Why can’t St. Emilion do this anymore? Medium weight on the palate and modest ABV. But I digress . . . .
Oyster shells, truffles and blackberries on the nose with a subtle waft of toast. Took an hour to really start expressing the aromatic complexity that this estate can show in good years, and once open, wow. Love the red and dark fruit perfume that started to show. Leather and earth as well. The weight and balance on this wine is impeccable. A lithe but complex wine, alcohol a side-note. Palate is layered with a range of the fruit color spectrum, the reds on the tart side and the darks a bit earthy and brambly. Asian black tea leaves. Grainy texture, heavy sediment on the pour even after decanting. I like that, I love texture. Still a bit chewy, arguably just starting to enter its plateau of peak drinking. A little bitter dark chocolate with sea salt on the finish.
If you are looking for a blockbuster, big in scale, look elsewhere. If you are looking for a classic wine with balance, nuance and complexity, this is it.
Are the 98 Righties finally starting to reach their apogees? I’m still sitting on my small stash, recalling the ample structure these displayed when young. That said, I tried a 98 Grand Mayne last year that was really in the zone, so two datum points = data?
Thanks for the great note Robert. At release, 1998 La Conseillante was a very beautiful and pure wine. It was so delicious and forward that it seemed like it would be one to drink young. And then I had it again at age 11 and it was just starting to really unfurl with leather and animal notes. Not a huge wine, but the breadth and tension it was developing were remarkable. Glad to hear at almost 22 it is really coming into its own. I had a nice stash once upon a time, but drank it up way too soon. I have been actively seeking another case- but in this market while you can get the A-list vintages at every auction, those who own wines like the 1998 seem to wisely keep those bottles for themselves.
Pat- I only have 2 recent data points, Magdelaine and Lafleur. The Magdelaine was tasted at a Magdelaine dinner with a number of vintages from 1970 to 2011, and the Lafleur was tasted alongside the 88 and the 08. Both were shockingly young, primary and relatively massive (but not heavy) compared to the other vintages presented.
So I would say wait another decade for most of the mid to high end wines. That said, both the Lafleur and Magdelaine were very approachable. They were much like the 86s in that respect. Despite their tannins, the sheer mass of the 86s has made them quite drinkable at just about any stage- even the first growths. Sure there is more to come with time- but I have yet to have a top 86 in the past 20 years that was shut down and unapproachable. Same goes for 98.
I contributed 1 of my 2 bottles purchased since release during a Conseillante vertical in 1998 and did not regret the sacrifice with the good showing. I will hold on to my remaining one for quite a bit, though.
I think you boneheads knew what I meant since I have Pomerol in the title. Prove me wrong, show me a St Em that remains build like this. Interesting to me that St Em has gone so far to the dark side and Pomerol never really has except for a few notables. I think the last two St Ems I have bought have been 2011 Magdelaine and 2014 Figeac, fully understanding that Figeac hired right before this vintage. I bought 2014 Conseillante, regardless. Just mind blowing that two classic stalwarts felt the need to follow trends.
Oh wait, I did buy 2016 Canon. I swear, for a friend. And I just happened to keep three
Thanks for the notes Orlando Bob. Nearly 30% of the Conseillante vineyard is in St-Emilion according to Jeff’s website.
In London we did a 1998 horizontal back in April, which highlighted what a difficult vintage it was in the Medoc, and La Conseillante and LTHB fought it out for wotn, which I thought La C just shaded despite being wobbly out of the blocs:
“An enigmatic wine. All over the place to start, with lead on the nose, it initially came across as somewhat charmless and even a tad green; then it turned on a dime as it really straightened itself out and turned on the style as it transmogrified and mesmerised. Fabulous complexity and tobacco notes. Drink now and over the next 20 years. A masterclass - 94 Hit
A few months later I met up with a burg loving friend and I was confident my La C 1998 would wipe the floor with his offering: a 2002 Drouhin Larose Clos Vougeot. But it was not to be. The burgundy was the better wine, and by comparison the Conseillante lacked length on the palate. This bottle was not as good as the previous one, and for me it remains an enigmatic wine.
Regarding the question are 1998 right banks ready? I would say it depends and clearly a lot of wines are drinking well - for example Certan De May and even VCC now, but some of the other top end stuff is not ready yet. Trotanoy is stunning but same way from its plateau.
I’m sitting on some of these 1998s as well, and after a recent showing of a couple 2000s - of which I have now about 12 - they really do need time. Even the 1995 needs more time. The 1980s vintages are smokin right now.
