La Conseillante 2015

Aromas of tar, black olive skin and blackberries follow through to a full body. Ultra-fine tannins and a long, linear finish with super intensity. Well-crafted in every sense. A fabulous Pomerol for the future. Try in 2022.

Composed of 81% Merlot and 19% Cabernet Franc and aged for 18 months in 70% new and 30% one-year-old French oak, the medium garnet-purple colored 2015 La Conseillante opens with reticent, earthy notes of dusty soil, garrigue, forest floor and iron ore with a core of warm plums, cassis, cigar boxes, star anise and dark chocolate plus a hint of violets. Medium to full-bodied with decadent fruit and a gorgeous plushness to the texture, the palate features impeccable poise and compelling depth, finishing on a lingering mineral note. 2022 - 2047

Tasted blind. Really appetising and cool and fresh. Everything in its place. Sumptuous. Very serious for the long term but already delivering pleasure. Lovely pure finish. Several tasters remarked how much better this tasted than en primeur.
Drink 2022-2050

Mid crimson with ruby rim. Seductive aroma of dark-red fruits, a hint of violets, and the scent carries through onto the palate, where the tannins are super-smooth but compact. A long, complete wine. (JH) 14.5%
Drink 2024-2040

Reminding me of the 2009, the 2015 La Conseillante is more overt and sexy compared to the 2016, offering a huge nose of mulled black fruits, spring flowers, chocolate and gravely/clay-like earthiness. This is a full-bodied, complex, elegant and layered 2015 that has a singular character and the class to drink well for 20-25 years. 2020 - 2040

The nose has concentrated richness the start of the palate power with depth of black fruits. Rich ripe black plum on the mid palate is backed by firmer fresher black cherry layers of complex flavours. Meaty and rich at the back supple and velvety the finish has power and depth. 2025-40

There’s less of a gap in quality between the Grand Vin and the second wine (Duo) in 2015,
partly because the latter is so good, but also because this is just a little OTT. Serious, tannic
and quite extracted with a hint of jammyness on the finish. Needs a polish in barrel.
Drink: 2022-30

A very dense and more focussed wine than in the past, the wider shoulders and more grip mean that this is going to be
a longer-lived wine with more potential glory in the future. This is a highly perfumed La Conseillante with more size and
power and yet there is no exoticism here, just deep, dark concentration. Fabulously strict and tense, very long and noble
this is a quietly confident and very centred wine without a trace of boastfulness or front. I was transfixed with this wine,
finding is rather amazing and it just started to open up as I swirled vigorously with magical fruit peaking over the rim
of the glass.