This morning's big news should've been the releases of Cos d'Estournel and Ducru-Beaucaillou, the biggest and second biggest names in St-Estephe and St-Julien respectively. But things have changed. Their thunder has been stolen by La Conseillante, one of our favourite right banks of the vintage. The chateau has been in the hands of the same family for over 140 years, one of only a handful in the whole of Bordeaux which can lay such a claim. The current incumbents are Marie-France d'Arfeuille and Bertrand Nicolas. Together with manager Jean-Michel Laporte they are establishing a reputation for sensible pricing. This is a feminine, almost Burgundian style of Pomerol which ages beautifully:

'No doubt you will notice that the cru offers different characteristics this year. It boasts more lift and shines with poise and precision. This is due to the estate's new winery now equipped with 17 vats - instead of the 5 or 6 in the old chai. Gorgeous red. Intense and elegant nose with vibrant fruit thanks to 11% of cabernet franc. Silky on entry then melting with grace; the palate is juicy, bursting with scents, tightly knit and run through by an elegant tactile feel. More lifted and perky than usual; beautifully precise and poised finish. 94 points.' - Jean-Marc Quarin, quarin.com

We also have the top two wines in St-Emilion, both of which are awesome in 2012, but significantly down in price on 2011.

'Let me commence with the one property that dared challenge Petrus as wine of the vintage and I guess equally predictable. Cheval Blanc 2012 should turn out to be a stupendous wine that comes close to the imperious 2010. Picked between 26 September and 13 October from 35 different parcels, Pierre Lurton told me that he does not feel any need for an optical sorting machine because their pickers do so much of the work in the vineyard. Here, I adored the broodiness on the nose, a stalker in the night intending to spring a few surprises down the road after bottling. This was one of the few Right Bank wines with an exotic but subtle undercurrent that makes it such a compelling Saint Emilion. The tension and delineation here is absolutely top class – a thrilling Cheval Blanc that will take some beating.' - Neal Martin, erobertparker.com/winejournal

'The 2012 Ausone is another prodigious effort that should turn out to be one of the longest-lived wines of the vintage. It boasts a dense purple color along with abundant notes of mulberries, black currants, blueberries and a hint of raspberries interwoven with spring flower and crushed chalk-like characteristics presented in a full-bodied yet ethereal, stylish, racy, noble manner. This is a high class, aristocratic, nearly perfect wine to cellar for a decade and then watch it unfold over the following 40-50 years. 95-97 points.' - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, April 2013

This afternoon, Gruaud-Larose, one of our perennial favourites in St-Julien. /AR