Purity, integrity, and joy: Inside La Conseillante with Marielle Cazaux

AT A RECENT wine dinner hosted by Wine Story in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), I had the privilege of sitting down with Marielle Cazaux, managing director of Chateau La Conseillante, one of Pomerol’s most celebrated estates.

What made this even more special for me is that I have not tasted enough of Pomerol to be able to appraise the wine as I would, say, St.-Emilion, Pauillac, Margaux or even Hermitage, Champagne, and Alsace. I have had the privilege of tasting the most iconic wine of them all, Petrus, and even Le Pin, but just a few times, less than a handful, in my lifetime. I have had more of Chateau Nenin, Vieu Certan, and even Chateau Clinet, but never once a taste of La Conseillante. This was one interview and tasting I would not miss.

Once more, thanks to Wine Story big boss Romy Sia, I got to finally not only taste La Conseillante, but also had an extensive chat with the managing director.

Because of the December traffic I was late for my interview, but fortunately the hardworking Wine Story Manager Carla Santos was still able to manage my private interview during a short break. By the time I got to speak with Ms. Cazaux, the La Conseillante wines from the different vintages I sampled had already made a great impression on me. What followed was a candid and inspiring conversation about terroir, vintages, pricing philosophy, and the human side of winemaking.

THE TERROIR AND THE BLEND
In our short tête-à-tête, Ms. Cazaux began by describing the unique soils of La Conseillante. Pebbly plots and sandy parcels provide the foundation for wines that balance richness with elegance.

The estate’s flagship wine is typically a blend of 80% merlot and 20% cabernet franc, with merlot bringing depth and silkiness, while cabernet franc adds freshness and spice. Annual production averages in the 40,000-bottle range, with a small library stock reserved for the family and collectors.

La Conseillante also produces a second wine, Duo de Conseillante, a second label that was first created in 2007. Made in lighter sandy soils, it is 90% merlot and 10% cabernet franc, aged in a mix of new and used oak. Ms. Cazaux described Duo as “easy-drinking, refined, and spicy” — a wine for everyday enjoyment, and even suggested that the wine can go with some fish dishes.

THE PURSUIT OF PURITY
Since taking the helm in 2015, Ms. Cazaux has overseen a string of highly acclaimed vintages, including several that earned the chateau the coveted 100-point scores from critics. I mentioned this incredible fact at our table during the wine dinner, and Ms. Cazaux humbly deflected the compliment to her team. At the same time, during the interview, she insisted that her proudest achievement was not the accolades, but the team she has built.

“My greatest achievement is to bring together the team I have today. They are my dream team. Like in basketball, everyone shares the same goal, the same energy, and even my craziest ideas. That’s what makes the difference.”

Due to a string of perfect and near perfect scores, I asked Ms. Cazaux what the hallmark of a perfect La Conseillante vintage is. She responded with pride: “Purity — wines that combine power and softness, balance and precision, with no ‘flawed artifacts.’ Clean, transparent winemaking is our guiding principle.”

PRICING WITH INTEGRITY

The conversation turned to the sensitive subject of wine pricing. During the challenging economic climate of 2020-2021, La Conseillante lowered its release prices, even as quality remained exceptional. Ms. Cazaux explained that pricing decisions are made with both economic realities and customer margins in mind.

“We want La Conseillante to be about drinking, not collecting. My boss hates seeing bottles priced five times higher in restaurants. Wine should be enjoyed, not locked away. This philosophy has strengthened loyalty among négociants and consumers alike, ensuring that even in difficult vintages, La Conseillante remains accessible while preserving its prestige.”

CLASSIFICATION, REPUTATION, AND THE FUTURE
When asked about whether Pomerol should adopt a formal classification system like Saint-Émilion or Médoc, Ms. Cazaux was firm: “Forget that. It’s more problem than value. In Pomerol, we put good wine on the table, and customers choose. Reputation and quality speak louder than classifications.”

Despite economic cycles and market fluctuations, Ms. Cazaux remains optimistic. With vintages like the 2019, 2020, and 2022 already showing both drinkability and longevity, La Conseillante continues to embody the elegance and purity of Pomerol. For Ms. Cazaux, the journey is not about chasing points or wealth, but about building a legacy of teamwork, integrity, and wines that inspire joy.

With Marielle Cazaux in charge since 2015, Chateau La Conseillante has a great future ahead, and if the 2019 vintage that I loved so much is any indication, it should be no surprise to expect more hedonistic wines to come from this chateau. Why I hadn’t paid attention and tasted La Conseillante till this wine dinner will remain a mystery to me.

THE WINES
I was totally spoiled in this tasting as we had not one or two La Conseillante to try, but six select vintages.

Below are my customary tasting notes in order of serving:

La Conseillante 2019: “Very elegant nose with subtle and sophisticated flavors from red cherries, violets, minerals to white pepper; on the palate, flavors are delicate and refined but with underlying fruit power that augurs well for long-haul cellaring; perfectly balanced, silky texture and licorice notes at the end.” This exemplifies what an elegant wine should smell and taste like.

La Conseillante 2017: “The nose is more complex with mocha and ripe berries; very delectable on the palate with grainy texture and bitter-sweet tannins; long and deep, shows a lot of youth, but can be appreciated now with decent decanting time.”

La Conseillante 2010: “A voluminous rustic wine with nose of stewed berries and cinnamon bark, full-bodied, powerful with chewy tannins, and a long-lingering finish.” Easily the most full-bodied wine among the six vintages tasted at this event.

La Conseillante 2009: “A more typical Pomerol nose with earthiness, grass, and cassis before its fruit aromas and oak bouquet manifest itself; the wine shows the purity of the region, medium-bodied, nice acid balance, and a flinty finish.”

La Conseillante 2005: “On the nose this wine shows a lot of power and fragrance, still fresh because of its nice acid balance, not indicative of its 20-year-old status; richly flavorful with luscious cherries, herbs and spices; full-bodied and a lingering finish with seductive violet floral notes.” This is as good of a fruit-bomb Pomerol you can get if you are into this Le Pin style.

La Conseillante 2000: “Nose is quite subtle, showing faint fruits and nice spices; tannins are soft, supple and developed; the wine is quite delicate, medium bodied, and more elegant, pure and clean compared to the other younger vintages, probably except for the 2019 vintage.” This is for me a “drink now” type of wine.

For Chateau La Conseillante, and other equally amazing wines of the highest stature, visit Wine Story at Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City or at One Uptown Residence, BGC, Taguig City. Or check out their website at www.winestory.com.ph.

Sherwin A. Lao is the first Filipino wine writer member of both the Bordeaux-based Federation Internationale des Journalists et Ecrivains du Vin et des Spiritueux (FIJEV) and the UK-based Circle of Wine Writers (CWW). For comments, inquiries, wine event coverage, wine consultancy and other wine-related concerns, e-mail the author at [email protected], or check his wine training website https://thewinetrainingcamp.wordpress.com/services/. Also check out his YouTube Channel www.youtube.com/@winecrazy.