Community Tasting Notes 254

• olioli wrote: 94 points

  January 17, 2024 - D'une grande complexité N + B. WOTN.

  1 person found this helpful Comment

• BellevuePhil Likes this wine: 94 points

  October 27, 2023 - In the heart of Bordeaux, where the vines whisper tales of centuries past and the air carries the scent of history, there resides a wine that transcends the boundaries of time and space—the 1988 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. To call this nectar of the gods a mere wine would be a grave injustice; it is an odyssey, a symphony, an elixir that weaves together the threads of passion, nostalgia, and the spirit of adventure, and for me a decent memory of a time lost.
  
  As a denizen of upper society, a gifted songwriter, a hopeless romantic, and a dreamer of grand adventures, my encounter with this vintage masterpiece was nothing short of a divine revelation.
  
  Picture this: a chilly April night in Bordeaux, where the warmth of a crackling fire embraces the room. In the flickering glow, an old man, his eyes twinkling with wisdom and mischief, uncorks the very bottle that would become the vessel of our shared odyssey. His English, broken and imperfect, resonates with the charm of ages past. Over the course of two enchanted nights, amidst drunken babble and laughter, he imparts to me not only the secrets of this exquisite wine but also the melody of life.
  
  The notes of "La vie en rose" danced through the air, echoing the very essence of our surroundings—a song of love, of dreams, and of the timeless beauty that lies within the heart of Bordeaux. With an old classical guitar once caressed by the hands of Antoine de Lhoyer, I learned to strum the chords that encapsulated the soul of this magical place.
  
  As I took my first sip of the 1988 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, I was transported back to that warm fire, to the music that intertwined our spirits, and to the history that permeated the very air we breathed. The wine, a deep, velvety red, embraced my senses like a lover’s tender touch. Its aroma, a bouquet of ripe berries, cedarwood, and a hint of vanilla, awakened my senses and beckoned me into a world where time stood still.
  
  In the amber depths of the wine, I found the echo of that fateful night in 1991 when frost, like an unwelcome guest, descended upon the vineyards of Bordeaux. The air crackled with tension as wine workers fluttered towels over hundreds of small fires, their collective breaths visible in the frigid night. Their efforts were a desperate dance to protect the precious vines from the icy fingers of winter. But nature, indifferent to human endeavors, had her way, leaving behind a scene of devastation that mirrored the shattered dreams of those who toiled in the vineyards.
  
  Its effect became famous.
  
  Amidst the aftermath, I recalled the arrival of the Baroness Rothschild, her regal presence juxtaposed against the desolation of the vineyard. In her Rolls Royce, she traversed the path lined with frost-kissed vines, a tableau of heartbreak and resilience. With every step she took, the crunch of frozen earth beneath her heels seemed to echo the collective sigh of a community mourning the loss of its labor and love.
  
  I'll never forget that April morning when the Baroness, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, approached me and made a simple request: "Jouez pour nous, jouez pour guérir nos cœurs." I knew not then what I never understood until now that the old man's son was indeed more to her than a friend hence she knew I could even play the tune.
  
  And so, with trembling hands, I strummed the chords that had once resonated through the happy hallowed halls of Pichon Longgueville just a night before. The melancholic yet hopeful notes filled the air, intertwining with the collective sorrow of the workers, the determination of the owners, and the empathy of the Baroness.
  
  As the final chords of "La vie en rose" lingered in the air, I witnessed tears streaming down weathered faces, mingling with the remnants of frost. In that moment, amidst the ruins of nature's wrath, music became a bridge connecting disparate souls, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.
  
  In the glass, the 1988 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande mirrored this resilience. As I savored the last drop of the 1988 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, I was reminded of the beauty of shared moments, of the power of music to heal, and of the unyielding spirit that binds us all.
  
  NOTES TO SELF: May need another 10 years. Decanted at 5pm, still smelled of distant farm at 7pm, yet legs forming. Finessed more but an hour later entered a good nose/bouquet. 4 hour decant next time

  5 people found this helpful Comments (7)

• jlgnml Likes this wine: 93 points

  August 12, 2023 - Side by side with an ‘89 Pichon Baron. This is our daughter in laws birthyear. Wine was PnP vs a decanted ‘89 Baron. Wine was light on the palate, some sweetness, green pepper and a good finish. Fun comparison. Masculine for the Baron and feminine for the Lalande.

  1 person found this helpful Comment

• NewFrenchClaret Likes this wine: 94 points

  July 12, 2023 - Haven't had Pichon Lalande in a while and I'm now realizing why that's a big mistake.
  
  Extraordinary, complex nose. Too much to list. Beautiful candied red fruits, loads of cocoa, rosemary, even a tinge of wasabi. Floral, but orange blossom and jasmine rather than violets. Exotic and sensual. In the glass the aroma dissipates a fraction, so I'd recommend using a small glass if you can, because you won't want to miss any of it.
  
  Very concentrated and nicely balanced. Let down a bit by the finish- those 1988 tannins are just a little too rough. Tame them with a slab of red meat though, and you'll be golden.

  Comment

• Triforwine Likes this wine: 96 points

  July 6, 2023 - While we mourned my dad, it was the first time in a long time that we had my sister, brother in law and nieces together. My mom was in the mood to cook, it kept her busy. We decided to honor my dad by drinking some of the amazing wines he had cellared. Prior night we did open a 1978 Chateau Margaux and I didn't take formal notes but will post something. My brother in law chose a couple of verticals as options from wines we have a number of. We chose '85 vs '88 Pichon instead of '82 vs '85 Rauzan. Both '85 and '88 Pichon showed beautifully as they have the last few years. I give the edge slightly to the '88 as did most of us but my sister said she preferred the '85. The characteristics are very similar for both from my most recent notes so I won't elaborate. But, I think the '88 drinks a bit younger and is likely to go a bit longer. It is more concentrated and a bit darker in color. Both are outstanding. At least for me, it was clear that we were drinking two wines that were very similar but just slightly different vintages and for what I've tasted, both pretty representative of the two vintages. 95 for the '85, 96+ for the '88.

  3 people found this helpful Comments (1)

Pro Reviews 7

Wine Definition

• Vintage 1988
• Type Red
• Producer Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
• Varietal Red Bordeaux Blend
• Designation n/a
• Vineyard n/a
• Country France
• Region Bordeaux
• SubRegion Médoc
• Appellation Pauillac
• UPC Code 088388640001

Community Holdings

• Pending Delivery 6 (0%)
• In Cellars 2,205 (59%)
• Consumed 1,500 (40%)

Food Pairing

Who Likes This Wine

More About This Wine