Château la Conseillante
FILTER
Château La Conseillante is...
Available in
- Bottle (75cl)
Per bottle
€275.00
Or €275.00 / bottle
TASTING NOTES
Wine Advocate
96-98+
Wine Spectator
97
J. Suckling
98-99
Specifications
Château
Available in
- Bottle (75cl)
Per bottle
€310.80
Or €310.80 / bottle
TASTING NOTES
Wine Advocate
97-100
J. Suckling
98-99
Specifications
La...
Available in
- Bottle (75cl)
Per bottle
€330.00
Or €330.00 / bottle
TASTING NOTES
Wine Advocate
99
J. Suckling
97-98
Specifications
CHÂTEAU LA CONSEILLANTE
Great wine of Pomerol
- Pomerol -
Château la Conseillante has been owned by the Nicolas family since 1871. Since its beginnings over 300 years ago, La Conseillante has remained a family estate, handed down from generation to generation, a testament to the passion and dedication of the Nicolas family. This 12 hectare estate is one of the most famous in Pomerol, behind Petrus. The majority of the vineyard is planted with Merlot and the rest with Cabernet Franc. These grape varieties produce subtle, well-structured wines with tannins, softness on the palate, elegance and long ageing potential. The Château produces a second wine called "Duo de Conseillante". Their delicate bouquet, with delicious notes of violet, is the distinctive and inimitable hallmark of this prestigious estate.
château la conseillante
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
OWNERS : Famille Nicolas
CONSULTANT OENOLOGIST : Michel Rolland
GENERAL MANAGER : Marielle Cazaux
CHAI MASTER : Patrick Arguti
CULTURE MASTER : Luc David
APPELLATION PRINCIPALE : Pomerol
GRAPE VARIETIES : Merlot (80%), Cabernet Franc (20%)
VINEYARD AREA : 11,79 hectares
VINEYARD MANAGEMENT : HVE 3 and ISO 14001 certified
SOILS : 60% grey clay, 40% sandy gravel
AVERAGE AGE OF VINES : 30 years
PLANTING DENSITY : 7 000 plante/hectare on average
TYPE OF HARVEST : Manual
TYPE DE CROP : traditional, rational
WINE AGEING : 70% new barrels from selected coopers, 27% one-vine barrels and 3% in amphorae
ANNUAL PRODUCTION : 48 000 bottles/year
CHÂTEAU LA CONSEILLANTE,
THE HISTORY
The name La Conseillante was born 300 years ago when Catherine Conseillan, an influential merchant from Libourne, became the owner of this estate. She bequeathed a feminine version of her family name to the estate, giving birth to La Conseillante. Known as "the iron lady", Catherine undertook the renovation and expansion of the vineyard, increasing its size to 12 hectares. Over the next five generations, this mosaic of plots has been preserved, bearing witness to the estate's historic heritage.
A key moment in the history of La Conseillante came in 1871, when the Nicolas family took over ownership. It was at this time that brothers Louis and Nicolas Nicolas formed their trading company "Nicolas Frères" and acquired La Conseillante. After their death a few years later, Louis' eldest son, Louis Nicolas, took over the running of the estate.
The Société Civile des Héritiers Nicolas was founded on 20 April 1960 to formalise their commitment to this prestigious estate. Henri and Louis, the third generation of the Nicolas family, successfully perpetuated the excellence initiated by their predecessors nearly fifty years ago.
In 1971, Bernard and his cousin Francis Nicolas became co-managers of La Conseillante, merging the "Louis" and "Henri" branches. The aim of their partnership is to benefit from their complementary skills, support each other and make informed decisions to ensure the estate flourishes. Always striving for excellence, Francis and Bernard embarked on their project to build a new winery, giving La Conseillante a modern facility for more precise vinification. Thanks to their expertise, exceptional vintages are created every year to enhance the estate's worldwide reputation.
