2016 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Community Tasting Note
Matjet Likes this wine:
Friday, May 27, 2022 - 2016 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande:
This wine is delicious. Please see my note dated 12/7/2019 for detailed description. The bouquet is still beautiful but does not require 36 hours to make itself available. Gorgeous floral perfume is immediately apparent when the bottle is opened. Aromatics are easily accessible, very rich, complex, lovely, no 'coaxing' is required. Only primary and secondary aromas are present at this time with a subtle hint of what's to come in another 15 years. The flavor profile is also unchanged and improves over 24 to 48 hours. Structure, freshness and acidity are excellent. The finish is slightly saline, lip smacking and long.
This wine is not closing down, at least not yet.
I compared this directly to the 2018 Pichon Lalande. I found the aromatics in the 2018 difficult to access, even after three days. Clearly, it is a complex, well structured wine with lots going on, but just not as enjoyable to drink as the 2016 at this stage.
ADDENDUM:
Day four tasting of the 2018: Pulsating with energy. Extremely well structured. Classic aromatics of cassis, cherries, plum, cinnamon, chocolate, coffee, leather with some floral perfume elements displayed by the 2016 in the background finally appear. In this tasting, the style of the 2018 is very different than the feminine, opulent, voluptuous 2016. The 2018 is currently masculine and angular. Like Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, or the art of Jackson Pollock and Vincent Van Gough, it is beautiful and a bit on the wild side. It needs time to come together and settle down. I would currently rate the 2018 98+.
It appears the style of wine making at Pichon Lalande is evolving. I wonder if others agree with my observation?
ADDENDUM #2:
I repeated the comparison of Pichon Lalande 2016 vs 2018 with two new bottles one week later and posted the note in the Pichon Lalande 2018 page on 6/04/2022.
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9 comments have been posted
11 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue (9,501 views)
Comment posted by LiteItOnFire:
8/27/2022 1:07:00 PM - Well done. I don’t have the patience or comfort in the multi day tasting gamble but appreciate the findings when done from others. Very cool.
Comment posted by Matjet:
8/28/2022 9:56:00 PM - Hi LIOF
I think tasting over several days helps the wine to open up and provides a sense of how it may improve with age. Also, if it falls apart after a day or two, you know it won’t age as well as one that holds up or improves over three or four days.
Cheers!
Comment posted by LiteItOnFire:
8/28/2022 10:01:00 PM - Oh I agree with the science but my problem is if it’s good on day one… I won’t let it last until day two lol.
Comment posted by Matjet:
8/28/2022 10:12:00 PM - I understand, it does require discipline.
Incidentally, I bought several cases of Vieux Chateau Certan 2018, and some 2016 based on your excellent notes on this Chateau.
Comment posted by LiteItOnFire:
8/28/2022 10:27:00 PM - You won’t be disappointed- I would do yourself a favor and grab a bottle of 2010 to see what the chateau and style is all about (don’t buy the 2009 as while it should be more assessable than a 2010, it does not seem to be the case).
I believe the 2018 may be shutdown already, although that is purely conjecture. Look forward to your thoughts.
Comment posted by Matjet:
8/28/2022 10:35:00 PM - Thanks!
I will buy some 2010 VCC if I can find it.
Comment posted by Decanting Queen:
8/29/2022 4:16:00 AM - Lite, my strategy for drinking over several nights is to pour off either 4 or 8 oz before you start drinking. Put in glass bottles and fridge and forget. And open 2 bottles at once so you don’t feel deprived!!
Comment posted by LiteItOnFire:
8/29/2022 11:30:00 AM - DQ- still the best initials of CT, I like your strategy. I have both a Coravin and Plum that allow me access to sneak peek which I guess is the same idea- I just get so scared about not drinking it the next day and the quality of the wine regarding however I do value the knowledge and reasoning.
Comment posted by Decanting Queen:
8/30/2022 3:26:00 AM - Lite, with some of the younger Bdx you have been drinking you have nothing to fear about leaving a small pour for day 2. Even younger Napa—very low risk. Give it a try! Decant or leave it open while you drink the rest on day 1, then bottle in a small bottle and fridge for day 2. It will be the same or better. If it is worse, that is also good to know but rarely happens with wines like that and low risk because it is only 4 oz you are sacrificing