Cloudy garnet color. Beautiful nose with leather, lilacs, and cherries, with some oaky notes. The palate is fresh, good acidity, cherries are bright, forest floor, tobacco leaves.. medium tannins, long finish with cedar and leather notes. Very good aged Pauillac that is showing great now. We aerated the wine but otherwise it was PnP. Drink now or age for a few more years, no signs of decline. The vintage is what it is, but this shows pretty well overall. The acidity and the fruit were good, but a bit dominated by the leathery notes, hence the 92 and not higher score.
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This is ready now, but you must be patient with a 2 hour decant.
Off the coast of Greece four miles out, sun almost gone and the memory of this wine...
As I swirl the ruby elixir within the delicate confines of a crystal goblet, the 1981 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande whispers tales of opulence and a summer's enchantment. This vintage, like a mellifluous jazz melody, carries nuances of refinement, beckoning to a connoisseur's heart and a romantic's soul.
The first encounter with this exceptional Bordeaux evokes memories of an era drenched in romance and the thrill of high adventure. A mere sip, and I am transported back to the sun-kissed summer of 1981, a mere lad of 16, when I traversed the cobblestone paths of my uncle's chateau. Amidst the verdant vineyards and the fragrant gardens, a tale unfolded—an exquisite love story with a captivating French maiden twenty years my senior.
Much like the wine's complex layers, her presence mirrored the intricate notes of blues and jazz, a symphony of passion and grace. It was amidst the allure of the chateau's grandeur that we discovered our own harmonious duet—a summer of love, entwined in the embrace of the French countryside.
Today they call it something else, but in those days we called it a blessing lads.
The 1981 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, a blend predominantly composed of Cabernet Sauvignon with a touch of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, unveils a medley of flavors that resonate with sophistication. With the first sip, the senses are greeted by a bouquet reminiscent of dark cherries, ripe plums, and a subtle whisper of cedar, evoking the allure of an antique mahogany guitar resonating through the night.
Much like the resonating chords of a guitar in a smoky jazz club, the wine's palate dances with a symphony of flavors. Rich black currants intermingle with hints of tobacco and a whisper of leather, harmonizing in perfect balance, reminiscent of the complexity found in a blues improvisation.
The tannins, akin to the velvet texture of a jazz melody, embrace the palate with a gentle yet persistent presence, offering structure and depth that linger like the memories of that unforgettable summer. The wine's elegant finish, with a touch of spice and a lingering echo of dark fruits, leaves an indelible impression—a testament to its finesse and timeless allure.
As I raise my glass to the stars, the reminiscence of that summer night intertwined with the beauty of this wine brings forth an undeniable nostalgia—a tribute to the serendipitous convergence of chance and intellect that shapes our destinies.
In conclusion, the 1981 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is not merely a wine; it's a testament to the artistry and craftsmanship that defines a moment, capturing the essence of a bygone era—a blend of elegance, passion, and the indelible memories of a summer love affair.
NOTE TO SELF: 2 HOUR DECANT, GLASS BY GLASS
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Subsequent notes on this wine from over 9 years ago. Dark garnet with a bit of clearing at the edges. Full, forward & intensely fragrant nose of complex, developed & mature ripe fruit aromas of cherries, cassis & plums with overtones of classic cigar box overtones of cedar & aged tobacco & floral notes of violets & lavender, earthy/dusty, herbs, spices, truffles, leather, minerals & a slight hint of oak in the background. Full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & silky smooth textured, integrated, ripe fruit flavors of dark cherries, black currants & cassis with spices, herbs, mushrooms, cocoa, minerals & oak/vanilla. Long lingering silky-smooth finish. Drinks quite well at 42 years of age & although it should hold here for a few more years, I doubt any further development will occur from additional aging. Fill was in lower portion of neck; cork stained 1/2 but intact.
Second bottle from a 3 pack purchased that was an ex-chateau release in 2021 after recorking and topping up; another excellent bottle; definitely improved thanks to never leaving the chateau; classic nose with tobacco, herbs, earth, black currant, cedar, and marion berry. Complex and inviting. The palate is fresh and elegant with melted tannins and a lovely weight. Finishes with cedar and black currant. Excellent stuff.
Absolutely spectacular showing for this wine again. Pristine bottle with mid-neck fill. Decanted about an hour. The wine showed a touch of heat at first but that disappeared after the decant. Great depth of fruit, a little forest forest floor, cedar and some green notes typical of P-L. Still going strong when we finished the bottle after five hours. Could this vintage give the '82 a run for its money? Maybe tonight it could have. Paired with a New York Strip with truffle butter sauce at Capital Grille Naples.
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Pronounced nose with notes of slight barnyard, spices, forest, toast. Medium acidity and medium tannin. Decant around 1 hour. Had 2 bottles from same source and consistent notes.
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Positiv överraskning, trodde inte att den skulle var så pass fräsch efter styvt 30 år och något omild lagring. Men här fanns både färsk och torkad frukt i form av svarta vinbär, björnbär och plommon. Hårdrostat kaffe, läder och en gnutta skogsgolv. Bra grepp i syra och tanniner. Bäst med något ätbart.
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This is just delicious. Classic, elegant, mature cassis fruit. Regal, tobacco. Lovely finish. Very expressive. Sophisticated. A great way to ring in 2023. (93)
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Smooth as silk and quite full and really showing off the grace and silkiness of this terroir. In the end it didn’t possess the complexity of the top vintages but a delicious wine nonetheless. 91
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New Years with the Ks and Browns: This is a bottle released ex-chateau in 2021; re-bottled and re-corked. The color is a deeper red than prior bottle; the nose has lovely dark fruit just leaning towards dried, floral, green tobacco, a hint of pyrazines, cedar and graphite. The long finish is in lovely harmony; this was clearly better and at another level than prior bottle which was released originally.
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Aristocrat's Wine Dinner (Joe & Khem's Place, Mpls): Very dark red color with a 4mm clear edge. One hour double decant and then slow O for a couple hours more. Drank a glass over 2.5 hours. There's a lovely mature Bordeaux nose here, cigar wrapper, dark berries, tomato leaf, slightly herbaceous, earth and leather. The palate is a bit more rustic, dark berry fruit, leather, coarse tobacco and wood. This is fully mature and I don't see it getting any better. Bottles will likely hold for several years. Representative and very enjoyable. 92+pts.
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Aristocrat's Wine Dinner at Joe's: Not sure of prep for this wine other than I know it sat in an open bottle for at least 2 hours. This wine was another surprise for me, as I thought any Bordeaux from 1981 would be dead, even a long lasting juggernaut like Pichon Lalande. Nose showed bramble, earth and some dark fruit. Palate showed some red and black fruit, tree bark and earthy notes with hints of sweet tobacco and mushroom. oak was well integrated and not detectable (for me). Wine had a silky mouthfeel and showed no heat. I believe this wine is on a downhill trend, but still has plenty of life...you can wait on these, but I wouldn't recommend waiting too terribly long. 91-92, drinking well and a pleasant surprise!
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Well past its drinking window. Not much left here but a pepper bomb and some light tawny tannins. Mouthfeel is a bit thin. Happy it hadn’t turned, but not worth dropping the money to buy it (as I’m sure so many 40yo birthdays are doing)
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Epic Bordeaux for an Epic Birthday!; 9/1/2021-9/12/2021 (Paris & Bordeaux): Another real treat but mainly because this is my birth year and I'd actually opened a bottle for my birthday earlier in the year and it was corked. This was not. In very good shape (as you might expect since we were at the Chateau). Not quite as vibrant as the '82, but there's life here (the difference to me is this finishes a touch shorter). Nice Bordeaux from a tough year for Bordeaux.
Thank you Derrald for opening a bottle as it was terrific. Nose of barnyard, forest floor, with hints of cigar box and sliced bell pepper, on the palate, big body, delicious very tasty, elegant, slightly past peak but very strong character, mouth filling fruit, showed well for two hours of tasting, sipping, and savoring, long finish, lovely aftertaste. Bottle photo uploaded.
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The colour was brick red, but still with some depth. On the nose and on tasting 10 minutes after opening quite strong red fruit is apparent, but sadly so too is the unmistakeable woodiness of TCA taint. And it's the woodiness that dominates on the palate.
On returning 90 minutes later the fruit had indeed developed in intensity as suggested by other recent reports, but unfortunately the TCA taint was still present to the extent that we could only wonder what might have been.
To the extent that it's possible to judge, it does seem to me that an unflawed bottle of this vintage would still be in a good place.
