The JimHow March BWE Month Special Wine has been uncorked.

[AKR]

I'm pretty sure I've never had a La Conseillante, but this conversation certainly makes me wish I had some. Alas, today's pricing puts me on the sidelines.

It's even more painful considering that it used to be not crazy, maybe $60 for the 1998 on release. Petit Village is a neighbor of theirs, and not yet expensive, but their winemaking has been a little inconsistent.

[Comte Flaneur]

Jim the 2019 seems relatively cheap still, for example vs the 2018, at least over this side of the pond, the 19 trades at a 25% discount to the 18.

Thanks for your note on the 2014, it was emotive. I remember the sample of this wine we tried at the estate in 2015 with Jean-Michel Laporte, and it was not showing much unsurprisingly, at the time. But I am very happy I ended up buying a case. Especially based on your note. In hindsight perhaps a bargain at half the price of the 2016.

[JimHow]

It was a thrill, Ian, it was so closed at first, not surprisingly, but it just kept blossoming and about half way through it was, whoa!. Now I’m obsessed with getting more La Conseillante in my cellar, I have my eye on a 2019 mag from Zachys, plus I know New Hampshire will have some 2019s in stock at a competitive price.

One of the big secrets about 2014 is that it is just as good on the right bank as it is on the left bank, and just as distinctively classic in style:

[Racer Chris]

How is the 2019 La Conseillante? The prices seem to be right on 2019s, no?

On CT I sorted La Conseillante for high score across all vintages.
2019 is currently in second at 96.4 points, behind 1937 (97) and ahead of 1949 (96.3).
Winesearcher avg price displayed on CT is $168

[JimHow]

Thanks Chris, that does it, I’m in.

[marcs]

How is the 2019 La Conseillante? The prices seem to be right on 2019s, no?

On CT I sorted La Conseillante for high score across all vintages.
2019 is currently in second at 96.4 points, behind 1937 (97) and ahead of 1949 (96.3).
Winesearcher avg price displayed on CT is $168

I don't think CT scores are really very reliable until the wine is in bottles and being sold retail. Scores before the wine is released are dominated by a few critics tasting barrel samples who tend to score high (e.g. Jeff Leve).

With that said I'm sure the 2019 Conseillante will be great LOL.

[JimHow]

Yeah, I'm going to look to get a case of 2019 La Conseillante, I'm guessing it's going to be a pretty safe bet.

[Racer Chris]

Panos, Xavier Auerbach, and Jeff Leve put the avg at 97, plus a couple others I don't know gets the average down a smidge.

[JimHow]

MacArthur's has it for $169, seems like a pretty rational price.
But what about tariff risks?

[JimHow]

Screw it, life is full of risks.
If I gotta pay extra, life will go on.
I just ordered six from MacArthur's, and I'll look for more when New Hampshire has it in stock.

[Racer Chris]

MacArthur's has it for $169, seems like a pretty rational price.
But what about tariff risks?

The only way you'll find it cheaper is if NH brings in enough to last until the next sale.
Tariffs are off for at least the next 4 months.
Biden's US Trade Representative was just confirmed yesterday.
General feeling is that the wine tariffs will go away rather than being reinstated.

[JimHow]

The deed is done. Six bottles of 2019 La Conseillante from MacArthur's. I feel good. Thank you for your role in the enablement, Chris, I'll be sure to save one for a New England offline with Gerry, JC, et al.

[JimHow]

When the 2019s are 20 years old, I will be 81.
When they are 15, I will be 76.
When they are a decade old, I will be 71.
Seeing as I have a morbid desire to not live past 80, I'd better stop.

Okay, 6 bottles of 2019 Lynch, first....

[stefan]

The early reports are that 2021 is going to be the best vintage of all time, bar none. Every Bordeaux lover must load up on them. Maybe we should think about buying them as pre-futures.

[JimHow]

Hmm, I'll only be 83 when the 2021 vintage turns 20....

[DavidG]

Geez, I was off the board for a day and missed all the fun!
The 2019 Conseillante is $169. I have some on order but haven’t tasted it.

[OrlandoRobert]

Geez, I was off the board for a day and missed all the fun!
The 2019 Conseillante is $169. I have some on order but haven’t tasted it.

Damnit, et tu, buying 2019s at your ripe age!?.

I am grabbing some 2018s this week. Ugh.

[Comte Flaneur]

La Conseillante is my second highest holding of Bordeaux wine after Leoville Barton, at 4.7% of the total. You may have so catching up to do Jim.

[marcs]

Ian can always be depended upon to produce terminal cellar envy!

[marcs]

Geez, I was off the board for a day and missed all the fun!
The 2019 Conseillante is $169. I have some on order but haven’t tasted it.

Damnit, et tu, buying 2019s at your ripe age!?.

I am grabbing some 2018s this week. Ugh.

The one wine-buying resolution I have been able to stick to is not buying any Bordeaux past the 2016 vintage.

[JimHow]

Izak what’s your take on the 2019 La Conseillante ?

[Comte Flaneur]

Ian can always be depended upon to produce terminal cellar envy!

Marc the reason why I was so touchy about your Leoville Barton shake down is because I own even more of it than La C, it is my #1 holding ...I also really rate it as the benchmark (affordable) left bank

[DavidG]

Geez, I was off the board for a day and missed all the fun!
The 2019 Conseillante is $169. I have some on order but haven’t tasted it.

Damnit, et tu, buying 2019s at your ripe age!?.

I am grabbing some 2018s this week. Ugh.

Just wait until the Social Security checks start coming. I really won’t be able to control myself.

[stefan]

>>
Just wait until the Social Security checks start coming. I really won’t be able to control myself.
>>

I have been collecting for 6 years and saved every penny. It is all marked for buying wine after I retire. I thought about building an estate for our kids, but they are wealthier than we so no point in that. They would rather inherit wine than money.