20-vintage La Conseillante vertical (Fribourg): Part of a 20 vintage vertical (key takeaways in the tasting story). Kirsch and cherry fruit, notable heat, maybe something like bergamot with minor notes of smoke. Ripe and extracted but otherwise blurry aromas. Muscular with intensity, strong presence and leading into an intense finish as highlights on the palate. But lingering dryness from the tannin. The muscle here fails to offer much pleasure, but the palate does pull off good balance.
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20 Vintages of La Conseillante (1947-2020): All wines tasted blind. I have had many beautiful Conseillantes in the past, but in this tasting the wines did not shine as expected. A few thoughts: A) Conseillante is a seductive, sensual wine, not unlike more Bordeaux-esque Napa Valley wines. In fact, it reminded me a lot of Opus One, with the blue and black forest berry aromas found in almost every vintage. B) The fruit is ripe, but never too ripe. But only in the cooler years (and 2020) is the fruit perfectly pure and fresh. C) Even in the newer vintages, the (luxurious) oak notes are still present and will need some time to be fully absorbed. D) My biggest problem (and the group had the same one) was that almost all of the newer vintages showed alcohol notes that weren't noticeable en primeur or in the Arrivage tastings (and the wines were served at a perfect temperature or rather a little too cold). E) There were some beautiful wines, complex and seductive, but La Conseillante is not a wine for classic Bordeaux or Left Bank lovers. Conseillante is the hot one-night stand, not the elegant and intellectually appealing wine I want to drink every day. F) The best wine was the 2020 (96pts, the only score above 95pts), confirming my impression that it is a better, less ripe Bordeaux vintage than 2019.
TN: Like many (most?) 1995s, this bottle didn’t have high quality tannins and the acidity was too pronounced. What I liked was the fresh fruit with fine, pure strawberry notes but overall there isn’t much complexity.
Decanting: The bottle was opened a few hours before consumption but not decanted. A short decant should do the job.
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Outstanding bottle enjoyed at the British Automobile Club in London. Plenty of life left but probably at peak now. Good fruit remaining with well aged characteristics of leather, black/Earl Gray tea, graphite.
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Similar notes from 2020. Black fruits, black tea, vanilla, flora, toast, cedar, spices. Medium+ tannin and medium tannin. Pronounced nose. In drinking window and will still last easily 5 years and more. Probably will not improve with ageing.
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10/2/2023 - sirpat00 wrote: 90 Points
20-vintage La Conseillante vertical (Fribourg): Part of a 20 vintage vertical (key takeaways in the tasting story). Kirsch and cherry fruit, notable heat, maybe something like bergamot with minor notes of smoke. Ripe and extracted but otherwise blurry aromas. Muscular with intensity, strong presence and leading into an intense finish as highlights on the palate. But lingering dryness from the tannin. The muscle here fails to offer much pleasure, but the palate does pull off good balance.
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10/2/2023 - Cailles wrote: 89 Points
20 Vintages of La Conseillante (1947-2020): All wines tasted blind. I have had many beautiful Conseillantes in the past, but in this tasting the wines did not shine as expected. A few thoughts: A) Conseillante is a seductive, sensual wine, not unlike more Bordeaux-esque Napa Valley wines. In fact, it reminded me a lot of Opus One, with the blue and black forest berry aromas found in almost every vintage. B) The fruit is ripe, but never too ripe. But only in the cooler years (and 2020) is the fruit perfectly pure and fresh. C) Even in the newer vintages, the (luxurious) oak notes are still present and will need some time to be fully absorbed. D) My biggest problem (and the group had the same one) was that almost all of the newer vintages showed alcohol notes that weren't noticeable en primeur or in the Arrivage tastings (and the wines were served at a perfect temperature or rather a little too cold). E) There were some beautiful wines, complex and seductive, but La Conseillante is not a wine for classic Bordeaux or Left Bank lovers. Conseillante is the hot one-night stand, not the elegant and intellectually appealing wine I want to drink every day. F) The best wine was the 2020 (96pts, the only score above 95pts), confirming my impression that it is a better, less ripe Bordeaux vintage than 2019.
TN: Like many (most?) 1995s, this bottle didn’t have high quality tannins and the acidity was too pronounced. What I liked was the fresh fruit with fine, pure strawberry notes but overall there isn’t much complexity.
Decanting: The bottle was opened a few hours before consumption but not decanted. A short decant should do the job.
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9/29/2023 - Collector1855 wrote: 88 Points
Chateau La Conseillante 1947-2020 tasted blind: Nose of dark berries, some spice. Rather acidic and meagre on the palate. Needs more substance.
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9/15/2023 - Montesquieu Likes this wine: 95 Points
Outstanding bottle enjoyed at the British Automobile Club in London. Plenty of life left but probably at peak now. Good fruit remaining with well aged characteristics of leather, black/Earl Gray tea, graphite.
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7/20/2023 - Sean Tay Likes this wine: 95 Points
Similar notes from 2020. Black fruits, black tea, vanilla, flora, toast, cedar, spices. Medium+ tannin and medium tannin. Pronounced nose. In drinking window and will still last easily 5 years and more. Probably will not improve with ageing.
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