2016 Château La Conseillante
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Tasting notes
The 2016 La Conseillante is a little more reticent on the nose: touches of iron piping infuse the black fruit, though this is well defined and, with aeration, conveys a sense of minéralité. The palate is medium-bodied, with pliant tannins. Very focused, it builds gently in the mouth towards a grippy finish, yet there is still finesse here. Whilst it is just about drinking now, it has the freshness and substance to repay cellaring. Tasted blind at the Southwold 10-Year-On tasting.
Critic scores
James Suckling
Wine Enthusiast
More reviews and scores
Creamy blackberry, smoked caramel, luscious tannins that are still firm but more yielding than in the St Emilion limestone wines as a whole. Love the smoky cocoa bean and campfire quality, laced with crushed roses, raspberry puree, crayon and incense. Ready to go but with decades ahead, and a mouthwatering finish that stretches things out. Marie Cazoux had arrived as director and winemaker at this lovely Pomerol estate in 2015, making this her second vintage.
The 2016 La Conseillante is a benchmark wine for the estate, perhaps the first where winemaker Marielle Cazaux really made her mark. It has a divine bouquet that halts you in your tracks with its purity. Almost Burgundian in style, black fruit intermixes with blue, just a background scent of incense - less vanillary than before. The palate is marked by svelte tannins, cashmere in texture with just a trace of white pepper. The finish has a welcome sense of edginess with hints of graphite on the aftertaste. It's just the opening chapter in what will be an awesome Pomerol. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the Icons of Bordeaux dinner at Legacy Records in New York.
Bursting with Pomerol character, cocoa bean, slate, olive, powerful liquorice and crushed mint leaf alongside blackberry, raspberry puree and succulent black cherry fruits. Tannins make their presence felt but have a sense of enjoyment and seduction, and this is pretty much the perfect combination of concentration, nuance and promise. Harvest September 22 to October 17 last date of harvest, 39.5hl/h yield. 70% new oak, 30% one year old barrels.
About the producer
Château la Conseillante was built in 1750 and named after the proprietor, Libourne business woman Catherine Conseillan. The reputation of the wines quickly grew and her wines became some of the most expensive in the region.