Château La Conseillante 2023

Clear and pure as always—sheer elegance. Sensational nose, floral and dark-fruited, with that goosebump aroma that won’t let go; on the palate, it’s straight and compact, with tannins carved as if from stone, crisp, energised, and with outstanding length. A classic Conseillante that will age beautifully.

Just as it was from cask, the 2023 La Conseillante is one of the vintage's most exciting wines in bottle. Offering up lavish aromas of ripe blackberries and mulberries mingled with hints of violets and mint, it's medium- to full-bodied, supple and fleshy, with an ample core of fruit, beautifully refined tannins and a long, perfumed finish. Readers who own both the deeper-pitched, elegantly muscular 2022 and the utterly charming, hedonistic 2023 will enjoy comparing and contrasting the two over the decades to come. The 2023 is a blend of 88% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc, some 30% of which is maturing in amphorae. Harvest began on September 7, lasting until October 2, block by block.

A clear stand out in 2023. Dark chocolate, bitter toast, blackcurrant, deep, dark and rich tones on the nose. This has both a vibrancy and a richness, a sense of Pomerol opulence, and a coolness on the nose. Supple and energetic, this has movement and weight, juicy with a touch of creaminess. Smooth and sophisticated but still with a hit of acidity on the back palate that lifts and raises the expression the whole way through. Great stuff, sleek, mineral - very saline with licks of wet stone, graphite and liquorice giving slightly bitter edges, but I love the construction. Serious but also fun. Sleek, not rich and fleshy at all, but there’s a thick silkiness to it, nothing harsh, nothing austere or too tart. Really excellent, sweet strawberry, crunchy cranberry and powdery strawberry - lots of brightness and powderiness so you get texture and tension. Another stellar wine from La Conseillante. Buzzy and tangy, maintaining flavour and focus also with great drinkability on offer. A vintage to age. 7.5% press wine.

The 2023 La Conseillante was bottled in May. It clearly benefits from a few minutes of aeration, gaining definition with blackberry, blueberry, dried, wilted flowers and touches of crushed stone, with the 12% Cabernet Franc bringing a light peppery note. The palate is medium-bodied and perhaps shows a little more backbone than it did from barrel. Firmly structured, with a hint of chalkiness to the texture toward the finish, and a very long finish. It delivers.

Initially, you notice the intensity of the wine's floral bouquet before exploring its aromas of cocoa, truffle, spice, chocolate, and perfectly ripe black cherries. While the fragrance is striking, it is the palate where the wine truly shines with a vivid display of black and red fruits. The wine is elegant, silky, and fresh, with a beautiful sense of purity in the fruit that leaves you eager to take another sip. The wine blends 88% Merlot with 12% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2029-2055.

Dark ruby, purple reflections, brightening on the edge. Black forest berries, blackberries, a touch of fine oak, tobacco spice, hint of liquorice and candied violets. Juicy, elegant, cherries, good freshness, ripe, integrated tannins, a hint of dark nougat, harmonious and long-lasting, mineral finish, good length, certain ageing potential; very typical appellation character.

A punch of floral aromatics sets the scene for this gorgeous wine, and this is a brillant La Conseillante with textured powerful depths to the blueberry and blackberry fruit, laced with cocoa bean and espresso, and a fame of juicy tannins on the giving structure and lift. Easily among the most successful wines of Pomerol in the vintage. Started picking September 7 and finished October 2. 3.6ph. 3% of amphora, 43hl/h yield. 70% aged in new oak. Marielle Cazeaux director.

Score: 96-98. A profusion of flowers (peony, iris, violet) and dark fruit (blackcurrant), with pure notes of ink and graphite and a subtle touch of black pepper, shape a hedonistic, charming, rich and ripe bouquet. The palate is remarkably juicy, wrapping you in a sumptuous soft cashmere scarf, or in the voluptuous embrace of Sophia Loren. The fruit is caressing, vibrant, succulent and full, with satiny tannins that lead you into the delicious chew of the long, saline finish. Absolute refinement, with power, substance and perfectly controlled alcohol.

La Conseillante’s bouquet has the gift of going straight to the point, without detours, and with an expansive enthusiasm. The aromatic challenge, then, is not to see it build minute by minute, but to hold the course it sets from the start. Notes of peonies, cocoa beans, blueberries and liquorice show exceptional coherence, underscoring La Conseillante’s identity with exemplary precision. The fusion of freshness, bloom and ripeness is fully achieved. Everything is connected; nothing dominates—except pleasure. Dense on the attack, the wine is quickly framed by a structuring acidity that champions savoury character with an incisive edge. This livens up the entire palate, tempering its roaming charm. A wine that moves in a world of openness, spontaneity and tradition—meaning it can be enjoyed young without having to forgo cellaring it. It will perform in both cases. The tannins make themselves felt late, which makes this wine all the more dependable. A healthy dose of fine bitters reinforces the aromatic expression and the lingering finish, where vigour and freshness only serve to highlight the wine’s perfect balance. What a magnificent ability to look to the future while celebrating the past through contemporary realities.