Wine Advisor
La Conseillante 2003
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
La Conseillante’s 2003 is better than expected given the sandy, gravelly soils of this sector of Pomerol, which did not fare well in this vintage. Sweet raspberry fruit intermixed with licorice, incense and a touch of herbs are followed by a medium-bodied, fully mature, ripe wine to enjoy over the next 3-4 years.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the La Conseillante vertical at Chez Bruce. This has a rounded, voluptuous, complex but generous bouquet with blackberry, raspberry coulis, black truffle and a touch of sous-bois. The palate is medium-bodied and very mellow on the seductive entry, underpinned by silky smooth tannins and leading to an edgy, tense finish: hints of blackberry leaf, dried lemon peel and an unexpected hint of anchovies! Delicious and kind sexy! Tasted December 2010.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted on two occasions en primeur, one sample lacking freshness, the second far more impressive. Lacking Conseillante's usual breeding at the UGC tasting in October 2005. A very floral nose that is far fresher than at en primeur. Has almost a cut grass edge to it. The palate is well-balanced with a meatiness/dried blood note. Good definition and harmony, though it lacks the breeding and length of the truly great La Conseillantes. Then at the mini-vertical in London in January 2006. A very subdued nose after the fireworks of the 2004. Quite earthy, mushroomy, without the sensuality of the ensuing vintage. The palate is cohesive, rich with a roasted, meaty quality. Very smooth but quite tough and stern on the finish. Like many 2003 Right Banks, caveat emptor.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
A lovely, opulent nose of cherry, cassis and a touch of tinned prune. Superb definition and focus: real class here. The palate is rich and dense with a smorgasbord of sweet, blackberry with beautifully entwined new oak. The firm structure underpinning the wine comes through on the tannic finish. Good length with a touch of dark chocolate on the finish. Drinking 2010-2020. Tasted January 2007.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
This is an uninspiring Pomerol, which has nothing to do with the dedication of the owner, but rather the difficult weather conditions that forced the growers’ hands in most sectors of this appellation. As with many Pomerols, there is an absence of depth as well as texture, and austere tannin keeps the finish short and compact. The color is a deep ruby with purple nuances, and the bouquet offers sweet cherries and currants along with hints of flowers and herbs. Nevertheless, the wine is dry, and will likely become desiccated after 7-8 years of bottle age.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Seductive in a superficial manner, the 2003 La Conseillante exhibits a deep ruby/plum color with purple nuances followed by captivating aromas of mulberries, black cherries, licorice, and flowers. In the mouth, the wine is luscious, soft, and velvety-textured with sweet tannin. It does not possess profound depth. Drink it now and over the next 7-10 years. Obviously, vintage conditions forced this estate to harvest early, hence the lack of intense concentration.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
This is a difficult wine to evaluate. Like many 2003 Pomerols, it possesses an excess of austere, astringent tannin that may have the potential to make this wine’s evolution miserable. A dark ruby/purple-tinged, medium-bodied effort, it reveals sweet cherry, raspberry, and currant fruit, a hollow mid-section, and an angular, tough finish.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at Bordeaux Index’s “10-Year On” tasting in London. Comparing the La Conseillante to the L’Evangile, the former has a riper, more voluminous bouquet with fruitcake, raisin and dried herbs aromas that demonstrate good vigour, if not great nuance. The palate is medium-bodied with low acidity, supple and rounded tannins that lend it a plush mouthfeel, especially compared to its aforementioned neighbour. The finish is high toned and forward with hints of white pepper and spice, although it does not relate the essence of the terroir with the same clarity as say, the 2004. Tasted March 2013.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2003 La Conseillante has a modest nose of red fruit, embers, tree bark and leather, though it clearly is missing the vigor and vivacity of the 2001 or 2000. The palate is medium-bodied with notes of dark chocolate and sage infusing the black fruit. There is a lactic element to this La Conseillante, not unattractive but certainly nowhere near the quality of other vintages. The heat of the growing season just denuded this Pomerol (and others) of its terroir expression and now it feels rather static. Drink now as it will not improve further. Tasted at La Conseillante vertical at the property.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
This is round, soft, and fruity. An attractive plum and berry character make this wine easy and friendly right now. It still has nice freshness and subtlety, with some floral undertones. I can’t think of a reason to wait any longer on this.
About the Producer
Chateau La Conseillante is located in the Pomerol appellation on the right bank of Bordeaux, France, next to Vieux Chateau Certan and Chateau L'Evangile, and is one of the best châteaux in Pomerol. The vineyard covers an area of 11.8 hectares with a topsoil of 60% grey clay and 40% gravel and a subsoil of red clay rich in iron. The vineyard is planted with 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. The Merlot is planted mainly on clay plots, while the Cabernet Franc is planted mainly on gravel. The average age of the vines is 35 years and the planting density is 7,000 vines per hectare. The winery uses traditional vineyard management practices, eliminating the use of herbicides. During the growing season, the land is usually plowed four times to suppress weed growth and thus obtain more water for the vines. In the winter, the vines are pruned in a strict Simple Guyot and Double Guyot style. In addition, the vineyards are de-leafed and de-budded to keep yields at around 4,000 liters per hectare. At harvest time, the grapes are hand-picked to their optimum ripeness and a preliminary selection is carried out. Once the selection is complete, the grapes are transported in small batches to the winery to prevent crushing of the fruit. The winery is located in the heart of the vineyard, which shortens the transportation time and ensures that the grapes are fresh and ready for fermentation. In 2012, the winery added a new fermentation room with enough temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks to ferment the grapes from each of the 18 plots separately, combining traditional winemaking techniques with modern technology. In addition, the winery now has four sorting tables and a de-stemmer. After being transferred to barrels, the grapes undergo a cold maceration of 48 to 96 hours. After maceration, the must is fermented in barrels with the skins for 1 week, followed by a further 1 to 2 weeks of maceration. At the end of fermentation, some of the artesian wine is released first and the remaining lees are pressed through a vertical press. The pressed wines are aged separately, and only some of the best pressed wines are blended with the artesian wines. Before bottling, the wines are matured in oak barrels for approximately 18 months, 50% to 80% of which are new. During maturation, the wines are decanted by the winemakers every three months and finally clarified with egg whites.
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