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I enjoyed the supple texture and pretty balance of the wine, although the vegetable tone was slightly too high. Stood up for a month and decanted three hours prior to consumption. I think the air helped some of the fruit come through.
Medium bodied. dark soil with a streak of sappy high toned cherry and rasperry, and a dollop of black/green vegetable funk (not overtly green pepper as I have seen in other PLL). tobacco, and a little candied cherry fruit on the finish that lingers. Pretty, precise acidity. Overall a pretty wine with good complexity. I rather liked this! 92-93. Bad qpr at 200, but fine qpr at 100.
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The 1981 Pichon Lalande is a very charming wine, but one that exemplifies the vintage rather than transcending it. Offering up aromas of currant fruit, loamy soil and cigar box, it's medium-bodied, with powdery tannins but without the sense of complete maturity of fruit that one finds in vintages such as 1978 or 1979, to say nothing of 1982. Less sensual than this château at its best, it remains a very persuasive wine.
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Opened via method Audouze (4 hours slow ox without touching the bottle). Very tertiary at first (leather, coffee, truffles) but changed after an extra 4 hours where it gained more fruit and tannins became super silky. Lovely, worth the wait.
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Layers of tertiary complexity, with a hint of fruit still left over. Tannins mostly mellowed, and acidity still present. Nose of peppery goodness, and hints of leather. Classic pauillac, but perhaps just not enough to shout about.
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A fabulous bottle of this classically elegant claret. Mature yet holding its color admirably. The nose is textbook Pichon: cassis, tobacco, cedar and sautéed green peppers. Medium body and medium intensity. Again, classic and food friendly with good tang remaining on the finish. A bit more sweetness and length are the only things holding this back from being truly special. While not all bottles are holding up this well, it certainly is a treat to drink this aged beauty. (93)
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Pristine bottle with a high neck fill. Quick double decant three hours before drinking. Very young in appearance, no amber on the edge. Sweet fruit and the classic Pichon bell pepper notes. Still a ways go go. This wine was singing tonight paired with a beef Wellington at Bay Colony in Naples.
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Really showed well. Seemed lighter than the ‘78s and 82s, but had plenty of flavor. Classic lalande profile, with tea leaves and a dark fruit profile. Fresh and elegant. Much better than my last bottle in ‘16
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The ninth of 14 vintages of PL back to ‘61 courtesy of Mark Golodetz. Another surprise as I expected very little here but it showed quite well with lovely red fruits as well as a fairly strong hint of dill which again added complexity. Really a joyful wine but drink-up.
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this has aged well, matured, with a bouquet of cherry skins, dried berry and cedar, balanced, deep flavors of dried cherry, red raspberry, tobacco leaves and wood, old school, brilliant and lifted, fine wine, drinking perfectly now
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Still lovely, mid weight but still so balanced with plum,Christmas pudding and soil notes. Classic Pichon perfume and white flower notes. All in harmony but not in decline. A real crowd pleaser again with an experienced drinking crowd!
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Very dark garnet colour; nose lavender, wood fire, cedar, cherry,tobacco, very elegant. In the mouth, cherry, blueberry, black pepper, firmly acid, long, but not as seductive as the nose. In all, an excellent complement to the bison hamburger.
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Joli nez aux arômes de cèdre et de tabac. La bouche est légère, aérienne, elle montre une belle subtilité et une complexité aromatique enivrante. Superbe! Les deux heures d’ouverture (sans carafe) ont magnifié les saveurs, je le trouve bien supérieur à la précédente bouteille, qui n’avait pas eu le temps de développer cette complexité. 92-93 pts
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Christmas Lunch, 1999 Palms D'or and two 1981 Bordeaux (Yan's China Bistro, Walnut Creek, Ca.): Nose of Bouquet of English Roses, sliced bell pepper, black berry, cassis, with hints of tobacco and forest floor, same on the palate, big body, rich fruit, mouth filling fruit, everyone at the table enjoyed this Bordeaux, delicious, almost elegant, and a long, lovely finish and aftertaste. Showed better than the 1981 Chateau Mouton Rothschild in my opinion and everyone agreed. Uploaded bottle image.
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Great bottle, outperforms the reputation of the vintage. Decanted 2 hours before drinking and the wine showed beautifully for a bit, and then tailed off after another half hour. Classic mature left bank nose of cedary earthy tobacco-y cassis fruit, pungent and powerful still, well balanced, mouth and sinus filling aromatically, sturdy, and very well articulated and detailed. Just a fine old claret.
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from half bottle. Popped & poured. Red fruit (cherry, cassis), cedar, tobacco, graphite. Better with an hour or so of air. Fruit a bit dominated by cedar, graphite & tobacco. Good acidity. Lingering finish. Really enjoyable.
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Mid ruby, served at a cool cellar temperature and it was immediately accessible and fragrant with textbook Pichon fragrance of cherry, plum, soil, cedar and white flowers. Mid weight as it should be in a lighter year which was affected by May frosts but otherwise was a good growing season. Lovely balance and a refreshing mouthful of elegant and tasty wine. Drink over the next 3-5 years and you will have a great crowd pleaser without breaking the bank!
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Superbe nez très classique, de cassis et de cèdre, qui annonce de grandes choses. La bouche est toutefois plus limitée, fort agréable, mais sans grande profondeur. Un vin élégant et raffiné, auquel il manque un peu de concentration. Il ne fait pas son âge. 89-90 pts
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I was not expecting much from this wine so was surprised by the generally positive comments on this site and especially since the cork crumbled even with an ah-so puller. Boy was I wrong and am very happy about it! Cedar, tobacco and eventually some menthol emerged from the glass. Wine peaked about three hours after opening and it was worth the wait tonight as well as the last 30+ years. Wonderfully briary red fruit and some cherry notes supported by well resolved dusty tannins and which resulted in a 20 second long finish well into 4 hours after opening. Alas the next day all that remains is the tannins but am very pleased with this as I had only bought it for tasting verticals of the Comtesse.
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7th Annual Christmas dinner and cellar raid (Naperville, IL): Part of Christmas wine dinner and cellar raid and didn't take detailed notes. Brought by a friend to try (which is against the rules). Nose was a little off-putting but taste was pretty good. tannins were mellow
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Tasted at a dinner this was quite fun to try; the nose has lots of cedar, herbs, tobacco, and some underlying black fruits. The palate has nice balance and integrated tannins with good acidity. Overall quite tasty though lacks a little fruit to be truly outstanding.
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Showed better than previous bottle. good fill level and excellent cork. Nice clean aromatics, clearly a little on the green side but only as a supplement to the earthy, fruity components. enough tannin structure to hold everything together but I'm not convinced that this wine will improve past the next 5 years. classic Pauillac, enjoy while you can...
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A light and elegant bdx, which is not so far away from old and tired. Telltale Lande flavor profile with flint, light herbaceous quality, and plenty of smoke and tobacco notes. Lengthy if uninteresting finish. Moving towards a profile of mostly acidity and not so much fruit. Little tannin. Still, there's plenty of charm here to enjoy.
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SLDS November 2016: Tobacco, herb, cherry, violet, cedar and graphite. Mild mannered on the palate, the tannins have folded into the fruit and it is really well balanced. Holding up well, without the depth of a great vintage, but showing well in its own right.
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Somewhat muted nose, but beautiful sweet fruit on the seamless palate. Red currants, cassis, tobacco. Plush and round and a pleasure to drink. Probably not going to get any better from here.
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There's a surprising amount of brett here. There's pretty red fruit, earth, and mature cedar and graphite notes beneath, but it's dominated by a funky leathery topnote that never blows off even with a fair bit of time in the decanter. It still feels quite fresh and youthful on the palate, though not showing the depth or finesse of the '86 that was poured alongside.
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An atypical Monday (Dale's): What a contrast in vintages alongside the 1986. This is richer, deeper on the captivating nose; continued to improve and build with air. On the palate, savory, rich, with bitter cherry and plum fruit framed by sweet wood and cigar box. Lovely. Drinking very well now.
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De Fargues vertical + Nopa (Sense, Nopa): Really nice! Green tobacco (pyrazines). Slight manure. Dog fur. Dried cassis. Also a tertiary umami sweet tobacco fruit. Medium tannins. Elevated acid.
On the palate, slight well-integrated oak (baking spices). Medium plus tannins, super developed and rounded. Like satin. Long finish. Elevated alcohol.
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The fill level, bottle, foil and cork were almost like new - a testament to the integrity of our wine cellar. The cork was starting to soften a bit at the end but was still holding its seal and pulled cleanly from the bottle using an ahso two prong puller.
This is also a testament to the amazing longevity of this classic Bordeaux, this was still showing life left at thirty-five years old, especially considering this was a modest vintage year.