Bertrand and Jean-Valmy Nicolas, the fifth generation of the family, have been ensuring the continuity of La Conseillante's history since 2003. Concerned about the environment, they are now guiding the estate towards increasingly responsible and reasoned viticulture, while remaining attentive to the world around them. Driven by the culture of terroir, the Nicolas family expresses a passion passed down from generation to generation through the construction of a plot-by-plot vat room in 2012.
CHÂTEAU LA CONSEILLANTE,
THE PROPERTY
The uniqueness of La Conseillante lies in its position astride the soils of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion. The vineyard extends over 12 hectares, covering a variety of soil types, with clay in the north-east and gravel in the south-west. The vineyard is made up of sixteen plots, the oldest of which was planted in 1958, forming a patchwork of four distinct soil types.
The vines, which are on average 30 years old, are cultivated using sustainable methods, with great respect for the soil. The oceanic influences and temperate climate of Pomerol contribute to the complexity of the grapes. The high rainfall and excellent exposure of the vineyards create ideal conditions for the production of exceptional vintages.
Since 2016, La Conseillante has been committed to initiatives to reduce its environmental footprint. It has obtained ISO 14 001 and HVE certification as part of the Environmental Management System (EMS) for Bordeaux wines, demonstrating its commitment to responsible viticulture. HVE 3 (high environmental value) certification is based on four pillars: biodiversity, phytosanitary strategy, fertilisation management and preservation of water resources.
In the La Conseillante vineyard, the team cultivates various plant species such as clover and oats, which play an important role between the soil and its roots. Forage radish is also used in clay areas to loosen and aerate the soil. These practices help to promote biodiversity on the estate.
“
The best thing about La Conseillante is its elegance and finesse (...), nothing must be done to prevent them from expressing themselves fully
“
PASCAL RIBEREA-GAYON, Consultant oenologist from 1980
La conseillante,
FAMILY KNOW-HOW
The grapes are carefully picked by hand. The bunches of grapes are then passed through four sorting tables, allowing a delicate selection of berries without upsetting their integrity by the speed of the teams' movements.
The wines of Château La Conseillante are distinguished by their elegance and modernity. Once the skins have been removed, the dried grapes are transferred to the estate's 22 vats. Pre-fermentation cold maceration lasts between 48 and 96 hours, followed by alcoholic fermentation. After a week, the estate's teams proceed with the traditional vertical pressing.
La Conseillante wines are vinified on a parcel-by-parcel basis, and then matured for an average of 18 months in French oak barrels, 50-70% of which are new. A small proportion, 3% of production, is matured in amphorae. For fining, two to three beaten egg whites are used per barrel at the end of the ageing process. Thanks to the length of time spent in barrel and the racking process, the wine acquires a remarkable brilliance without needing to be filtered.
The wines are blended in the spring, with the expert advice of oenologist Michel Rolland. Over the years, Château La Conseillante has achieved remarkable consistency throughout its 145 vintages.
LA SIGNATURE DES VINS DU
CHÂTEAU LA CONSEILLANTE
The uniqueness of La Conseillante lies in its unique position within the Pomerol appellation, offering a remarkable variety of soils and subsoils. Each vintage is prized for its incredible finesse and smoothness, reflecting a delicate bouquet dominated by violets and truffle.
La Conseillante is a highly aromatic wine of great finesse. Notes of peony, red fruit and spices harmoniously complement the violet, the unique signature of this cuvée. On the palate, the wine has a creamy, soy-like texture, combined with freshness and supple tannins. This wine has excellent cellaring potential, with aromas of black truffle emerging after around ten years, synonymous with the great Merlots of the Pomerol plateau.
Created in 2007, Duo de Conseillante is produced from two sandier plots. It is a less concentrated wine, but its aromatics and brilliance are similar to those of its predecessor. With an ageing potential of two to ten years, it delivers a nose of fresh fruit and a soya touch enhanced by a delicious freshness.
