural elegance pumped up with dark chocolate, graphite and liquorice layering up through the damson and blackberry fruits. A gorgeous, delicious wine with a blast of freshly crushed mint leaf on the finish. This was the third vintage since a second wine was launched in 2007, helping the winemaking team to concentrate and refine this main bottling. Jean-Michel Laporte was director at the time, with Gilles Paquet as consultant. Drinking Window 2020 - 2032Decanter | 97 DECAt once deep and rich, yet cool and delicate with a minty freshness, this is a really concentrated and super-elegant Pomerol that’s now very seductive, but has the structure and vitality to live for a long time. Drink or hold. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019)James Suckling | 97 JSThe medium to deep garnet colored 2009 La Conseillante strides confidently out of the glass with very classy Black Forest cake, blueberry compote and kirsch scents plus suggestions of violets, liquid licorice, cardamom and bay leaves with a touch of eucalyptus. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is elegantly fruited with a firm, grainy frame and oodles of freshness, finishing long and minerally.Robert Parker | 96 RPThis delivers stunning toasted spice, mocha and black tea aromas, while the core of plum, blackberry and fig flavors is still rather reticent. The long finish is liberally laced with a racy graphite note, while the perfumy accent pervades. This will be a suave head-turner when it rounds into form. Best from 2018 through 2030. 4,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSSimilar in style to the 2015, the 2009 La Conseillante is another sexy, seductive, opulent even, Pomerol that offers a huge array of spiced dark fruits, cured meats, crushed flowers, and truffle. Deep, full-bodied, layered and beautifully pure, with an extroverted personality that just begs to be drunk, it will keep for another three decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JD(Château La Conseillante) The 2009 La Conseillante is evolving nicely and shows every likelihood of delivering on all the early promise it showed out of barrel during the En Primeur week of 2010. A year on, the wine offers up a ripe and classy nose of red and black raspberries, chocolate, fine, gravelly soil tones, tobacco smoke and spicy new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and ripely tannic, with a fine core of fruit, good focus and balance and very good length and grip on the youthful finish. The 2009 vintage has still produced a La Conseillante that is a bit broad-shouldered by the elegant standards of this estate, but this is a very good example of the vintage that should age gracefully. (Drink between 2022-2060)John Gilman | 93 JGDensely rich, very sweet wine. It has some smoky tannins that give structure, along with a dark core of dry raisin and wood flavors. It has concentration and an opaque texture.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

A little darker and deeper in colour than the 2009 at this stage, but both remain young, fresh and full of promise. The depth to the fruit is evident, black cherry, chocolate shavings and black truffles with great shots of acidity through the entire body of the wine. Just dripping with succulent fruit and seduction, this is the most Pomerol of the lineup, surprisingly, perhaps, taking that crown from the 2009. Still young even at 11 years old, will settle in and open further over the next few years. Violet aromatics curl out of the glass as it opens. 85% new oak. A yield of 39hl/ha. (Drink between 2021-2044)Decanter | 98 DECBeautiful nose with cocoa powder, exotic flowers, candied violets and loads of dark berries. Great aromatic complexity. Amazing texture on palate with a superb precision and silky tannins. So beautifully composed showing already great harmony. Difficult to wait! Better in 2018.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2010 La Conseillante has a magnificent bouquet with pixelated black fruit laced with cedar and pencil lead aromas. It is a penetrating and multi-faceted bouquet that just blossoms with aeration. The palate is supremely well balanced with filigree tannins and immense purity, very sustained and conveying immense energy on the finish. Surely the best La Conseillante under former winemaker Jean-Michel Laporte. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the BI Wines & Spirits 10-Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 97 VMThe 2010 La Conseillante is a tour de force that will rival the 2005, 2000 and 1990 at maturity. Just loaded with notions of blackcurrants, damp earth, tobacco leaf, violets and toasty oak, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, building, ripe tannin, and a huge finish. Sexy and opulent, yet also classy and elegant, it’s a sensational Pomerol that has another three decades of life ahead of itJeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDA brilliant effort from this property, known for the sheer elegance and finesse of its wines, the 2010 La Conseillante offers back-to-back monumental efforts, particularly given the remarkable 2009. This estate has been on a hot streak of late. The 2010 is a slightly bigger, richer wine, but without losing its floral, elegant mulberry, black raspberry and sweet kirsch notes. Combine those with some licorice, subtle new oak and a hint of forest floor, and the result is a medium to full-bodied, rich, complex wine that has striking aromatics and perfect balance in the mouth. Forget it for 3-5 years and drink it over the following 30.Robert Parker | 96 RPFeatures substantial but very velvety structure running from start to finish, delivering a muscular feel for now. The hard edges are fully absorbed by the core of plum sauce, steeped blackberry and warm boysenberry reduction notes. The finish offers gorgeous tobacco and ganache accents lurking in the wings, along with flickers of anise and incense that should guide this version to increased elegance with age. Best from 2016 through 2034. 4,000 cases made, 800 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe tannins are huge, very dense, packing through the ripe fruit. At first it tastes like a mouthful of wood and fruit tannins, then the potential of the fruit becomes apparent. That gives a wine with a great, final acidity and finish.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE(Château La Conseillante) Despite the 2010 La Conseillante tipping the scales at 14.5 percent alcohol, this wine seems decidedly cooler and more poised than its 2009 counterpart did a year ago. The blend this year is made up of eighty percent merlot and twenty percent cabernet franc. The lovely bouquet is deep, pure and shows no signs of overripeness in its mélange of black raspberries, black cherries, chocolate, gravelly soil tones, smoke and a very judicious base of new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, suave and tangy, with lovely focus and mid-palate depth, moderate, ripe tannins and excellent length and grip on the classy finish. One can certainly sense that the folks at La Conseillante were very careful not to over-extract the wine in 2010, and the result is one of the best, “hot vintage” La Conseillantes that I can ever recall. A superb wine. (Drink between 2020-2060)John Gilman | 93+ JG

An absolutely amazing wine from the Nicolas family, this is from another estate in Pomerol that is pushing the envelope to higher and higher quality. The final blend has moved to smaller amounts of Cabernet Franc, now approximately 20%, with the balance 80% Merlot. Through crop-thinning, yields have been reduced to an average of 35 hectoliters per hectare. Inky bluish/purple color and stunning sweet tannins embrace a full-bodied opulent Pomerol with beautiful, floral-infused black raspberry, blueberry and cassis fruit. Full-bodied, yet elegant, this is a brilliant marriage between finesse and power. Stunningly pure, this wine can be drunk young or age magnificently for 20 or more years.Robert Parker | 96 RPAnother classic wine from this fabulous estate is the 2012 La Conseillante, which I believe was the first wine made in their newly constructed winery. A blend of roughly 89% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc brought up in 70% new barrels, it offers an awesome bouquet of blueberry and smoky black cherry fruit intermixed with loads of Asian spices, melted asphalt, truffle, and licorice. This full-bodied, opulent, incredibly sexy Pomerol stays light and elegant, with silky tannin and sensational purity of fruit. Anyone who owns bottles should count themselves lucky, and those who don’t should buy some as soon as possible. It can be drunk today or cellared for two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JD(Château La Conseillante, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France, Red) This has always been one of my favourite vintages of La Conseillante. Here a little Cabernet Franc (11%) goes a long way. Ethereal and utterly beautiful on the nose. Soft, delicate, elegant and subtle. Intensely floral, with violets and little hedgerow spring flowers, freshly cut. Has an exquisite balance and harmony, even if it might be said to lack some of the density of ostensibly greater vintages. I can live happily with that; though I’d drink this sooner. Very attractive and the very essence of plateau Pomerol for me. Soft and seductive, with those little truffle notes, blueberries and raspberries; tender and lithe, nicely compact and juicy on the finish. (Drink between 2022-2040)Decanter | 96 