Château la Conseillante

Identity

Château La Conseillante, a winegrowing estate in Pomerol, is owned by the Nicolas family. Marielle Cazaux manages the estate. The managing partners are Jean-Valmy Nicolas, Bertrand Nicolas, and Henri Nicolas. Michel Rolland acts as consultant oenologist, Patrick Arguti is the cellar master, and Luc David serves as vineyard manager.

History and Philosophy

The history of Château La Conseillante dates back to the 18th century. The estate's name first appeared in 1754, bequeathed by Catherine Conseillan. The Nicolas family acquired the property in 1871. Viticulture at Château La Conseillante follows an eco-conscious and dedicated approach, carrying forward the vision of previous generations. The estate has implemented environmental management systems since 2016.

Appellations

Château La Conseillante produces wines under the Pomerol appellation. Some parcels lie across the terroirs of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion.

Practical Information

Château La Conseillante is located at 130, rue de Catusseau, 33500 Pomerol. Visits are available by appointment only for wine trade professionals, from Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 11:00 and 14:00 to 17:00. The estate does not offer on-site sales, mail orders, catering, or accommodation.

You can contact the estate by phone at +33 (0)5 57 51 15 32 or by email at chateau@la-conseillante.com.

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The Vineyard (Terroir)

The vineyard of Château La Conseillante covers 11.79 hectares, dedicated exclusively to red wines. The vines have an average age of approximately 30 to 35 years. Planting density is 7,000 vines per hectare. Pruning is carried out using single or mixed Guyot methods. The vineyard is composed of 16 distinct parcels.

The soils are predominantly clay-gravel, comprising 60% grey clay and 40% sandy gravel. The subsoil is characterised by the presence of crasses de fer (red clay tinged with iron oxides). Four distinct soil types are identified across the estate, transitioning from clays in the north-east to gravels in the south-west. The vineyard reaches a maximum altitude of 42 metres.

The grape varieties planted are 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. The oldest parcel was planted in 1958.

The estate favours vineyard management practices such as biodynamics and phytotherapy. Over 80% of the treatments used are organic and/or derived from biocontrol solutions. Cover crops such as clover, oats, and fodder radish are grown to improve soil structure and fertility. The estate holds ISO 14001 certification for managing its environmental impact and HVE 3 certification for biodiversity, crop protection strategies, and the management of fertilisation and water resources.

Signature Cuvées

The estate's grand vin is Château La Conseillante, a red wine under the Pomerol appellation. Average annual production is around 36,000 bottles (75cl equivalent), ranging between 35,000 and 40,000 bottles. The second wine, created in 2007, is named Duo de La Conseillante and comes from two sandier parcels. It offers an ageing potential of two to ten years.

Vinification and Ageing

Harvesting is carried out entirely by hand. The circular vat room, built in 2012, houses 22 concrete vats, enabling parcel-by-parcel vinification for the estate's 16 micro-parcels. Vinification is carried out without added sulphur. Four parcels undergo vinification intégrale.

Ageing for the grand vin lasts 18 months in oak barrels, with the proportion of new oak varying between 50% and 70%. For Château La Conseillante, the ageing breakdown is 70% in new barrels, 27% in one-wine barrels, and 3% in amphorae.