Incredible aromas of dark berry fruit, cigar box and classic Bordeaux earthy floral tones, dark garnet colored, medium bodied, the only sign of diminution from age was that the dark berry fruit flavors have given way to predominant cigar box and earthy floral flavors with tones of leather, tobacco leaf and hints of cedar, with lively, nicely balanced, polished, smooth tangy, lingering tannins on the finish.
Bottle was MS-HS, cork completely soaked. But the wine was not oxidized! Very masulin, peppery, lots of character. Nice attack, long finish, tannins still abundant. Nice surprise!
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Vertikal provning Pichon Lalande 12 årgångar 66-90. 1981: härligt syltig doft, mint ton, eukalyptus, mix röda bär/söt lakrits, vegetabilisk, höstlöv, torkad svamp. Fantastiska aromer men lite tunn smak med kort slut. Delad sista plats ikväll tillsammans med 78 om man bortser från 86 med korkdefekt.
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last bottle of case, decanted just before drinking but it could have done with an hour to judge from its development in the glass - essentially as my October 2013 note if with marked graphite and less fruit on nose and palate, also not disgraced against a very fine 82 PL on same night. Fine plus just (18/20).
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This time from a 750cl bottle. Still deep red, looking good immediately from the first pour. Very little sediment. Wonderful spicy fragrance that screams Pichon Lalande. As good in the single bottle as it was from the double mag! Delicious, mid-weight elegance full of flavour and balance. Touch more depth and body than the 75 I had at lunch and was a croud pleaser at dinner. How can you go wrong at US$80/85 a bottle.
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From double mag. Lovely translucent ruby, no real signs of age. Wonderful nose (93-94) of classic Pichon Lalande perfumed fruit. So distinct, spicy (touch of clove?) and earthy notes as well as the classic cherry/cassis, cedar and leather. Medium bodied but what a good drink it is, tannins all intergrated but still plenty of life and fruit in it wih acidity present and giving it a wonderful freshness and uplift. Why pay outrageous burgundy prices when drinking old Bordeaux gives you so many similiar pleasures but at a fraction of the cost!
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Birth year wines (plus some extra's) (@ JB): Smoky bouquet with cedar, red forest fruits and sweet spices. On the palate a mature wine with still beautiful red fruits, some chocolate, bell pepper, elegant acidity, a pleasant bit of sweetness and beautifully mild tannin. Still a beautiful, aristocratic and feminine wine. Drink now or soon.
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Deep dark garnet with some clearing at the edges. Forward, fragrant & attractive nose of complex, well developed & mature ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, cassis & plums with classic cigar box overtones of cedar & aged tobacco, floral notes of violets & lavender, herbal notes of juniper, sage & rosemary, bell pepper, some underbrush with secondary notes of earthy, truffles, dusty, old leather, some spiciness and minerals. Full bodied with a good concentration of smooth textured, balanced, well integrated, developed & mature ripe fruit flavors of dark cherries, black currants & plums with savory spices, earthy, herbs, some cocoa & minerals and toasty oak. Long lingering silky-smooth finish. Drinks quite well at present at 33 years of age and appears to have the structure & fruit to hold onto its current plateau of development for a few more additional years.
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This bottle rocked. Medium garnet color. Unmistakable Bordeaux nose of cedar closet and potpourri, with some rather gamey summer sausage and umami aromas. On the palate this is very smooth, with deep red fruit and resolved, relaxed tannins. A brilliant second growth from a middling vintage, this is drinking charmingly at age 33. Optimally mature at the moment; I'd find a reason to drink up!
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11.5% ABV. Consumed immediately after opening due to poor planning and impatience.
Lovely ruby color with only the barest suggestion of orange around the rim. Great earthy Pauillac aromas right out of the blocks. If you dug a bunch of strawberries out of a coal mine this is what I imagine it would smell like. There's a freshness and openness to it though, reminiscent of a hike through a forest in the winter. This freshness is in marked contrast to the 1982, which though solid didn't wow me much considering its rave reviews. By comparison this 1981 is far more attractive on the nose.
Initially a little dilute, and though it fills out somewhat it still lacks a little mid-palate. There's a subtle tart tang allied with a little sweetness to balance things out, but with the tannins gone, there isn't enough bite to the taste to make you feel like you're drinking something substantial. The finish is similar to the mid-palate; pleasant, but lacking in intensity a little for my tastes.
Overall there is a balance problem here; the nose is simply marvelous, but there's a flatness to the wine after that which keeps it from a higher score. Nonetheless the nose is just phenomenal.
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Big, effusive bouquet of eucalyptus, uncured tobacco, bayleaf and oregano, dark flowers, and a little sweet base note of brown sugar. Extremely fresh bouquet, like walking through an herb garden. Good tart bite on the palate, not dilute but definitely light bodied. Tannins are nearly gone. For bouquet lovers. I was a bit torn how to rate this wine: subjectively, it was delicious, held up over the course of the evening, and was just what I wanted; objectively, it was light, and while complex, lacked the depth and layering of a top wine, and so in that regard was a bit disappointing for a Super Second. Honestly, probably too expensive if much more than $50 for what it is these days.
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tenth of 12 bottles, level into neck, hour decant, dusty garnet, browning rim, attractive nose and palate with pleasing mix of fresh black fruits and mulberry, some cedar, med, good length and persistence, but lacks weight and unctuousness of top vintage, lovely bottle though and no rush to drink. Fine plus (18/20).
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Not very clean at first, it needed some time to get rid of a moldy notes. Then, a very nice nose of green bell pepper and tobacco with nice dark fruits. Lean but not thin, this was a pleasure to drink even if the finish was a little short.
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Brick disc, translucent robe. What a beautiful Pauillac nose - lead pencil, cedar, a little tomato leaf; the fruit fading but present. This brings out a little barnyard with air. This is balanced in the mouth, but not showing nearly as much as the nose - red fruits, smoke, tomato leaf; simple. Finishes with Darjeeling tea and tomato leaf. Aristocratic but late maturity; needs to be drunk now.
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Deep opaque red with brickish edges, a slowly developing nose of plum, currants, and salted brine. The entry is smooth as almost all the tannins have disappeared. It also posseses fresh acidity that holds the wine in a precarious balance despite all the years. The body is elegant with some sweet fruit coming through and ending in a medium and balanced finish. This is a fully mature (past its peak) Pichon Lalande from a lesser than great vintage, however it retains a level of charm and elegance that is suggestive of excellence under different circumstances.
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Rheingau Gourmet Festival "Weinraritätenlunch Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande" (12 PLC vintages), late Feb 2013: rubin-like color; cassis and earthy flavors; very mild red fruit acid on the palate; medium body; round texture; slight tannins.
Liked the acid/fruit interplay very much.
3rd flight: 1966 - 1975 - 1981 - 1997
Clearly the best wine of the 3rd flight. If you want buy an older PLC or just a Pauillac Cru Classe I would recommend the 1981: classic claret style, tastes good and still reasonably priced.
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Classic PLL aromatics; green herbal and forestal notes, pure red and dark fruits, graphite and dusty earthy and cedary notes all coming together into a fantastic scent. This is drinking superbly now with tannins completely integrated and a lovely polished texture; I can't imagine it getting any better.
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A little brownish, but most red. Sweet tobacco on the nose, almost St. Estephe-like. Also leather and earth. Sweet and sour in the mouth. A lovely Medoc that has kept surpisingly well. This must be some of the best made in Bordeaux this year.
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The bouquet on this wine was terrific - complex & spicy. I found the palate to be less interesting - mature Bordeaux, with a decent amount of fruit still there. It was a lovely bottle to drink (which could easily be enjoyed without food), but I had high expectations of this wine and was a bit disappointed. I'd be drinking these up, as on the evidence of this bottle, its only going to decline with further time.
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Still deep garnet with brick tone only at rim. Nose of dried roses and oranges mixed in with fruit notes. Gentle and resolved on the palate, with some fruit and length and a lively finish with welcome acidity. This showed nicely still, and we all enjoyed its mature qualities. It opened up over the course of dinner. I am glad that I still have another bottle.
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In a great place right now with a core of dark fruited flavours framed by savoury tobacco and earthy elements and a vivid forestal greenness that brings a top Loire Cab Franc to mind. There's a sense of real polish and finesse to the texture with tannins fully integrated and bright acids keeping it very lively and fresh, great stuff.
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Pop and pour, wine is mid-shoulder and the cork is saturated, brownish colour, good nose of pencil lead, mushrooms and herbs, the wine is soft and the tannins have faded, my first time with the wine so not sure if its past its peak already, but a pleasant surprise from a not too impressive vintage.
