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Forty Vintages of La Conseillante 2009 - 1945

Wednesday, 16th February 2011 by Stephen Browett

Just before Christmas 2010 a group of us assembled at Chez Bruce restaurant for a spectacular and unique tasting of forty vintages of Chateau La Conseillante. We were delighted to welcome winemaker Jean-Michel Laporte to snowy London and were also joined by wine critics James Suckling, Neal Martin and Jancis Robinson, Sommeliers Katie Exton and Luke Robertson, writers Julian Barnes and Tony Quinn and Barry Phillips, a wine trade wise man, who came dressed as Father Christmas.

Flight One - "The Young Ones"

The wines were decanted by Tom Parker and Ben Browett and tasted blind in flights over the course of the evening. The young vintages were tasted on their own and the older vintages with dinner. The tasting notes here are in chronological order rather than in the order in which the wines were served.

2009 - (cask sample brought direct from the Chateau) A deep colour with big "legs" clinging to the glass. A powerful nose of black fruit and truffles. There is great density here (almost too much for Jancis!) and a concentration that exceeds any other young vintage of La Conseillante that I have tasted. A real brooding powerhouse of a wine with a core of dense fruit and some firm tannins to balance. Very impressive but not a typically soft and supple La Conseillante. This is a cranked up version of the 2005. SB: 18 AVG: 18

2008 - A little light fade at the rim but a good core of solid, bright red. Quite reserved on the nose, this seems quite lean and tannic. Very much cooler than the 2005 and 2009 with a firm edge. This could develop like the 1988 and it's certainly going to be one for the long haul rather than an early drinker. SB: 16 AVG: 16.7

2007 - A medium-deep colour. A sweet, sexy and very up-front fragrant nose. There are notes of brown sugar at the front, red fruits on the mid palate and a little tannin at the finish. It probably needs a couple of years in bottle but this will be a delicious drink when 5 years old. Not complex but very fine Pomerol. SB: 16 AVG: 15.6

Bottles line up ready to be decanted

2006 - A little brown fade at the rim. This has a very opulent nose of ripe plums and vanilla. A relatively early-maturer and a really lovely example of La Conseillante. Sweet, smooth and supple with a creamy mouthfeel. Not a classic vintage but a very good wine that will give very pleasurable drinking over the next 10 years and more. SB: 17 AVG: 17.3

2005 - A good deep red colour with only a little fade. Black truffles on the nose. A huge mouth-full of plump red fruit with lots of cream and summer pudding flavours. A cashmere texture and hints of vanilla and licorice. A beautifully balanced wine that will last for 50 years. Complete and magnificent. Bigger than the 2000 but not as dense as the 2009. SB: 18.5 AVG: 18.4

2004 - A deep colour and a gorgeous nose of spice and leather. Sexy, roasted notes of barbequed meat. Opulent and rich, very attractive and up front. Really delicious Pomerol for drinking now and in the medium term. I guessed this to be the 2000 and probably over-marked it, but it really was very good... SB: 18 AVG: 17.3

2003 - A well developed colour with some fade. A really sexy, sweet nose of cigar box, leather, vanilla and Asian spices. Loose-knit, maybe a touch thin in the middle but very easy drinking and supple. Perfect to glug back tonight, no need to keep this any longer. SB: 16.5 AVG: 16.8

The great 1959

2002 - A mature colour, quite brown at the rim. An early maturing wine that was the weakest in the flight 2000-2009. Not much intensity and rather outclassed by the vintages around it. Simple and a bit rustic. This stood out like a sore thumb as a lightweight surrounded by heavyweights SB: 14 AVG: 14.8

2001 - Just a little fade. A sexy, typically La Conseillante nose. This is absolutely lovely to drink now. Lovely cream and spice. Round and soft with a cashmere texture and ripe tannins. A perfect example of La Conseillante - not "strong" but oozes class and finesse. Long, smooth and moreish. A beauty and (as Jean-Michel predicted) it out-scored the 2000 on the day. SB: 18 AVG: 17

