The 2018 La Conseillante is a Bordeaux blend from the esteemed Pomerol sub-region in Bordeaux, France. Produced by La Conseillante, this red wine is composed of 83% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc, with an alcohol percentage of 14.5%. The wine is sealed with a cork and carries a deep garnet-purple color.
James Suckling awarded this wine a score of 97, highlighting its dense and layered profile. He noted, “It’s full-bodied with chewy, polished tannins and a structured, muscular finish. Solid. Elegance with power.” Suckling recommends trying the wine after 2025, emphasizing its potential for aging.
Wine Enthusiast’s Roger Voss also commended the wine’s aging potential, giving it a score of 95. Voss described it as having “plenty of black fruits and dark tannins” with an “elegant structure” that aims for long-term aging, suggesting consumption starting from 2026.
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate was highly impressed, scoring it 98. Lisa Perrotti-Brown praised its complexity and finesse, noting the wine’s “incredible perfume of black raspberries, boysenberries, ripe plums, and cinnamon toast,” along with a “rock-solid frame of firm, fine-grained tannins and tons of freshness.” She recommended waiting at least five years before opening and predicted a drinking window extending over the next 30 years.
Jeff Leve from The Wine Cellar Insider also rated the 2018 La Conseillante at 98 points. He described the wine’s bouquet as “heart-stopping” with notes of violets, lilacs, cocoa, dark cherries, plums, wet earth, and espresso. Leve emphasized the wine’s depth, silky tannins, and complexity, advising a waiting period of 7-8 years before opening.
Decanter’s review, scored at 96, appreciated the wine’s depth and concentration, noting its “lovely seductive kick” and “spicy vanilla bean and black pepper” notes. Decanter mentioned that 70% of the wine was aged in new oak, with 3% in amphora.
Jeb Dunnuck rated the wine 97+, highlighting its “brilliant perfume of blueberries, currants, spring flowers, violets, and graphite.” He emphasized its balance and fine tannins, suggesting a solid 8-10 years of bottle age for optimal enjoyment.
Wine Spectator provided a score of 93, describing the wine as “nicely packed, with a mix of dark plum and black currant preserve flavors wrapped with licorice root and warm earth notes.” They suggested a drinking window through 2034.
Finally, Jane Anson scored the wine at 96, noting its “muscular tannins,” “redcurrant, raspberry, white pepper, and truffle spice” flavors. Anson remarked on the wine’s richness and floral aromatics, pointing out that the 2018 vintage introduced 3% amphora during winemaking.
In summary, the 2018 La Conseillante is a powerful, elegant, and complex Bordeaux blend with significant aging potential, reflecting the high standards of its Pomerol origins.