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Bretty nose with notes of pencil lead of leather. The fruit is surprisingly bright and vibrant. strong pencil shaving flavors. Just a beautiful wine if you like that sort of style which I do.
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Pop 'n pour and drank over 2 hours. Brownish color. Very fragrant nose of pencil lead, caramel, and cedar that opened up with the air. On the palate, medium-bodied, smooth and soft, but full-flavored showing a lot of caramel and cedar. Tannins fully resolved. Not terribly complex, but a fine aged Bordeaux probably past peak but still drinking well.
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Another tired old Bordeaux that did not do much for me. Over the hill, but still dark, with decent fruit and chocolate. Fading, not much complexity, mainly good because it was next to two older Bordeaux's that were well past there prime.
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Occasional tasting group (@ PZ Only Magnums): Beautiful classical Bordeaux bouquet and palate. Although the wine is completely ready and the tannin is silky soft, the wine still has a perfect bite and a long finish.
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At an extensive tasting of magnums this was the great surprise and WOTN. Incredibly fresh. The bottle was stored perfectly, and you could tell! Very long and refined. Great, exemplary Bordeaux.
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This fully mature, elegant Pauillac offers truffle, tobacco, earth, cassis, blackberry, spice and aked fruit aromas. Medium/full bodied, with all the tannins fully resolved, there is no reason to hold this any longer.
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1981 and 1978 are becoming my two favorite sleeper BDX vintages with age. This wine was magnificent with an excellent pitch of cassis and soft, delicate aromas of leather and blackberry. It has such a hallmark richness to its fruit, hardly faded. A really splendid Bordeaux. It reminded me why I love age on my BDX and why I tend to drift left bank with age nonetheless. WOTN by a mile. Thanks Kevin C, a real gem for me.
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shared with pat, keith and jean at selkirk manor. reading notes from other members, i decided not to wait any longer. this bottle was in good condition. good fill. cork extracted easily and intact. rich color. no browning or fading. considering the vintage, there was a remarkable amount of fruit left. pleasant nose. however, the wine is rather understated, as if it does not want to be noticed or recognized. i taste mostly plum and chocolate. the pleasure of this wine centers on its smoothness. tannins and acid are fully resolved and do not get in the way of enjoying the fruit. i thought that this was quite a respectable bottle to share with old friends until we had keith's bottle (1982 gruaud larose) which put my wine to shame. for other members who still have bottles in the cellar, i would not wait on them. especially since so many bottles have been reported to be on the cusp.
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Classic paulliac with lead pencil nose. On palate a wonderful flavors finishing much shorter than the 1982 we were tasting next to it. Also, the wine had a touch of brown.
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(audouzed for 8 hours) This struggled next to the Latour. Initially, terribly weak without much going for it besides the fact that the fruit was mature and showing some nuance. Did gain some depth with additional air time, but was never really more than pleasant. (86)
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just a really good wine, really had a lot left in this. A bit of bricking around the edge, but the fruit was still holding together with spicy fruit, some leather, and tobacco. This was actually even better after 3 hours of air time.
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Color: transparent, dark red cherry, 2 cm orange/ruby rim Bouquet: smoke, leather, moderately funky earth, dried red and black berries, Flavor: dried red and black berries, leather, subtle spice on initial attack and this continued on the mid-palate. On the finish, smoke and dried berries gain intensity giving way to lingering leather and smoke. 45 sec+ finish. Comment: very soft and smooth; beautiful, elegant balance and integration. Good acidity. 3500 yen/glass at Enoteca.
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Ledbury Bordeaux december Decadence: Quite a spicy nose, rounded. More tobacco on the palate. Dry left bank. Classic claret, more balanced than the 1970 LLC I think. ***1/2
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My love affair with Lalande continues unabated. Served with the heavy cheese course on New Year's Eve and the wine matched perfectly - was the wine of the evening and she is clearly not past her prime. Color was ruby and the decanting 2 hours in advance gave plenty of time for the wine to breathe. An excellent wine from a mediocre vintage that remains astonishingly vibrant 26 years later
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Heavily Merlot influenced - lush plum and tobacco notes, with a green character and a rather harsh tannic finish characteristic of the vintage. Overall a solid wine that's drinking about as good as it ever will.
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Tasted 3 times in the last 2 years with similar notes.A great effort for Pichon Lalande in an average vintage.The colour is purple with no ageing signs, the nose is very complex with layer of fruits,leather,tobacco, herbs(thyme,oregano),black pepper.The mouth is very round,balanced,with silky tannins,very long. Is full of life one of the best 1981 tasted.At his peak now but you can cellared some years more.Great!!!!!!
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Introspective Retrospective Tasting at Ken's (Ken's Place): Dark ruby to brown in color. Gorgeous and effusive aromas explode from the glass with layers of cassis, minerals, tobacco, leather, herbs and spice. Medium bodied palate has green herbs, tobacco and minerals in the forefront with cassis fruit in the background. Medium-to-long finish is full of complex flavors. Well structured with plenty of fruit - no reason to wait!
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Looking at the color of the wine when i poured in the glass, the was showing a tint of brown, and the body looked a little light. But the aroma of ink and herbs were pleaseant enough. Afer half an hour, the wine developed quite well, not the strongest of body, but the sweetness and aged old oak was distinct and a hint of fruity sweetness came back in the endding, the tannin was also soft. After an hour then ending started turning a little bitter, but still good.
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Bones are definitely beginning to show, but also has some nice cedar, forest, and red fruit. Some complexity, but a bit hollow. Fairly nice wine, but better five or six years ago. Initially seemed very slightly corked on pouring, but it seemed to blow off with aeration so it must simply have been a general mustiness since TCA doesn't blow off. Second night: definitely not corked; mustiness completely gone. Holding together quite well.
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Tasted at dinner at Montrachet with Olivier. Taste was generously sent to our table from another. The Montrachet staff encourage sharing on their Monday night BYO amongst tables opening high quality wines.
Light bodied and very delicate. Predominant flavors of green pepper along with some cassis. Did not seem as old as it was and was drinking quite well.
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Showing signs of maturity at the rim, bouquet dominated by earth and smoke with muted dark fruits. Nice texture, smooth and silky finish. Palate had saddle and dark fruit at its core. Nice balance and finish not getting any better.
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Wine tasting. Quite mellow, softer Bordeaux, past its peak (at least this bottle) but charming nonetheless. Black fruit less prominent than earthy aromas and flavors, but the two are in balance with some cigar box qualities and meaty spice. Moderate finish,
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Lovely, lovely, rich tobacco nose, hints of green peeper, very rich, elegant mouthfeel, big, rich fruit, hint of tannins on the finish, needs 4 years to peak. My #1 of 5.
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9 Bordeaux 1981, 1982, 1983 Pichon Lalande, La Lagune, Gruaud Larose. Was showing big, berry fruit on the nose with hints of licorice, followed by a rich, elegant, fruity taste with hints of cedar, intense berry, fruity finish. My #2, Group #7.
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With K, MPL and BLR at Stars. Deep, dark ruby-cranberry. Rich, very deep, intense aroma. Quite forward in the manner of a California Cabernet. Deep, ripe fruit on the palate makes a similar impression. Still tannic. 5-11-16-8: 90/100.
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Hollywood Wine Seminar. Perceptible weakening of color. Fully developed nose. Fragrant and cedary. Slightly faded mid palate. Very good for the vintage and very much alive though. Clive Coates “one of the best ‘81s, good for drinking now”
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12/3/2023 - Moonie Likes this wine: 95 Points
After the last bottle six months ago, another flawless showing. Exactly what an aged Bordeaux should be.
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12/2/2023 - Condrieu82 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Cloudy garnet color. Beautiful nose with leather, lilacs, and cherries, with some oaky notes. The palate is fresh, good acidity, cherries are bright, forest floor, tobacco leaves.. medium tannins, long finish with cedar and leather notes. Very good aged Pauillac that is showing great now. We aerated the wine but otherwise it was PnP. Drink now or age for a few more years, no signs of decline. The vintage is what it is, but this shows pretty well overall. The acidity and the fruit were good, but a bit dominated by the leathery notes, hence the 92 and not higher score.
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11/18/2023 - BellevuePhil Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is ready now, but you must be patient with a 2 hour decant.
Off the coast of Greece four miles out, sun almost gone and the memory of this wine...
As I swirl the ruby elixir within the delicate confines of a crystal goblet, the 1981 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande whispers tales of opulence and a summer's enchantment. This vintage, like a mellifluous jazz melody, carries nuances of refinement, beckoning to a connoisseur's heart and a romantic's soul.
