JAMES SUCKLING: "A very fine, ethereal wine, offering blueberries, white truffles and violets. Full body and a wonderful texture with tannins that spread across the palate, caressing the mouth. Really polished to the finest grain. Extremely long. Shows strength with finesse."

ROBERT PARKER - THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The 2019 La Conseillante is a blend of 84% Merlot and 16% Cabernet Franc, harvested from the 17th of September to the 7th of October at yields of 34 hectoliters per hectare. It is being aged in 70% new French oak barrels, 27% second fill barrels and 3% amphora. The alcohol this year is 14.5% with a pH of 3.67. Very deep purple-black colored, it comes bounding out of the glass with all the energy of a new puppy, featuring notes of warm plums, wild blueberries and freshly crushed black cherries with hints of licorice, molten chocolate, violets, woodsmoke and tar plus a waft of lavender. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is laden with layer upon layer of black and blue fruits with loads of floral sparks and a very fine-grained, silt-like texture, finishing with incredible freshness and a provocative mineral edge. La Conseillante's signature perfume, purity and restrained power shine through with amazing clarity and style this vintage. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown"

DECANTER: "Deeply coloured, high aromatics with iris and violets, extremely focused with savoury fruits - a character that I have found in the Cabernet Francs in this vintage. It has an excellent grip that takes hold from the first moment and carries you through building tannins. A lovely tactile wine and an austere finish, signs that this will age for decades. The chocolate of Pomerol comes in on the end, but you have to wait for it, the beginning is savoury blueberry and raspberry fruit. Harvest September 17 to 21, taking in all the Merlot in four days, quite unusual but they knew rain was coming and wanted it to be in; they pick only in the morning to keep freshness, then Cabernet Franc September 30 and again one day October 7 (the drought slowed ripening more of the Cab Franc). A yield of 34hl/ha. - Jane Anson"