Wine of France / Bordeaux / Lalande de Pomerol / Les Hauts Conseillants

In 1973, Leopold Figeac, a contractor in Libourne, purchased 4 hectares of abandoned vineyards in Lalande-de-Pomerol, whose clay soils ran along a gravelly outcrop and upon which they planted merlot. Along with his daughter and son-in-law, Jean-Baptiste Bourotte (whose family owned a château in neighboring Pomerol), they bought an additional 6 hectares of vines planted on sand and clay with a gravelly subsoil in nearby Néac.  Soon, Les Hauts Conseillants (literally, the high advisors) was born.

 50 years later, Les Hauts Conseillants, the vision of an extended family, is widely considered one of the best domaines in this small appellation just north of the more famous Pomerol.  Their seductive red is made with 85% merlot and 15% cabernet franc.  The vineyards are farmed sustainably, and the consulting team of Michel Rolland advises in the cellar.  After the grapes are harvested and carefully sorted, vinification takes place plot by plot.  The juice is fermented in both temperature-controlled stainless steel and cement tanks.  The deeply colored wine is then aged for 15 months in 1/3 new, 1/3 one-year-old, and 1/3 two-year-old fine grained French oak.  Annual production is 50,000 bottles. 
​
“Fat and fleshy!”—Robert Parker
“Fresh, vibrant nose with crushed strawberry, cherry and
crushed stone with very good delineation and vivacity.”—Neil Martin
“Full and ripe!”—Wine Spectator
“Always good wines”—Guide Hachette
“One of the silkiest tannins of Lalande de Pomerol”—Bettane & Desseauve