The first encounter with this exceptional Bordeaux evokes memories of an era drenched in romance and the thrill of high adventure. A mere sip, and I am transported back to the sun-kissed summer of 1981, a mere lad of 16, when I traversed the cobblestone paths of my uncle's chateau. Amidst the verdant vineyards and the fragrant gardens, a tale unfolded—an exquisite love story with a captivating French maiden twenty years my senior.
Much like the wine's complex layers, her presence mirrored the intricate notes of blues and jazz, a symphony of passion and grace. It was amidst the allure of the chateau's grandeur that we discovered our own harmonious duet—a summer of love, entwined in the embrace of the French countryside.
Today they call it something else, but in those days we called it a blessing lads.
The 1981 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, a blend predominantly composed of Cabernet Sauvignon with a touch of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, unveils a medley of flavors that resonate with sophistication. With the first sip, the senses are greeted by a bouquet reminiscent of dark cherries, ripe plums, and a subtle whisper of cedar, evoking the allure of an antique mahogany guitar resonating through the night.
Much like the resonating chords of a guitar in a smoky jazz club, the wine's palate dances with a symphony of flavors. Rich black currants intermingle with hints of tobacco and a whisper of leather, harmonizing in perfect balance, reminiscent of the complexity found in a blues improvisation.
The tannins, akin to the velvet texture of a jazz melody, embrace the palate with a gentle yet persistent presence, offering structure and depth that linger like the memories of that unforgettable summer. The wine's elegant finish, with a touch of spice and a lingering echo of dark fruits, leaves an indelible impression—a testament to its finesse and timeless allure.
As I raise my glass to the stars, the reminiscence of that summer night intertwined with the beauty of this wine brings forth an undeniable nostalgia—a tribute to the serendipitous convergence of chance and intellect that shapes our destinies.
In conclusion, the 1981 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is not merely a wine; it's a testament to the artistry and craftsmanship that defines a moment, capturing the essence of a bygone era—a blend of elegance, passion, and the indelible memories of a summer love affair.
NOTE TO SELF: 2 HOUR DECANT, GLASS BY GLASS
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10/1/2023 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 94 Points
Subsequent notes on this wine from over 9 years ago. Dark garnet with a bit of clearing at the edges. Full, forward & intensely fragrant nose of complex, developed & mature ripe fruit aromas of cherries, cassis & plums with overtones of classic cigar box overtones of cedar & aged tobacco & floral notes of violets & lavender, earthy/dusty, herbs, spices, truffles, leather, minerals & a slight hint of oak in the background. Full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & silky smooth textured, integrated, ripe fruit flavors of dark cherries, black currants & cassis with spices, herbs, mushrooms, cocoa, minerals & oak/vanilla. Long lingering silky-smooth finish. Drinks quite well at 42 years of age & although it should hold here for a few more years, I doubt any further development will occur from additional aging. Fill was in lower portion of neck; cork stained 1/2 but intact.
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6/25/2023 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:
Second bottle from a 3 pack purchased that was an ex-chateau release in 2021 after recorking and topping up; another excellent bottle; definitely improved thanks to never leaving the chateau; classic nose with tobacco, herbs, earth, black currant, cedar, and marion berry. Complex and inviting. The palate is fresh and elegant with melted tannins and a lovely weight. Finishes with cedar and black currant. Excellent stuff.
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6/9/2023 - Moonie Likes this wine: 97 Points
Absolutely spectacular showing for this wine again. Pristine bottle with mid-neck fill. Decanted about an hour. The wine showed a touch of heat at first but that disappeared after the decant. Great depth of fruit, a little forest forest floor, cedar and some green notes typical of P-L. Still going strong when we finished the bottle after five hours. Could this vintage give the '82 a run for its money? Maybe tonight it could have. Paired with a New York Strip with truffle butter sauce at Capital Grille Naples.
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2/18/2023 - Sean Tay wrote: 93 Points
Pronounced nose with notes of slight barnyard, spices, forest, toast. Medium acidity and medium tannin. Decant around 1 hour. Had 2 bottles from same source and consistent notes.
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2/4/2023 - Jonne Likes this wine: 92 Points
Positiv överraskning, trodde inte att den skulle var så pass fräsch efter styvt 30 år och något omild lagring. Men här fanns både färsk och torkad frukt i form av svarta vinbär, björnbär och plommon. Hårdrostat kaffe, läder och en gnutta skogsgolv. Bra grepp i syra och tanniner. Bäst med något ätbart.
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1/1/2023 - dbkitc wrote: 93 Points
This is just delicious. Classic, elegant, mature cassis fruit. Regal, tobacco. Lovely finish. Very expressive. Sophisticated. A great way to ring in 2023. (93)
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8/27/2022 - Beachfan Likes this wine: 93 Points
A little funk at the beginning, I should have decanted. All blown off in a half hour, classic mature PL
After being open for 3 hours, began to slide, so just decant a half hour before, assuming you’ll finish it in2.5 hours
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7/30/2022 - paulst Likes this wine: 94 Points
Earth, balance; smooth lean blackberry.
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6/10/2022 - dream Likes this wine: 91 Points
Smooth as silk and quite full and really showing off the grace and silkiness of this terroir. In the end it didn’t possess the complexity of the top vintages but a delicious wine nonetheless. 91
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1/2/2022 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:
New Years with the Ks and Browns: This is a bottle released ex-chateau in 2021; re-bottled and re-corked. The color is a deeper red than prior bottle; the nose has lovely dark fruit just leaning towards dried, floral, green tobacco, a hint of pyrazines, cedar and graphite. The long finish is in lovely harmony; this was clearly better and at another level than prior bottle which was released originally.
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1/2/2022 - mmclancydvm Likes this wine: 94 Points
Perfect pepper
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12/11/2021 - JamesSanders Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still in fine form. Classic cigar box, cedar. Velvety texture. Decanted about 30 minutes.
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11/14/2021 - paulst Likes this wine: 93 Points
Earthy blackberry nose; elegant; light and balanced; elegant finish.
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10/14/2021 - galewskj wrote: 92 Points
Aristocrat's wine dinner (My house): Pop and pour. Mature and woodsy with cigar, herbs and forest floor.
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10/14/2021 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Aristocrat's Wine Dinner (Joe & Khem's Place, Mpls): Very dark red color with a 4mm clear edge. One hour double decant and then slow O for a couple hours more. Drank a glass over 2.5 hours. There's a lovely mature Bordeaux nose here, cigar wrapper, dark berries, tomato leaf, slightly herbaceous, earth and leather. The palate is a bit more rustic, dark berry fruit, leather, coarse tobacco and wood. This is fully mature and I don't see it getting any better. Bottles will likely hold for several years. Representative and very enjoyable. 92+pts.
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10/14/2021 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Aristocrat's Wine Dinner at Joe's: Not sure of prep for this wine other than I know it sat in an open bottle for at least 2 hours. This wine was another surprise for me, as I thought any Bordeaux from 1981 would be dead, even a long lasting juggernaut like Pichon Lalande. Nose showed bramble, earth and some dark fruit. Palate showed some red and black fruit, tree bark and earthy notes with hints of sweet tobacco and mushroom. oak was well integrated and not detectable (for me). Wine had a silky mouthfeel and showed no heat. I believe this wine is on a downhill trend, but still has plenty of life...you can wait on these, but I wouldn't recommend waiting too terribly long. 91-92, drinking well and a pleasant surprise!
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9/26/2021 - dynedain wrote: 82 Points
Well past its drinking window. Not much left here but a pepper bomb and some light tawny tannins. Mouthfeel is a bit thin. Happy it hadn’t turned, but not worth dropping the money to buy it (as I’m sure so many 40yo birthdays are doing)
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9/8/2021 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Epic Bordeaux for an Epic Birthday!; 9/1/2021-9/12/2021 (Paris & Bordeaux): Another real treat but mainly because this is my birth year and I'd actually opened a bottle for my birthday earlier in the year and it was corked. This was not. In very good shape (as you might expect since we were at the Chateau). Not quite as vibrant as the '82, but there's life here (the difference to me is this finishes a touch shorter). Nice Bordeaux from a tough year for Bordeaux.
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6/11/2021 - MC2 Wines wrote:
I am a big believer in old wine, but this bottle was just dead unfortunately. Just goes to show I have a terrible birth year for wine.