DECAmazing aromas of dried flowers, blueberries and minerals follow through to a full body, fine and polished tannins and a long finish. All in finesse and harmony. Little tight now. Better in 2018.James Suckling | 94 JS(Château La Conseillante) The new chais at Château La Conseillante has now been completed and it is a beautiful new addition to this property. Up above the chais are a pair of large, glass-enclosed tasting rooms that offer a beautiful view of surrounding Pomerol and the graves section of St. Émilion (with Cheval Blanc right across the stretch of vineyards that unfold below your feet). The new chais has clearly not gone to waste, as the team at La Conseillante has fashioned a brilliant utterly classic example of the 2012 vintage, offering up a pure and complex nose of black raspberries, black cherries, Cuban cigars, gravel, fresh herb tones, violets and a stylish base of spicy oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and shows off excellent mid-palate depth, with excellent focus and balance, very fine-grained tannins and outstanding grip and nascent complexity on the very long, velvety finish. This wine reminds me quite a bit of the young 1985 La Conseillante- which is a vintage here that I adore and prefer to the more highly-praised 1982, 1989 and 1990 vintages at this great estate. A stunning wine in the making and clearly one of the greatest wines of the 2012 vintage. (Drink between 2023-2065).John Gilman | 94+ JGThe 2012 La Conseillante takes some time to settle in the glass, gaining harmony after 10 minutes with scents of red cherry, sandalwood, freshly rolled tobacco and clove. This comes across as showier, more extravagant than other 2012 Pomerols. The palate is medium-bodied with silky smooth tannins, harmonious and poised, spicy and perhaps with a little more edge towards the finish. There is a sense of confidence about this La Conseillante. Tasted twice at Bordeaux Index’s Ten Year-On tasting and blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 93+ VMOn the robust side of Pomerol for now, with ganache and tar notes underscoring the core of dark plum, linzer torte, blackberry and black currant fruit. The elements meld nicely through fleshy, cocoa-accented finish, where a lingering iron accent emerges alongside ample yet silky tannins. Shows impressive depth, suggesting that elegance will come from cellaring. Best from 2017 through 2027.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Aromas of tar, black olive skin and blackberries follow through to a full body. Ultra-fine tannins and a long, linear finish with super intensity. Well-crafted in every sense. A fabulous Pomerol for the future. Try in 2022.James Suckling | 98 JSNewly-arrived Technical Director Marielle Cazaux turned out a jewel of a wine at La Conseillante in 2015, her debut vintage. A polished and super-sophisticated Pomerol, La Conseillante is all class. Precise, lifted aromatics make a strong first impression, but it is the wine’s overall feel and sense of harmony that truly dazzle. Over the last two years, the 2015 seems to have gained in freshness, precision and nuance. What a wine! The blend is 81% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc. Don’t’ miss it.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGComposed of 81% Merlot and 19% Cabernet Franc and aged for 18 months in 70% new and 30% one-year-old French oak, the medium garnet-purple colored 2015 La Conseillante opens with reticent, earthy notes of dusty soil, garrigue, forest floor and iron ore with a core of warm plums, cassis, cigar boxes, star anise and dark chocolate plus a hint of violets. Medium to full-bodied with decadent fruit and a gorgeous plushness to the texture, the palate features impeccable poise and compelling depth, finishing on a lingering mineral note.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPReminding me of the 2009, the 2015 La Conseillante is more overt and sexy compared to the 2016, offering a huge nose of mulled black fruits, spring flowers, chocolate and gravely/clay-like earthiness. This is a full-bodied, complex, elegant and layered 2015 that has a singular character and the class to drink well for 20-25 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThis is reserved, with subtle Earl Grey tea, singed apple wood and warm fruitcake aromas opening slowly ahead of a core of dark boysenberry, raspberry and blackberry compote flavors. A lovely swath of velvety tannins carries the finish, with the fruit and spice aromas pulling together nicely. Some patience is needed here, but this is one of the elite of the AOC in this vintage. Best from 2023 through 2040. 3,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThis is a perfumed wine, rich in tannins and with a good balance between the Merlot and Cabernet Franc in the blend. Ripe black fruits and velvet tannins give the wine elegance and charm. It is juicy and ripe, with a background of firm structure set against a crisp final texture. The wine will develop well; drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEA warm, sunny vintage, giving crème de cassis flavours and a crème caramel edging. Still young, but packed with gourmet, creamy character. Very much on primary flavours right now, so more focused on plum and black cherry than black truffle, but not question that this will appear over the next few years. Traces of heat on the finish. 70% new oak. A yield of 39.5hl/ha. Drinking Window 2024 - 2042.Decanter | 94 DEC

