La Conseillante in good form

[Comte Flaneur]

I tried two young vintages of La Conseillante in March and both showed well:

2005 La Conseillante

I have tried this a few times and it struck me as a really accomplished wine with the structure to age for decades. Since I last tried one a couple of years ago this wine has blossomed and is now open for business and firing on all cylinders (cliche alert) – it was a much better showing than I was expecting.

In fact, based on this encounter, La Conseillante 2005 is a show stopper. It is ever so expressive with a luxurious, decadent entry, which is a huge turn on. It has notes of cassis, pastilles, dark cherries, flowers, violets, minerals, spices, truffle, porcini mushrooms and herbs/fennel. It is lush, full bodied, opulent, exotic but also precise on the palate, with a seamless, silky texture moving into a long satisfying finish.

It did tighten up a bit on day one after 2-3 hours, a reminder that it is only at the beginning of a long drinking window. On day two it was compared to a slightly corked bottle of Cantemerle 1996 then a sound half of Cantemerle 2016, which is a very good wine, but the Conseillante was in a completely different league. But this is, by any objective standard, oustanding and top drawer. I would conservatively peg it at 96 pts.

2012 La Conseillante

While the previous two bottles in the picture exceeded my expectations the 2012 La Conseillante was as I anticipated. Like many other 2012s – an under-rated vintage in Bordeaux – it is already drinking well. It exudes class and finesse, with plenty of expression of mocha, plum, spices and herbs, with mineral graphite notes overlaid, whilst being commendably light on its feet and drop dead delicious – while it does not quite have the same gravitas as the 2005 more age will bring more complexity – 94 pts

As I have noted before when I critiqued the 2010, if you want to criticise these modern Conseillantes you could say that they are a bit short on emotion and passion and long on ruthless clinical efficiency – and they do take quite a while to come round. It seems the easy going precocious and delicate charm of the Conseillantes from the 1980s has been lost for ever. But based on these two showings I am pleased to have plenty from recent vintages. According to my updated Cellartracker this estate is my second largest holding after Leoville Barton.

[greatbxfreak]

Both wines are from the era of Jean-Michel Laporte. He's now at Ch. Talbot.

Since 2015, Marielle Cazaux has been playing the strings at LC, and, in my humble opinion, the wines are better.

[Nicklasss]

La Conseillante is surely of of my favorite red of Bordeaux.

By the way, bought more Pomerol then ever in the last year. Real’y enjoyed the 2019 of Beauregard and de Sales. Bought also some 2019 Petit Village bit did not taste yet.

[JimHow]

It is pretty hard to remember ever being disappointed by La Conseillante. My more recent experiences with the 2014 and 2019 portend continued greatness ahead.

[Comte Flaneur]

Both wines are from the era of Jean-Michel Laporte. He's now at Ch. Talbot.

Since 2015, Marielle Cazaux has been playing the strings at LC, and, in my humble opinion, the wines are better.

I wouldn’t disagree with that Izak. But I think the 2005, 2010 and 2012 are the best wines he made during his time there and imho they on a par with the wines that MC has overseen.

[marcs]

Some of the off vintages under Laporte were really wonderful and charming in a way I haven't seen replicated under Cazaux. Thinking of 2001 and 2004 in particular, also 2012 while we're at it. In contrast I tried the 2017 (a Cazaux "off vintage") and it wasn't as good, more stereotypical right bank fruit-forward and a bit heavy.

[Comte Flaneur]

I never got on with the 2004 Marc.
The 2001 got some great reports but some complain it is still not ready. Haven’t tried it for many a year, nor the 2000 for that matter.
The next one I am going to pop is the 2006, a gift from Joel

[marcs]

I never got on with the 2004 Marc.
The 2001 got some great reports but some complain it is still not ready. Haven’t tried it for many a year, nor the 2000 for that matter.
The next one I am going to pop is the 2006, a gift from Joel

The 2001 really is great, if you like the more delicate and "Burgundian" side of Conseillante. Better than the 2000 in my experience, which is a bit plummy. The 01 should be ready, or at least it's been "ready" many times in the past for me. It may go in and out of focus over time.

The 2006 is very good too, although not up to the 2001 IMO. Fruitier but lacks some subtlety and complexity. Like a lot of 2006s it has been a good deal recently -- going for $100/bottle in the US.

In my experience the 2005 was the best Conseillante of the oughts and could be the best one ever. I'd put the 2001 second in the oughts.

[stefan]

Glad to hear that the 2005 Conseillante is coming around. I bought a case of this and tried one 3-4 years ago. The structure was great, but it was much too young to tempt me to open another bottle.

[JimHow]

The best Conseillantes I’ve ever tasted were the 1989 and 1990 brought by one Rob Dayton to the Stefan-Lucie estate in College Station Teyxxasss, omg those wines were singing that night.

[stefan]

Indeed they were. Two of the best vintages of Conseillante.

[DavidG]

Nice report Ian. I have to agree on ‘89 and ‘90 being top of the heap. I’ve had them both multiple times but sadly no more in the cellar.

That note on the ‘05 is making me wish I’d bought that instead of the Clinet.