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6/6/2021 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 95 Points
Thank you Derrald for opening a bottle as it was terrific. Nose of barnyard, forest floor, with hints of cigar box and sliced bell pepper, on the palate, big body, delicious very tasty, elegant, slightly past peak but very strong character, mouth filling fruit, showed well for two hours of tasting, sipping, and savoring, long finish, lovely aftertaste. Bottle photo uploaded.
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5/1/2021 - Paul852 wrote: flawed
Some more old(-ish) Bordeaux from Alan's collection: The fill was low neck. The cork was in good condition (soaked less than half through) and came out cleanly.
The colour was brick red, but still with some depth. On the nose and on tasting 10 minutes after opening quite strong red fruit is apparent, but sadly so too is the unmistakeable woodiness of TCA taint. And it's the woodiness that dominates on the palate.
On returning 90 minutes later the fruit had indeed developed in intensity as suggested by other recent reports, but unfortunately the TCA taint was still present to the extent that we could only wonder what might have been.
To the extent that it's possible to judge, it does seem to me that an unflawed bottle of this vintage would still be in a good place.
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4/3/2021 - SARED Likes this wine: 93 Points
92-93
I enjoyed the supple texture and pretty balance of the wine, although the vegetable tone was slightly too high. Stood up for a month and decanted three hours prior to consumption. I think the air helped some of the fruit come through.
Medium bodied. dark soil with a streak of sappy high toned cherry and rasperry, and a dollop of black/green vegetable funk (not overtly green pepper as I have seen in other PLL). tobacco, and a little candied cherry fruit on the finish that lingers. Pretty, precise acidity. Overall a pretty wine with good complexity. I rather liked this! 92-93. Bad qpr at 200, but fine qpr at 100.
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3/25/2021 - William Kelley Likes this wine: 90 Points
The 1981 Pichon Lalande is a very charming wine, but one that exemplifies the vintage rather than transcending it. Offering up aromas of currant fruit, loamy soil and cigar box, it's medium-bodied, with powdery tannins but without the sense of complete maturity of fruit that one finds in vintages such as 1978 or 1979, to say nothing of 1982. Less sensual than this château at its best, it remains a very persuasive wine.
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3/20/2021 - Yassine23 Likes this wine:
Opened via method Audouze (4 hours slow ox without touching the bottle). Very tertiary at first (leather, coffee, truffles) but changed after an extra 4 hours where it gained more fruit and tannins became super silky. Lovely, worth the wait.
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3/17/2021 - glassofhans Likes this wine: 92 Points
Layers of tertiary complexity, with a hint of fruit still left over. Tannins mostly mellowed, and acidity still present. Nose of peppery goodness, and hints of leather. Classic pauillac, but perhaps just not enough to shout about.
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2/22/2021 - Moonie Likes this wine: 95 Points
Another very strong performance for this wine last night. Decanted three hours. Two hours later the wine was still coming on strong.
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1/1/2021 - dbkitc wrote: 93 Points
A fabulous bottle of this classically elegant claret. Mature yet holding its color admirably. The nose is textbook Pichon: cassis, tobacco, cedar and sautéed green peppers. Medium body and medium intensity. Again, classic and food friendly with good tang remaining on the finish. A bit more sweetness and length are the only things holding this back from being truly special. While not all bottles are holding up this well, it certainly is a treat to drink this aged beauty. (93)
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10/22/2020 - Moonie Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pristine bottle with a high neck fill. Quick double decant three hours before drinking. Very young in appearance, no amber on the edge. Sweet fruit and the classic Pichon bell pepper notes. Still a ways go go. This wine was singing tonight paired with a beef Wellington at Bay Colony in Naples.
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7/27/2020 - _water.into.wine_ Likes this wine: 89 Points
Dark ruby. Freshly cut grass on nose. Lean palate. Slight structure. The overall very green impression was not so enjoyable here. From ST
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11/3/2019 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Really showed well. Seemed lighter than the ‘78s and 82s, but had plenty of flavor. Classic lalande profile, with tea leaves and a dark fruit profile. Fresh and elegant. Much better than my last bottle in ‘16
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9/15/2019 - dream Likes this wine: 91 Points
The ninth of 14 vintages of PL back to ‘61 courtesy of Mark Golodetz. Another surprise as I expected very little here but it showed quite well with lovely red fruits as well as a fairly strong hint of dill which again added complexity. Really a joyful wine but drink-up.
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9/6/2019 - whits Likes this wine: 93 Points
this has aged well, matured, with a bouquet of cherry skins, dried berry and cedar, balanced, deep flavors of dried cherry, red raspberry, tobacco leaves and wood, old school, brilliant and lifted, fine wine, drinking perfectly now
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6/16/2019 - oz11779 wrote: flawed
Heavily ullaged - 2" below the capsule; obviously affected, but drinkable.
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3/19/2019 - dchain Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still lovely, mid weight but still so balanced with plum,Christmas pudding and soil notes. Classic Pichon perfume and white flower notes. All in harmony but not in decline. A real crowd pleaser again with an experienced drinking crowd!
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1/17/2019 - oz11779 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very dark garnet colour; nose lavender, wood fire, cedar, cherry,tobacco, very elegant. In the mouth, cherry, blueberry, black pepper, firmly acid, long, but not as seductive as the nose. In all, an excellent complement to the bison hamburger.
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1/12/2019 - d'Artagnan wrote: 93 Points
Joli nez aux arômes de cèdre et de tabac. La bouche est légère, aérienne, elle montre une belle subtilité et une complexité aromatique enivrante. Superbe! Les deux heures d’ouverture (sans carafe) ont magnifié les saveurs, je le trouve bien supérieur à la précédente bouteille, qui n’avait pas eu le temps de développer cette complexité. 92-93 pts
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12/11/2018 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 95 Points
Christmas Lunch, 1999 Palms D'or and two 1981 Bordeaux (Yan's China Bistro, Walnut Creek, Ca.): Nose of Bouquet of English Roses, sliced bell pepper, black berry, cassis, with hints of tobacco and forest floor, same on the palate, big body, rich fruit, mouth filling fruit, everyone at the table enjoyed this Bordeaux, delicious, almost elegant, and a long, lovely finish and aftertaste. Showed better than the 1981 Chateau Mouton Rothschild in my opinion and everyone agreed. Uploaded bottle image.
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12/9/2018 - brooklynguy Likes this wine:
Great bottle, outperforms the reputation of the vintage. Decanted 2 hours before drinking and the wine showed beautifully for a bit, and then tailed off after another half hour. Classic mature left bank nose of cedary earthy tobacco-y cassis fruit, pungent and powerful still, well balanced, mouth and sinus filling aromatically, sturdy, and very well articulated and detailed. Just a fine old claret.
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8/18/2018 - Sean Tay wrote:
The wine looks garnet colored. It smells like blueberry, blackberry, forest floor, toast and cedar.
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7/9/2018 - JJKinch wrote: 92 Points
from half bottle. Popped & poured.
Red fruit (cherry, cassis), cedar, tobacco, graphite. Better with an hour or so of air. Fruit a bit dominated by cedar, graphite & tobacco. Good acidity. Lingering finish. Really enjoyable.
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4/27/2018 - dchain Likes this wine: 92 Points
Mid ruby, served at a cool cellar temperature and it was immediately accessible and fragrant with textbook Pichon fragrance of cherry, plum, soil, cedar and white flowers. Mid weight as it should be in a lighter year which was affected by May frosts but otherwise was a good growing season. Lovely balance and a refreshing mouthful of elegant and tasty wine. Drink over the next 3-5 years and you will have a great crowd pleaser without breaking the bank!
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2/4/2018 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: flawed
Sadly, this bottle was badly corked.
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2/1/2018 - d'Artagnan wrote: 90 Points
Superbe nez très classique, de cassis et de cèdre, qui annonce de grandes choses. La bouche est toutefois plus limitée, fort agréable, mais sans grande profondeur. Un vin élégant et raffiné, auquel il manque un peu de concentration. Il ne fait pas son âge. 89-90 pts
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1/22/2018 - ElAzul Likes this wine: 92 Points
I was not expecting much from this wine so was surprised by the generally positive comments on this site and especially since the cork crumbled even with an ah-so puller. Boy was I wrong and am very happy about it! Cedar, tobacco and eventually some menthol emerged from the glass. Wine peaked about three hours after opening and it was worth the wait tonight as well as the last 30+ years. Wonderfully briary red fruit and some cherry notes supported by well resolved dusty tannins and which resulted in a 20 second long finish well into 4 hours after opening. Alas the next day all that remains is the tannins but am very pleased with this as I had only bought it for tasting verticals of the Comtesse.