The 2021 La Conseillante is bright, fresh and fruity, with lovely red fruit character and fine balance. Crushed berries, rose petal, lavender, chalk, mint and spice are beautifully delineated. In 2021, La Conseillante is a Pomerol of tension, nerve and delicacy more than volume. Time in the glass brings out bright floral notes that extend the finish. The blend is 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc that spent 18 months in French oak—70% new, 27% once-filled barrels and 3% amphora. The 2021 is such a classy wine. I can’t wait to see how it ages. The 2021 possesses a Burgundian sense of structure, for lack of a better term. Harvest started on September 28 for the Merlots, very late by recent standards, through October 1. The Cabernets were picked on October 6 and 12. The alcohol (13%) and pH (3.6) readings are those from another era.Vinous Media | 96 VMBlackberry, lavender, dried violet, and sandalwood follow through to a medium body, with very fine and velvety tannins that give a polished and caressing texture. Fresh and vivid. Drink after 2028.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2021 La Conseillante unwinds in the glass with aromas of black raspberries and mulberries mingled with vine smoke, rose petals and spices, framed by a discreet touch of new oak. This is medium to full-bodied, suave and enveloping, with a velvety attack that segues into a layered, multidimensional palate that’s framed by ultra-refined tannins and animated by ripe acids. Long and perfumed, this has turned out beautifully. It was bottled in June, seeing three rackings and a very light egg-white fining during élevage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPIris and raspberry notes on the nose, delicately floral but fresh and lively - just shy of mouthwatering acidity - but enough to create such a lift on the first taste which has a juicy effect. The acidity is nicely balanced but this has such a gentle charm, a suaveness and sensuality to it, tannins are sleek and agile with some bitter dark chocolate and slate edges while the fruit is full of black cherry, plum and blueberry touches. But it’s the texture and the aromatic display that are so captivating - having density and weight but no heaviness. You get the ripeness in the flavour but the overall feeling remains cool and refreshing with tension and terroir on show in the wet stone nuance underpinning the fruit. Just pure grace and precision. An exceptional effort for the estate’s 150th vintage. ’The worst thing on the label is the vintage’ says general director Marielle Cazeaux "because people think it’s bad, but this is really the DNA of La Conseillante". 3.6pH. Merlot picked from 28th September to 1st October, Cabernet Franc on the 6th and 12th October.Decanter | 95 DECThe 2021 Château La Conseillante showed beautifully, and while it’s not going to match the all-time greats here, it’s a quintessential, elegant, seamless Pomerol in the making. Revealing a deep purple hue as well as a spectacular nose of pure cassis, ripe tobacco, damp earth, and ample floral nuances, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannins, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. It’s a remarkable effort in this challenging vintage. The blend is 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, still aging in 70% new barrels, that hit 13.3% alcohol and a pH of 3.6.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95 JDThe 2021 La Conseillante is a blend of 85% Merlot, harvested from 28 September to 1 October, and 15% Cabernet Franc, harvested from 6 to 12 October, with a yield of 39 hl/ha. It is aging 70% in new oak and 3% in amphora. Deep garnet-purple color, it strides confidently out of the glass with notes of fresh blackberries, ripe raspberries, cracked black pepper, and lavender, plus vibrant accents of roses, cinnamon stick, and pencil shavings, Medium-bodied, the palate is soft and quivering with tension, delivering a vibrant core of bright red fruit and subtle spicy sparks, leading to a long minerally finish. pH 3.6.The Wine Independent | 92-94 TWI