With the son of the Nicolas family, Valmy, taking over and ratcheting up the

selection process as well as the quality, La Conseillante appears poised to challenge

its closest neighbor, l’Evangile, as the finest estate on the border of the

sector of Pomerol facing Cheval Blanc in St. - Emilion. The 2005 will challenge

the extraordinary 2000. Among the truly fabulous wines made here (i.e., 2000,

1990, 1989, 1985, and 1982), its deep ruby/purple hue is accompanied by an

exquisite bouquet of incense, raspberry jam, kirsch, licorice, and hints of black

olives as well as flowers. This broadly perfumed Pomerol exhibits sensational

purity, sweet tannin, medium to full body, and outstanding elegance and finesse.

The fruit is forward and precocious, but there is enough stuffing, structure, and

density for the wine to evolve for 20 - 25 years. /RP /Apr 2008