Region: Pomerol AOC, Bordeaux, France Grape: Merlot / Cabernet Franc Château La Conseillante is one of the oldest and most quietly celebrated estates in Pomerol, farming just over twelve hectares of vines on the plateau at the boundary with Saint-Émilion — a stone's throw from Petrus, Vieux Château Certan and, across the parish line, Cheval Blanc. The property takes its name from Catherine Conseillan, who managed it in the mid-eighteenth century. The Nicolas family bought the estate in 1871, and five generations on, it remains in their hands. The vineyard blends the plateau's iron-rich clay with gravel and sand, and this diversity is expressed in a wine of unusual poise: Merlot for flesh and dark fruit, Cabernet Franc for lift, floral aromatics and length. Recognisable in the glass by its violet foil livery, La Conseillante is one of Pomerol's most consistently elegant wines — feminine, aromatic, built on finesse rather than power. Vintage Note — 2014: A late-saved vintage rescued by an Indian summer. 78% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc — a notably higher proportion of Cabernet Franc than usual, and much of what makes this wine sing. Brambly red and black fruit, tobacco, Provençal herb, black truffle and violet, framed by fine-grained tannins, judged acidity and a saline, nuanced finish. Drinking beautifully now and cellaring through the mid-2030s. Tasting: Red cherry / Damson / Violet / Black truffle / Tobacco / Provençal herb / Fine silky tannins Pairing: Slow Braised Lamb Shoulder / Duck Confit / Black Truffle Risotto / Cote de Boeuf / Aged Comté ABV: 13.5% Vol: 75cl Contains Sulphites