matthewjukes.com
byMatthew Jukesthe8/2/2022
It was clear within about two hours of tasting in the heartland of Pomerol that four pivotal producers that I visited had made stunning wines. So, in order to keep destroying the lies told before the campaign started, this is not a Cabernet vintage, nor is it a Merlot one. It is not a Left Bank vintage, nor is it a Right Bank one. It is nothing other than one thing – a forensic analysis, nay vinous audit, of every single estate’s fitness to deploy a finely drilled, immensely willing and able squads of teammates, whether they are in the field, in the chai, or both, to chaperone the finest grapes on their path to making the most complete and balanced wines possible. This has been achieved by all of those properties in this Report. Whether you gain Bronze, Silver or Gold scores is a moot point. But if you are here, on these pages, you have done a good job. But we all know why I am moved to taste this number of extremely young wines in a short space of time to determine those with the most potential to astound and amaze peoples’ senses. So, to La Conseillante – the 150th anniversary of this Château. Countless selfless employees and friends, under the guidance of a management team of prodigiously talented and excellence-focussed people, have made, yet again, a life-affirming wine. I know, having spent a few hours (only) over a goodly number of years, that winemaker Marielle Cazaux loves smooth, silky and pure wines. This is the starting point of her ambitions – a point at which few finish. But, in 2021, with the elements against her and her team, they simply knuckled down, shared equipment and bodies with her neighbour (Juliette at L’Evangile q.v.) and made the finest wine possible in this vintage. La Conseillante’s terroir is special. It has the innate ability to make astounding wines in hot years and cold years. Of course, La Conseillante is not alone in this skill, but the camaraderie, openness, and honesty here mean that tasters like me can understand how on earth this is possible. They ‘fought’ the frost. They had ‘great luck’. They kept ‘cool heads’. They were ‘amazed’ at the purity of the fruit. This is emotion triumphing, not just the vines triumphing over Mother Nature. Marielle and I talked about the ‘crumpled dune flower’ notes that I found over and over again in the greatest wines. It was here, too, at La Conseillante. But it was not everywhere. Why do the finest wines on both sides of the Gironde have this character, given that I felt it was a Cabernet Sauvignon trait (see my Margaux notes)? I found it again at Cheval Blanc in celestial Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Perhaps this is Bordeaux’s most elusive and essential pheromonal element – a magical spell I cannot resist. Either way, there are, I think, 12 wines that have this character in 2021, and they will remain in my taste memory forever as I seek out more and more and more. So, I wonder if it is relevant to record a traditional tasting note for this wine. It has a spellbinding perfume, an exquisite texture and the singular purity and persistence of the most outstanding red wines imaginable. So, on balance, I don’t think it is necessary. 19.5+