"The 2019 La Conseillante is performing brilliantly and rivals the 2016 as Marielle Cazaux's finest vintage at this leading Pomerol estate to date. Wafting from the glass with striking aromas of raspberries, plums, violets, raw cocoa, sweet soil tones and licorice, framed by a deftly integrated touch of classy new oak, it's full-bodied, ample and enveloping, its broad attack segueing into a seamless, layered mid-palate that's vibrant and concentrated, framed by powdery tannins and lively acids, before concluding with a long, saline finish.
Marielle Cazaux of La Conseillante started by saying, “What was important for us in terms of vineyard management was realizing that it was a year when, finally, doing nothing was the best solution. We left the leaves on the canopy. Except for the young vines and Cabernet Franc, the vines did well, positioned on the clay. For the young vines, we plowed a little ditch to collect the water when it rained. We have a saying: ‘one good holing is worth two waterings.’” Cazeaux explained, “It was so warm during harvest, so we picked only in the morning, to keep the fruit cool. It was a very easy vinification. We worked from 7 a.m. to noon in the winery, while it was cool. We did all the pump-overs by hand, aiming for very smooth, gentle extraction. We harvested the last parcel of Cabernet Franc on the 7th of October. It was not a difficult vintage in terms of winemaking. Since 2017, all the tanks have had debourbage (a cool settling) done prior to fermentation. We do that overnight, simply to get rid of the dust and dirt. When the vintages are hot and dry, there can be a lot of dust and dirt on the grapes—the quantity can be incredible. We want the wine to be as pure as possible.” She continued, "This 2019 was really simple for me. In the middle of February, the selection was done. Now I understand that at this property, the amount of wine that I make doesn’t matter. If it is not good enough, it doesn’t go into La Conseillante. We are so small, we need to be at the top with the quality. We have a lot competition.” It’s another job superbly done for Cazeaux and her team, as La Conseillante's signature perfume, purity and restrained power shine through with amazing clarity and style this vintage.
Under the direction of Marielle Cazaux, La Conseillante continues to go from strength to strength, as exemplified by the estate's brilliant 2019 vintage. The estate's parcels are harvested into 15-kilogram crates, spend the night in a cold room and are sorted the next day, before being vinified, parcel by parcel, with pump-overs by hand. Percentages of new oak have diminished: from 80% between 2011-2014, to only 70% from 2015 onward; but, more importantly, the selection of barrels has changed, too, favoring lighter toasts—and cooler temperatures in the chai help, too. Contemporary La Conseillante is an immensely sensual, seamless wine, exhibiting striking perfume and purity of fruit; and it's a strong candidate for the title of Pomerol's most elegant—and dare I say it, Burgundian—wine."
William Kelley 99 Punkte (Apr. 2022)
"The 2019 La Conseillante is a blend of 84% Merlot and 16% Cabernet Franc, harvested from the 17th of September to the 7th of October at yields of 34 hectoliters per hectare. It is being aged in 70% new French oak barrels, 27% second fill barrels and 3% amphora. The alcohol this year is 14.5% with a pH of 3.67. Very deep purple-black colored, it comes bounding out of the glass with all the energy of a new puppy, featuring notes of warm plums, wild blueberries and freshly crushed black cherries with hints of licorice, molten chocolate, violets, woodsmoke and tar plus a waft of lavender. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is laden with layer upon layer of black and blue fruits with loads of floral sparks and a very fine-grained, silt-like texture, finishing with incredible freshness and a provocative mineral edge. La Conseillante's signature perfume, purity and restrained power shine through with amazing clarity and style this vintage."
Lisa Perrotti Brown MW 96-98 Punkte
Quelle: www.robertparker.com