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La Conseillante 2009

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > Pomerol
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyMerlot/Cabernet Franc

View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château La Conseillante

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Tasting Notes

The competition between the 2009, 2005 and 2000 La Conseillante will be interesting to follow over the next twenty years. There was more of a selection process at this estate in 2009 than there was in 2000, resulting in a beautiful Pomerol offering notes of mulberries, sweet cherries, spring flowers, raspberries and truffles. The color is a healthy deep plum/ruby/purple and the wine is medium to full-bodied with silky tannins, a broad, layered mouthfeel and wonderful freshness as well as length. This gorgeous, complex, Burgundian-styled Pomerol will be drinkable in 4-6 years and should keep for 30-40. (The 1970 is still alive and that was not nearly as well made as the 2009.) Drink 2016-2056

96
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (199), March 2012

Blackberries, violets and licorice, with hints of lavender. Full body, with phenomenal texture of ultra-fine tannins and subtle and intriguing fruit character. Goes on for minutes. Try in 2020.

97
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, February 2012

The 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. 2020 - 2048.

96
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (241), March 2019

Relatively low-key nose. Lots of energy here, and luscious sweetness, but I still find a lack of terroir for what one might expect of this over-performer and the vintage. Just a little bit formless.

17
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2010

Similar 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. 2018 - 2038

96
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com, November 2017

This 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.-J.M.

96
James Molesworth, Wine Spectator Insider (Vol 8, 3), January 2012

Remains true to the refined, elegant house style but with added depth and concentration. Lovely fruit. Smooth, velvety tannins. Brilliant wine. Drink 2020-2040.

18.5
James Lawther MW, Decanter.com, April 2010

At 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)

97
Stuart Pigott, JamesSuckling.com, March 2019
Read more tasting notes...

Now that La Conseillante is making a second wine with more severe selection, think of the 2009 as a version of the 2000 on steroids. This is never going to be a blockbuster wine, because the terroir just seems to produce silky, elegant wines, but in this case, the 2009 has an extra kick and level of concentration that is unprecedented. Inky bluish purple, with an extraordinary nose of framboise, black raspberries, spring flowers, spice box, and a hint of truffle, the wine has great depth, full-bodied opulence, silky tannins, enormous power and richness, but again, a vibrancy and uplift that are just freakish in this vintage. That's one of the great hallmarks of 2009 and one that will always stand out over the next 30 years. This wine should be drinkable in 5-7 years and last 40 or more. (Tasted three times.) Drink 2015-2055.

95/98
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (188), April 2010

Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. The La Conseillante ‘09 has a very seductive bouquet with lifted kirsch, mulberry and light honeyed tones – all very well defined. The palate is medium-bodied with a sensual but insistent entry. There are layers of ripe dark cherry, spicebox, black pepper and Provencal herbs with great weight and persistency on the finish. Superb. Tasted January 2013.

95+
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, July 2013

Tasted at La Conseillante, cropped between 17th and 28th September at 39.5hl/ha and coming in with 14.2% alcohol, the '09 La Conseillante has a very refined bouquet, with dark berried fruit, sloe, a touch of dried orange peel and crushed stones. The understated nature of this Conseillante is a joy to behold. The palate is medium-bodied, slightly grainy tannins, very good balance, very natural and handling that alcohol better than many other Right Banks. Nice grip on the finish, just a touch of astringency, but complex with minerals, some smoky notes developing in the glass. This 2009 brims with character and is undoubtedly one of the great Conseillante's of modern times. Just ethereal. Tasted April 2010.

96/98
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, April 2010

From Robert Parker's Hong Kong Tasting, 8th Nov 2011:
Aromas of blueberry, minerals, flowers, and hints of brewed coffee. Sweet tobacco. Full bodied, with an amazing palate of intense dark fruits that verge on kir, but then a racy background of super fine tannins. Superb. Try after 2022

98
James Suckling, Wine Advocate, November 2011

Such wonderful clarity to this wine, with violets, black and exotic fruits. Fabulous nose. Full-bodied, with superfine tannins and a silky, silky finish. Such beauty. Really stunning. Class.

95/98
James Suckling, WineSpectator.com, April 2010
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.