2010 Château la Conseillante, Pomerol, Bordeaux
Critics reviews
Robert M. Parker, Jr. - 28/02/2013
(Jancis Robinson MW- jancis robinson.com, Apr 2011)
(James Molesworth – The Wine Spectator – Mar 2011)
(96 Robert Parker- Wine Advocate- Feb 2013)
A monumental La Conseillante, the 2010 completes a remarkable decade for this estate. Quintessentially floral, this dense purple-colored effort reveals sweet flowery black raspberry and blueberry liqueur notes, more power, muscle and concentration than most vintages and exquisite elegance, purity and personality. Serious tannin lurks beneath the surface, but the overall impression is of a medium to full-bodied, strikingly deep, beautifully pure, well-balanced wine. Give it 3-5 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 25-30+.
(95-98 Robert Parker- Wine Advocate- May 2011)
About this WINE
Chateau la Conseillante
Château La Conseillante is amongst the crème de la crème of Pomerol producers. It can trace its history back to 1735 and has been in the hands of the Nicolas family since 1874.
La Conseillante's 13 hectares of vineyards are located on a plateau in eastern Pomerol on the boundary with the St-Emilion appellation. Its vineyards border those of L`Evangile, Petit-Village, Vieux Château-Certan and Cheval Blanc.
La Conseillante is a blend of 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 5% Malbec. The grapes are harvested by hand and are then fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. The wine is then aged in small oak casks (90% new) for 18-20 months. It is bottled unfiltered.
Pomerol
Pomerol is the smallest of Bordeaux's major appellations, with about 150 producers and approximately 740 hectares of vineyards. It is home to many bijou domaines, many of which produce little more than 1,000 cases per annum.
Both the topography and architecture of the region is unremarkable, but the style of the wines is most individual. The finest vineyards are planted on a seam of rich clay which extends across the gently-elevated plateau of Pomerol, which runs from the north-eastern boundary of St Emilion. On the sides of the plateau, the soil becomes sandier and the wines lighter.
There is one satellite region to the immediate north, Lalande-de-Pomerol whose wines are stylistically very similar, if sometimes lacking the finesse of its neighbour. There has never been a classification of Pomerol wines.
Recommended Châteaux : Ch. Pétrus, Vieux Ch. Certan, Le Pin, Ch. L’Eglise-Clinet, Ch. La Conseillante, Ch. L’Evangile, Ch. Lafleur, Trotanoy, Ch. Nenin, Ch. Beauregard, Ch. Feytit-Clinet, Le Gay.
Merlot
The most widely planted grape in Bordeaux and a grape that has been on a relentless expansion drive throughout the world in the last decade. Merlot is adaptable to most soils and is relatively simple to cultivate. It is a vigorous naturally high yielding grape that requires savage pruning - over-cropped Merlot-based wines are dilute and bland. It is also vital to pick at optimum ripeness as Merlot can quickly lose its varietal characteristics if harvested overripe.
In St.Emilion and Pomerol it withstands the moist clay rich soils far better than Cabernet grapes, and at it best produces opulently rich, plummy clarets with succulent fruitcake-like nuances. Le Pin, Pétrus and Clinet are examples of hedonistically rich Merlot wines at their very best. It also plays a key supporting role in filling out the middle palate of the Cabernet-dominated wines of the Médoc and Graves.
Merlot is now grown in virtually all wine growing countries and is particularly successful in California, Chile and Northern Italy.
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Description
Beautiful. Majestic. Complex and complete! Another triumph for this brilliant property. To have so much depth and retain the freshness, purity and mesmerising minerality is a marvel to behold! More like Le Pin than Petrus in style and at a quality level this year similar to that of Ducru, Cos, Lynch and Haut-Bailly to name a few. It really does have a dream-like deft touch which is utterly compelling.
(Simon Staples, BBR Fine Wine Director)
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