2000 - Some fade at the rim. A sweet nose with hints of demarara sugar. Very opulent and ripe, seems fully mature. Rich and spicy with notes of red cherries, raspberries and hints of vanilla and licorice. Served blind immediately after the 2001 and 2004 it failed to match their scores and although good it certainly did not stand out? Maybe not a representative bottle or just going through a closed stage? SB: 16 AVG: 16.5

1999 - A good deep colour but a curious nose with hints of toffee. Initially sweet and attractive but then drying a little at the finish. Ultimately it has a bit of a hard edge and lacks the flesh of a top year. Good but drink up. SB: 17 AVG: 17

1998 - Medium to deep colour. The nose is quite meaty. Seems rather rustic and chunky today. Solid but not very sophisticated. Not the usual Conseillante charm. Maybe not a perfect bottle? Got better with time. SB: 14.5 at first then 16.5 AVG: 16.7

1995 - Medium colour with some fade. Earth and truffles on the nose. On the palate it tastes quite like Burgundy with some sweet, exotic notes and a touch of roasted meat and mushrooms. Forward and exotic. Drink now. SB: 17.5 AVG: 16.8

1993 - A very mature, developed colour with brown on the rim. Leather and earth on the nose. Fading charm here, sexy sweetness but fading. Drink Up. SB: 16.5 AVG: 15.9

The legendary 1949

1991 - A pretty feeble colour. Sweet but with a salty edge to it, a bit like seawater. Seems artificially sweet (chaptalised?) but no fruit. Should have been drunk on release - or never made in the first place! SB: 14 AVG: 13.9

1990 - The colour shows maturity but the nose is rich and opulent. Super sweet and creamy textured with vanilla and spice. Plenty of glycerin and density but seems fully developed. A beautiful, easy-drinking wine now at its peak of maturity. SB: 17.5 AVG: 18

1989 - Superb richness. Roasted and intense. Really gorgeous with a bit more structure and bite to it than the 1990. Has a few years left in it but hard to resist right now. No need to keep it. Perfect now. SB: 18.5 AVG: 18.1

1988 - A mature and developed colour. Soft and subtle and a lovely smooth glass of Pomerol to drink now. Not great intensity (well behind the 89 and 90) but a really fine mature wine. SB: 17 AVG: 17.4

1986 - Mature colour. A big sexy nose of earth and leather. The palate is surprisingly sweet and rich with a lovely creamy texture. Really lovely. A gorgeous Pomerol to drink and enjoy right now. Not one to keep. SB: 17 AVG: 16

1985 - Quite a good colour for the age. Good intensity and fabulous complexity and sweetness. Raspberries and cherries with hints of licorice, smoke and herbs. This is a vintage in which many wines are now fading but this seems to be a really great 1985 that is very nearly at the same level as the more famous (and more expensive) 1982, 1989 and 1990. SB: 18 AVG: 17.5

1984 - A very mature colour. Sweet and rather decadent. Earthy and dirty but has some exotic notes. Way past its best but not nasty. SB: 14.5 AVG: 14.5

1983 - A mature colour but a lovely, sexy, creamy character with hints of violets on the nose. Lots of sweetness but a touch of volatility. Loses grip rapidly. Nice but drink up. SB: 15.5 AVG: 15.5

1982 - A wonderfully intense wine with a voluptuous, creamy, silky character. Classic mature Pomerol with a smooth texture. Outstanding. SB: 18.5 AVG: 18.1

1981 - A mature, browning colour - this actually looks and smells like a Burgundy. Sweet and sour on the palate, very Burgundian - with stalks as well as grapes. As Barry Phillips said "19 points if Burgundy, 16 if Pomerol". SB: 16.5 AVG: 15.3

1980 - An extremely mature colour. A briney taste, a long time past its drinking window. Still alive, but only just. SB: 13 AVG: 13.1

1977 - A light rusty nail colour. Sweet, very developed but not actually unpleasant. OK considering the abysmal reputation of the vintage. SB: 13 AVG: 13.6

