Wine Advocate – 93 Points
From the owner of Chambrun and La Croix St.-Georges (Jean-Philippe Janoueix), this is an impressive debut vintage for La Confession. Made from a blend of 40% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, it enjoyed time in open-top oak fermenters (a la Burgundy), punching of the cap, malolactic in barrel, and lees contact. A dense purple color is followed by sumptuous aromas of chocolate, espresso roast, blackberry and cherry liqueur, and new oak. This expansive, full-bodied, surprisingly powerful, dense 2001 is somewhat atypical of the vintage, but it is well-endowed, gorgeously textured, and admirably pure. There is plenty of tannin in the finish, so 2-3 years of cellaring is suggested. Jun/2004 —Robert Parker, Jr.
Description
Saint-Emilion has a rhythm all of its own, with winding cobbled streets that transport you in time, charming stone houses and ancient wells. The perfumed scent of the region’s finest ‘cannelés’ lingers heavy in the air… The peaceful life of this small Medieval town is a delight to enjoy, sipping the pleasures of a glass of La Confesssion on a sunny terrace in the market square. A world-reputed centre for wine is untouched by its fame, continuing its gentle existence among the vines, set upon one of the planet’s finest terroirs. From our fine Chartreuse with its emblematic flags, we do all that we can to honour the grandeur and beauty of Saint-Emilion’s Grand Crus.
Born in 1867, Jean Janoueix came to Bordeaux in 1898 and founded a wine trading company. His son is the legendary Joseph Janoueix, who bought most of the chateaux in the greater Pomerol region from the 1930s. La Croix, La Croix Saint Georges, La Confession, Haut Sarpe and Croix Mouton belong to the branched family. Today Joseph’s son Jean-Philippe Janoueix is responsible for the wineries. He is a master of extreme dense planting (resulting in limited yield per plant), organic vineyard work and very ripe fruit. La Confession is only about 2.5 hectares. 7000 vines per hectare (50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon) in Saint Emilion on clay-limestone soils, extremely densely planted. Vines over 40 years old. Always harvested when ripe and matured in smaller Burgundian style barriques. Only 30 hl/ha yield. Dense finesse with high fruit intensity. Great and very individual wines. A Pomerol style Saint Emilion.
This is the debut vintage for a new garage operation from Jean-Philippe Janoueix, the man behind the brilliant wines of Chambrun (Lalande de Pomerol) as well as La Croix St.-Georges (Pomerol).
This 7-acre vineyard has an unusual planting of 40% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. All the fashionable winemaking techniques (fermentation in small open top Taransaud fermenters, punching down, malolactic in barrel, lees aging, no fining or filtration) are utilized..
