South Florida does Pichon-Lalande

Another in the fine series of wines with dinner at Cafe Maxx sponsored by WineWatch with all the wines supplied by Bob M. who purchased all the wines since 1975 on release (and the older ones from the major London auction houses). The older examples were decanted just before serving and the younger wines got progressively more time in decanter, just what you would expect from the perfectionist Andrew Lampasone. Fortunately, not a single bottle was corked or off form in any way. These tastings are not blind, and the serving order was from old to young, the better to taste the presumably frail examples at their best. I have re-ordered the notes in the traditional young-to-old method.

• 2000 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  This black wine is so flamboyantly showy at age 7, I had to rate it as high as the much vaunted 1982 as co-stars of the evening. Like many 2000s, it's just so darn sweet, rich, juicy and sexy, it's impossible to spit out. Despite the near jammy nature of the fruit, there's the elegant hint of reserve that makes Bordeaux unique in the world of cabernet/merlot wines.

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• 1995 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  I find the '95s to be especially tough in texture and difficult to taste at this adolescent stage and the P-L was no different. Obviously a young healthy color still, but the absence of a bouquet and the coarseness of the tannins keep the enjoyment down. I'd wait at least 5 more years before trying it again if I owned any.

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• 1989 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Yet another star from the left bank in a vintage that is said to have favored the other side of the Gironde. Dark ruby, very plummy, very fresh, lush and sexy. Silky tannins are submerged in the black and blue berry fruit soup. Terrific and one of the stars of the Pichon Lalande vertical when all thirteen of the wines were on their best behavior.

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• 1986 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  My score kept creeping up as I went back to this vintage. Although it had been decanted for 6 hours, it initially showed the famous '86 backward character; all you knew for sure was this was a brawny wine in Lalande terms. Almost as black as the vintage 2000 example. Obvious heavy extraction, but concentrated in the best sense and not bitter or inky. All it needs is time and lots of it.

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• 1985 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  This '85 showed exactly as expected for this friendly vintage. The medium ruby color was an accurate predictor for the medium weight and body and modest but pure finish. Delicate but not weak and about as elegant as Lalande can be. I can't imagine it will improve.

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• 1983 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  I really wanted this to be fabulous even though I don't own any. While clearly very good at least, it fell under the giant shadow cast by its younger brother, the '82. But on its own terms nicely fragrant, more cherry than blackcurrant. A suave middleweight and well balanced, but a bit of dry tannin crept in at the very end of the finish. To drink now and over the medium term, say 5 - 10 years.

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• 1982 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Not surprisingly, the star of the show at the Pichon vertical at Café Maxx. Sometimes this vintage of P-L shows surprisingly backward and stubborn, but this impeccably stored bottle (purchased on release by Bob) was flourishing wonderfully. Really huge, lush, fat and velvety. Simply gorgeous dark berry fruit that lingered on the palate for minutes. This is the wine that put (modern) Pichon on the map and while it's not perfect, it's irresistible.

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• 1978 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  I've heard this wine was already OTH at a relatively young age, but not so in this case. This bottle may have been the most surprising wine of the lineup ('55 to '00) in a positive way. Actually showy and there's fruit to spare of the soft red variety such as plum and red cherry and some cinnamon. The acidity was just right and kept it fresh and focused. It was with this vintage that the renaissance of the estate began according to many experts. Only the slight taste of alcohol on the finish kept this from showing even better.

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• 1975 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  This '75 was a pleasant surprise to me because I find almost all '75s to be too tannic even after all this time. There's a hint of tobacco and spice and a well-preserved core of dark plummy fruit in the '75 Pichon Lalande, though and the wine lingers rather well on the back of the palate. The tannins are a bit coarse by modern standards but not too obtrusive. Rather good and will last well and maybe even improve.

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• 1970 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Knowing that this vintage of P-L is available right now in the marketplace at a relatively modest price, I was eager to see if it showed even close to what John Gilman describes in his glowing note. Not that it was bad, but although the color was youthful for age 37 and the secondary nuances were interesting, in the end there just wasn't much to get excited about. Whatever fruit there was seemed to have gently faded, and the two examples from the decade of the fifties ('55 and '59) were more lively and interesting.

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• 1964 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 82 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Not surprisingly, the '64 was a concensus last place finish in the Pichon-Lalande vertical spanning 1955 to 2000. Definitely drinkeable from this well preserved bottle, but smells like plain water and tastes faint and diluted. It appears the grapes were picked after the rains which bloated many left bank properties at harvest that year. Yet the fact that this fragile relic from an off year is still alive is a testament to the survival skills of Bordeaux.

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• 1959 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Just slightly disappointing for a top notch '59, but lovely all the same. Perfect color for age; the source was from a London Christies auction about 15 years ago according to the local collector who supplied all 13 bottles for this tasting. Sweet plum is there on the palate but despite swirling and time (about an hour in the glass), nothing came out on the nose. And there just not enough flavor interest to warrant better than a "good" score.

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• 1955 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Nearly outstanding, this grande dame of the Pichon-Lalande vertical at Cafe Maxx for me was even better than the '59 and both appeared perfectly preserved. Medium garnet color with the expecting brick color at the rim, the '55 immediately offered classic old Bordeaux aromas of cedar, bark, leather and dried leaves. A bit of dryness on the finish kept it from being even better than it was, but there was a genuine gentle sweetness of age in the middle palate and the texture was pleasing.

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Not surprisingly, the 1982 was the group favorite. But the 2000 is simply stunning already and the old man of the bunch, the 1955, showed amazingly well. Do not believe the myth that the only good PLs are after 1978 when Mme. de Lencquesaing took full control.