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12/9/2017 - bablues wrote: 90 Points
7th Annual Christmas dinner and cellar raid (Naperville, IL): Part of Christmas wine dinner and cellar raid and didn't take detailed notes. Brought by a friend to try (which is against the rules). Nose was a little off-putting but taste was pretty good. tannins were mellow
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12/9/2017 - qtsam11 wrote: 91 Points
Birth year wine. Decanted and drank over 2-3 hours. Lots of funk on the nose. Menthol, cherries, a little cassis and very little tannins.
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11/26/2017 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:
Tasted at a dinner this was quite fun to try; the nose has lots of cedar, herbs, tobacco, and some underlying black fruits. The palate has nice balance and integrated tannins with good acidity. Overall quite tasty though lacks a little fruit to be truly outstanding.
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1/8/2017 - vagrantone Likes this wine: 90 Points
Showed better than previous bottle. good fill level and excellent cork.
Nice clean aromatics, clearly a little on the green side but only as a supplement to the earthy, fruity components. enough tannin structure to hold everything together but I'm not convinced that this wine will improve past the next 5 years. classic Pauillac, enjoy while you can...
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12/16/2016 - Nutty08 wrote: 89 Points
A light and elegant bdx, which is not so far away from old and tired. Telltale Lande flavor profile with flint, light herbaceous quality, and plenty of smoke and tobacco notes. Lengthy if uninteresting finish. Moving towards a profile of mostly acidity and not so much fruit. Little tannin. Still, there's plenty of charm here to enjoy.
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11/9/2016 - CamWheeler wrote: 91 Points
SLDS November 2016: Tobacco, herb, cherry, violet, cedar and graphite. Mild mannered on the palate, the tannins have folded into the fruit and it is really well balanced. Holding up well, without the depth of a great vintage, but showing well in its own right.
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10/28/2016 - Herb K wrote:
Still trying to hold on, while fading like an elegant wallflower..
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10/22/2016 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 91 Points
Académie des Cinquante 61st Annual Dinner (Restaurant Het Roode Koper *, Leuvenum, NL): Double magnum. Fragrant, floral, delicate, gentle, light weight, fully mature, beautifully resolved tannins, cool gravel still covered in sweet flesh, completely classical, wonderful cabernet freshness at its core, lively, good length.
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8/22/2016 - murkybird wrote: 92 Points
Somewhat muted nose, but beautiful sweet fruit on the seamless palate. Red currants, cassis, tobacco. Plush and round and a pleasure to drink. Probably not going to get any better from here.
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7/12/2016 - DaleW wrote:
Drinking well if you don’t mind a touch of barnyard.Good dark fruits, a pointe, good finish. B+
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7/11/2016 - salil wrote: 91 Points
There's a surprising amount of brett here. There's pretty red fruit, earth, and mature cedar and graphite notes beneath, but it's dominated by a funky leathery topnote that never blows off even with a fair bit of time in the decanter. It still feels quite fresh and youthful on the palate, though not showing the depth or finesse of the '86 that was poured alongside.
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7/11/2016 - indiscriminate palate wrote: 92 Points
An atypical Monday (Dale's): What a contrast in vintages alongside the 1986. This is richer, deeper on the captivating nose; continued to improve and build with air. On the palate, savory, rich, with bitter cherry and plum fruit framed by sweet wood and cigar box. Lovely. Drinking very well now.
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6/4/2016 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 92 Points
De Fargues vertical + Nopa (Sense, Nopa): Really nice! Green tobacco (pyrazines). Slight manure. Dog fur. Dried cassis. Also a tertiary umami sweet tobacco fruit. Medium tannins. Elevated acid.
On the palate, slight well-integrated oak (baking spices).
Medium plus tannins, super developed and rounded. Like satin. Long finish. Elevated alcohol.
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6/4/2016 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
Chateau de Fargues Vertical; 6/1/2016-6/4/2016 (Sens, San Francisco): Fully mature with bell pepper, capsicum; palate is full bodied, fully integrated but slightly drying, heading over the hill but still wonderful now; medium finish. Very nice and drink up now. 93-
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4/23/2016 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 92 Points
Despite forecasts to the contrary, this was still full of life. Tobacco and bay leaf with plum and currant.
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3/27/2016 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 91 Points
The fill level, bottle, foil and cork were almost like new - a testament to the integrity of our wine cellar. The cork was starting to soften a bit at the end but was still holding its seal and pulled cleanly from the bottle using an ahso two prong puller.
This is also a testament to the amazing longevity of this classic Bordeaux, this was still showing life left at thirty-five years old, especially considering this was a modest vintage year.
Incredible aromas of dark berry fruit, cigar box and classic Bordeaux earthy floral tones, dark garnet colored, medium bodied, the only sign of diminution from age was that the dark berry fruit flavors have given way to predominant cigar box and earthy floral flavors with tones of leather, tobacco leaf and hints of cedar, with lively, nicely balanced, polished, smooth tangy, lingering tannins on the finish.
http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2016/03/classic-pichon-lalande-bordeaux-anchors.html
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2/8/2016 - humagne wrote: 92 Points
Bottle was MS-HS, cork completely soaked. But the wine was not oxidized! Very masulin, peppery, lots of character. Nice attack, long finish, tannins still abundant. Nice surprise!
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11/9/2015 - Markus IWC wrote: 83 Points
Vertikal provning Pichon Lalande 12 årgångar 66-90. 1981: härligt syltig doft, mint ton, eukalyptus, mix röda bär/söt lakrits, vegetabilisk, höstlöv, torkad svamp. Fantastiska aromer men lite tunn smak med kort slut. Delad sista plats ikväll tillsammans med 78 om man bortser från 86 med korkdefekt.
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10/17/2015 - liber Likes this wine: 92 Points
last bottle of case, decanted just before drinking but it could have done with an hour to judge from its development in the glass - essentially as my October 2013 note if with marked graphite and less fruit on nose and palate, also not disgraced against a very fine 82 PL on same night. Fine plus just (18/20).
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10/2/2015 - dchain Likes this wine: 93 Points
This time from a 750cl bottle. Still deep red, looking good immediately from the first pour. Very little sediment. Wonderful spicy fragrance that screams Pichon Lalande. As good in the single bottle as it was from the double mag! Delicious, mid-weight elegance full of flavour and balance. Touch more depth and body than the 75 I had at lunch and was a croud pleaser at dinner. How can you go wrong at US$80/85 a bottle.
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8/25/2015 - AnnJones Likes this wine:
very good still
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5/24/2015 - johnh1001 wrote: 91 Points
Fullish, sweet, red and black fruit. Great texture. Soft, open, herbal.
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12/23/2014 - salcorn wrote: 90 Points
From a tenth. Fruit holding up well, classic Pichon nose of mint and lead pencil. Medium finish.
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12/19/2014 - soyhead wrote:
tasted blind
nose - funky
mouth - stinky fruit, earthy, cherries and celery
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12/12/2014 - dchain Likes this wine: 92 Points
From double mag. Lovely translucent ruby, no real signs of age. Wonderful nose (93-94) of classic Pichon Lalande perfumed fruit. So distinct, spicy (touch of clove?) and earthy notes as well as the classic cherry/cassis, cedar and leather. Medium bodied but what a good drink it is, tannins all intergrated but still plenty of life and fruit in it wih acidity present and giving it a wonderful freshness and uplift. Why pay outrageous burgundy prices when drinking old Bordeaux gives you so many similiar pleasures but at a fraction of the cost!
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10/20/2014 - dbkitc wrote: flawed
Faded and slightly corked. (NR)
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8/24/2014 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
Birth year wines (plus some extra's) (@ JB): Smoky bouquet with cedar, red forest fruits and sweet spices. On the palate a mature wine with still beautiful red fruits, some chocolate, bell pepper, elegant acidity, a pleasant bit of sweetness and beautifully mild tannin. Still a beautiful, aristocratic and feminine wine. Drink now or soon.
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8/16/2014 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep dark garnet with some clearing at the edges. Forward, fragrant & attractive nose of complex, well developed & mature ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, cassis & plums with classic cigar box overtones of cedar & aged tobacco, floral notes of violets & lavender, herbal notes of juniper, sage & rosemary, bell pepper, some underbrush with secondary notes of earthy, truffles, dusty, old leather, some spiciness and minerals. Full bodied with a good concentration of smooth textured, balanced, well integrated, developed & mature ripe fruit flavors of dark cherries, black currants & plums with savory spices, earthy, herbs, some cocoa & minerals and toasty oak. Long lingering silky-smooth finish. Drinks quite well at present at 33 years of age and appears to have the structure & fruit to hold onto its current plateau of development for a few more additional years.
