1996 Château La Conseillante
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Tasting notes
The 1996 La Conseillante has been an inconsistent performer over the years. Here it has a mature nose, less complex than the 1995 and with dark fruit, notes of forest floor and stewed black tea, a little herbaceous but nicely defined. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins that exert a gentle grip. It feels fully mature with clove and cedar infusing the dark berry fruit, segueing into a finish with Vervain tea, truffle and spice. There is some dryness creeping in and so I would broach bottles over the next five or six years. Tasted at La Conseillante vertical at the property.
Critic scores
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
Tasted at the château, the 1996 La Conseillante has always been a good performer in what is a Left Bank vintage. Although there is noticeable bricking on the rim, there is plenty of freshness on the nose, quite floral with crushed strawberry, cranberry leaf and a touch of tomato vine, which after ten minutes turns into black truffle (typical trait in Pomerol). There is good vigor here for a 20-year-old Pomerol. The palate is medium-bodied and here you could argue that it is more advanced than the aromatics. Yes, there is good weight and balance, perhaps a little rustic compared to recent vintages, but there is plenty of enjoyable ferrous fruit, white pepper, sage, black truffle and spice notes liberally sprinkled over vestiges of red fruit. Clearly this is a La Conseillante that is à point and I would probably broach bottles over the next decade. Tasted July 2016.
Aromas of plum and sweet basil. Full-bodied, with fine tannins and a medium finish. Caressing and delicious. Ready to go now.--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective. Drink now. James Suckling, Wine Spectator 2007
La Conseillante, a quintessentially elegant, plump, fruit-driven wine (it can even have a Burgundian character in vintages such as 1989 and 1990), has turned out an open-knit, seductive wine in the generally tough-textured, tannic year of 1996. The color is a deep ruby. The wine possesses medium body, and a sweet, open-knit nose of black raspberries intermixed with pain grille, licorice, and smoke. Soft, round, and charming, this terroir's raspberry fruit is well-displayed. This 1996 can be drunk, but should keep nicely for 12-15 years. Anticipated maturity: now-2014.|| Wine Advocate.April, 1999
About the producer
Château la Conseillante was built in 1750 and named after the proprietor, Libourne business woman Catherine Conseillan. The reputation of the wines quickly grew and her wines became some of the most expensive in the region.