1976 - A mature colour, sexy opulent nose, sweet initially, with a touch of brown sugar. The finish tails off rather quickly and is a bit short and dry. A wine that was probably very sexy 20 years ago but is now past its peak. Has certainly known better days but hanging on to the last vestiges of youth. Drink up quickly. SB: 15 AVG: 15.4

1975 - Maturing colour with a sexy, opulent nose - hints of vanilla ice cream with raspberry jam and truffles. The famous 1975 tannins have softened completely and this is now a fabulous, complex multi-dimensional mature Pomerol just past its peak of maturity. SB: 16.5 AVG: 16.5

1974 - A slightly better colour than the 1977 and worth a point more. Just about alive. SB: 14 AVG: 13.5

1973 - Similar to the 1974 with maybe a touch more sweetness. Might have been a pleasant drink about 30 years ago. SB: 14 AVG: 13.7

Jonathan Stephens, James Orr and Jean-Michel Laporte

1972 - Not this one though. This really is pushing up the daisies. More like seawater than red wine. SB: 12 AVG: 12.2

1971 - The colour is quite deep at the centre but fading at the rim. Good intensity, roasted fruit and a succulent, creamy texture. Finishes a little short and certainly on the way out but still has something to offer. SB: 17 AVG: 16.1

1969 - Urggh. Nasty and dried out. These "off vintages" of the late 60's and 70's really were bad. I don't think that we will ever see wines like these here again. SB: 12 AVG: 11.9

1966 - A mature, browning colour. Sweetness on the front palate but seems a bit dis-jointed and drying at the finish. Alive but not kicking. SB: 16 AVG: 15.8

1964 - Mature colour with an exotic old nose. Sweet and sour on the palate, this was clearly once a great wine but is now developing a "forest floor" character like a fading old Burgundy. Still a complex wine but on the decline. SB: 16 AVG: 16

1959 - A mature Burgundian colour. Amazing sweetness on the palate. This is still super-sweet, rich, ripe and complex. A really long finish. So classy and not drying out. For me the wine of the tasting. What a great vintage! SB: 19 AVG: 17.1

1955 - The only non Chateau bottles wine in the tasting. Sadly oxidised.

1953 - A deep colour, brick red with a little brown fade. Sweet, decadent, mature and complex. Fabulous old Pomerol with many dimensions. Slightly dry at the finish but impressive at 57 years old! SB: 16.5 AVG: 17.2

1949 - A mature colour but still bright red at the centre. Slightly volatile, but remarkably sweet and rich. This must hAVG: been a real fruit bomb in its youth and it's still, in its sixties, a wine of impressive richness. SB: 17.5 AVG: 17.6

1945 - A slightly volatile nose. Intense and still deep on the palate but for me there was a slightly salty edge to it and served blind after the 1959 it seemed to have less sweetness and length. SB: 16.5 AVG: 18

Barry Phillips, Oliver East, Jancis Robinson, Neal Martin, Tony Quinn and Katie Exton.

Conclusions:

With the exception of 2002, the last 10 years have been very successful at La Conseillante. The most recent vintages, made by Jean-Michel Laporte, have been particularly good with 2009 probably the most concentrated La Conseillante ever. Nevertheless, this is not a wine whose main attribute is power. La Conseillante is a classic Pomerol and what it delivers, vintage after vintage, is a very pure expression of its terroir and the Merlot grape. The classic attributes are a ripe, smooth, rounded fruit character and a silky, smooth texture.

The highlights of the tasting were, not surprisingly the wines from the acknowledged "great" vintages with 1959, 1982, 1989, 2005 and 2009 the pick of the bunch for me. The older, off vintages were all past it and it seems sure that today's less famous years (eg 2007 and 2004) will be much more successful than those of 20-30 years ago. This was a magnificent tasting and re-confirmed that La Conseillante is one of the great names of Pomerol and that the Chateau is today making wines that are good as - or maybe better - than at any time in its illustrious past.

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