ikkaariainen

Tasting Notes

• 1997 Viader

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  5/1/2024 - ikkaariainen Likes this wine: 94 Points

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• 2017 Château La Conseillante

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  10/27/2022 - ikkaariainen Likes this wine: 94 Points

  Tasted alongside '08, '09, '15, '16 and '18 at a Ch. La Conseillante dinner at restaurant BOCA in Hickory NC with vineyard managing director & winemaker Marielle Cazaux in attendance - clearly the best of the younger vintages and in 10-12 years with more softening, balance and maturation this wine will easily be a 96-97 point wine. A I'lllready drinking terrifically but so much more to come and give. Along with the '09 this was the only other vintage we purchased and will cellar it for the long haul. Rare frost hit that year and they used a helicopter and on site fires with smoke to mitigate the damage and were one of the few to essentially save almost the entire crop. A master class in R bank merlot-based Bdx wines and La Conseillante in particular was had that night. This vintage is 85% merlot / 15% CF and the percentages vary slightly vintage to vintage with the merlot being roughly ~ 80-85% and CF making up the rest. Already somewhat drinkable and approachable but at this point of maturation definitely hold not drink - this will be truly ready no sooner then another 8-10 years and will then have an easy 3 decades to go under proper cellaring conditions. I think this wine will eventually be a true show case / show stopper R bank Bdx wine bordering on a cellar collection crown jewel. Paired very well with duck. Almost inky black, no peripheral bricking, big bold and intense right now in need of further maturation and balance but all the right ingredients there. Right now very fruit forward with pronounced tannins but oak not dominant in any way (we found out this is on purpose, very much their style and intent) and a super long aftertaste. Nose bold, intense and aromatic with plum, black pepper, coffee, vanilla and kirsch. Flavor profile of dark stone fruit, blackberries, espresso and kitchen spices with truffle and smoke developing on the finish. Highly recommend despite the price point with the caveat that right now this just needs to be forgotten about for about a decade.

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• 2009 Château La Conseillante

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  10/27/2022 - ikkaariainen Likes this wine: 97 Points

  Tasted alongside '08, '15, '16, '17 and '18 at a Ch. La Conseillante dinner at restaurant BOCA in Hickory NC with vineyard managing director & winemaker Marielle Cazaux in attendance - at this point of maturation clearly the WOTN, certainly the best R bank Bdx we have ever had (and we have had several vintages of neighbor Petrus...), one of the best Bdx wines from any locale that we have ever had and one of the best wines we have had this year - bought a 3-pack and that is all I could get allocated. A master class in R bank merlot-based Bdx wines and La Conseillante in particular was had that night. This vintage is 81% merlot / 19% CF and the percentages vary slightly vintage to vintage with the merlot being roughly ~ 80-85% and CF making up the rest. Entering a perfect drinking window and thus drink or hold. If drunk now would recommend at least 3 hours open in bottle or 90 minutes in decanter or in poured glass. With proper cellaring this has a good 3+ decades left so strongly leaning on the hold. A show case / show stopper R bank Bdx wine. Paired beautifully with braised short ribs and mushrooms. Very deep purple with some peripheral bricking starting to develop, mature, balanced, soft mouth feel but very full bodied, fruit forward with well integrated tannins and oak but not dominant in any way (we found out this is on purpose, very much their style and intent) and a lovely almost eternally long lingering aftertaste. Nose bold, intense and almost explosive with dark stone fruit up front followed by a complex melangue of coffee, garrigue, vanilla, a hint of orange and black pepper. Flavor profile of dark stone fruit, crushed blue- and blackberries and a vegetal note up front with coffee, leather, sage and black pepper with truffle and dirt on the finish. Highly recommend despite the price point - well worth the money if high end Bdx is your thing. This is almost to the level of a cellar collection crown jewel.

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