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6/20/2014 - Spl232 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Definitely past it's peak, but still beautiful. Lovely very mature pichon.
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5/31/2014 - NineteenEightyTwo Likes this wine: 92 Points
This bottle rocked. Medium garnet color. Unmistakable Bordeaux nose of cedar closet and potpourri, with some rather gamey summer sausage and umami aromas. On the palate this is very smooth, with deep red fruit and resolved, relaxed tannins. A brilliant second growth from a middling vintage, this is drinking charmingly at age 33. Optimally mature at the moment; I'd find a reason to drink up!
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5/24/2014 - tom_tuft wrote:
city
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5/23/2014 - NewFrenchClaret Likes this wine: 92 Points
11.5% ABV. Consumed immediately after opening due to poor planning and impatience.
Lovely ruby color with only the barest suggestion of orange around the rim. Great earthy Pauillac aromas right out of the blocks. If you dug a bunch of strawberries out of a coal mine this is what I imagine it would smell like. There's a freshness and openness to it though, reminiscent of a hike through a forest in the winter. This freshness is in marked contrast to the 1982, which though solid didn't wow me much considering its rave reviews. By comparison this 1981 is far more attractive on the nose.
Initially a little dilute, and though it fills out somewhat it still lacks a little mid-palate. There's a subtle tart tang allied with a little sweetness to balance things out, but with the tannins gone, there isn't enough bite to the taste to make you feel like you're drinking something substantial. The finish is similar to the mid-palate; pleasant, but lacking in intensity a little for my tastes.
Overall there is a balance problem here; the nose is simply marvelous, but there's a flatness to the wine after that which keeps it from a higher score. Nonetheless the nose is just phenomenal.
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4/15/2014 - Chriskrueger wrote: 93 Points
Still has it - drank like the old claret that it is. Managed to get the entire cork out intact.
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4/4/2014 - paulst Likes this wine: 94 Points
Rose and earth nose; deep with great texture; very lively tannins and youthful; sweet blackbery.
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3/15/2014 - dkstar1 Likes this wine:
Blanquito sums this wine up nicely. I enjoyed every bit of it, more so perhaps because of my limited expectations.
Beautiful nose, balanced and complex on the palate but not "deep". A good ol' dog that I was glad to have enjoyed.
A rating seems sort of pointless at this point in its life but if I had to, I'd say an 89 or thereabouts.
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2/13/2014 - blanquito wrote:
Big, effusive bouquet of eucalyptus, uncured tobacco, bayleaf and oregano, dark flowers, and a little sweet base note of brown sugar. Extremely fresh bouquet, like walking through an herb garden. Good tart bite on the palate, not dilute but definitely light bodied. Tannins are nearly gone. For bouquet lovers. I was a bit torn how to rate this wine: subjectively, it was delicious, held up over the course of the evening, and was just what I wanted; objectively, it was light, and while complex, lacked the depth and layering of a top wine, and so in that regard was a bit disappointing for a Super Second. Honestly, probably too expensive if much more than $50 for what it is these days.
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1/3/2014 - Grant_gib wrote:
Unfortunately corked...
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10/29/2013 - liber Likes this wine: 93 Points
tenth of 12 bottles, level into neck, hour decant, dusty garnet, browning rim, attractive nose and palate with pleasing mix of fresh black fruits and mulberry, some cedar, med, good length and persistence, but lacks weight and unctuousness of top vintage, lovely bottle though and no rush to drink. Fine plus (18/20).
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10/13/2013 - french16 wrote:
Not very clean at first, it needed some time to get rid of a moldy notes. Then, a very nice nose of green bell pepper and tobacco with nice dark fruits. Lean but not thin, this was a pleasure to drink even if the finish was a little short.
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9/26/2013 - Ludwig Beethoven wrote: 92 Points
For an 'off' year this was pleasing with the cedar and fruit in balance.
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7/9/2013 - mattjohnson_78 wrote: 92 Points
no detailed notes, but a pretty good alternative since i cant afford the 82...
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5/25/2013 - englishman's claret wrote: 92 Points
Brick disc, translucent robe. What a beautiful Pauillac nose - lead pencil, cedar, a little tomato leaf; the fruit fading but present. This brings out a little barnyard with air. This is balanced in the mouth, but not showing nearly as much as the nose - red fruits, smoke, tomato leaf; simple. Finishes with Darjeeling tea and tomato leaf. Aristocratic but late maturity; needs to be drunk now.
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4/9/2013 - europat55 wrote: 91 Points
Spring Lamb with 20+ Years Old Bordeaux (Portola Kitchen Restaurant, CA): A little bit hot upon opening. Gorgeous classic Pichon Lalande nose with cedar, plums. Drinking very well right now and a strong performer despite the challenging vintage.
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3/28/2013 - farinas Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep opaque red with brickish edges, a slowly developing nose of plum, currants, and salted brine. The entry is smooth as almost all the tannins have disappeared. It also posseses fresh acidity that holds the wine in a precarious balance despite all the years. The body is elegant with some sweet fruit coming through and ending in a medium and balanced finish.
This is a fully mature (past its peak) Pichon Lalande from a lesser than great vintage, however it retains a level of charm and elegance that is suggestive of excellence under different circumstances.
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2/24/2013 - Fatty Cat wrote: 93 Points
Rheingau Gourmet Festival "Weinraritätenlunch Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande" (12 PLC vintages), late Feb 2013: rubin-like color; cassis and earthy flavors; very mild red fruit acid on the palate; medium body; round texture; slight tannins.
Liked the acid/fruit interplay very much.
3rd flight: 1966 - 1975 - 1981 - 1997
Clearly the best wine of the 3rd flight. If you want buy an older PLC or just a Pauillac Cru Classe I would recommend the 1981: classic claret style, tastes good and still reasonably priced.
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2/6/2013 - salil wrote: 93 Points
Classic PLL aromatics; green herbal and forestal notes, pure red and dark fruits, graphite and dusty earthy and cedary notes all coming together into a fantastic scent. This is drinking superbly now with tannins completely integrated and a lovely polished texture; I can't imagine it getting any better.
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10/26/2012 - AudunG wrote: 92 Points
A little brownish, but most red. Sweet tobacco on the nose, almost St. Estephe-like. Also leather and earth. Sweet and sour in the mouth. A lovely Medoc that has kept surpisingly well. This must be some of the best made in Bordeaux this year.
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7/15/2012 - winebling wrote: 91 Points
The bouquet on this wine was terrific - complex & spicy. I found the palate to be less interesting - mature Bordeaux, with a decent amount of fruit still there. It was a lovely bottle to drink (which could easily be enjoyed without food), but I had high expectations of this wine and was a bit disappointed. I'd be drinking these up, as on the evidence of this bottle, its only going to decline with further time.
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12/10/2011 - wilmette vino wrote: 93 Points
Still deep garnet with brick tone only at rim. Nose of dried roses and oranges mixed in with fruit notes. Gentle and resolved on the palate, with some fruit and length and a lively finish with welcome acidity. This showed nicely still, and we all enjoyed its mature qualities. It opened up over the course of dinner. I am glad that I still have another bottle.
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11/20/2011 - humagne wrote: 94 Points
Complex nose, spicy, with underbrush, smoke, tobacco, earth. Very nice attack and powerful mouthfeel. Long finish.
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11/20/2011 - humagne wrote: flawed
Corked
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10/15/2011 - salil wrote: 92 Points
In a great place right now with a core of dark fruited flavours framed by savoury tobacco and earthy elements and a vivid forestal greenness that brings a top Loire Cab Franc to mind. There's a sense of real polish and finesse to the texture with tannins fully integrated and bright acids keeping it very lively and fresh, great stuff.
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5/29/2011 - KVM wrote: 91 Points
Nose is very similar to the 98 poured earlier in the night... pencil ead. A little weaker but not spoilinfg or oxidizing. MAture, soft, lovely.
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4/18/2011 - clementwolf wrote: 91 Points
Pop and pour, wine is mid-shoulder and the cork is saturated, brownish colour, good nose of pencil lead, mushrooms and herbs, the wine is soft and the tannins have faded, my first time with the wine so not sure if its past its peak already, but a pleasant surprise from a not too impressive vintage.
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3/26/2011 - WetRock wrote:
Bretty nose with notes of pencil lead of leather. The fruit is surprisingly bright and vibrant. strong pencil shaving flavors. Just a beautiful wine if you like that sort of style which I do.
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3/18/2011 - Zweder wrote: 95 Points
Drank from magnum. Beautiful mature bouquet Rustic. Soft and round tannin. A complex, mature and elegant wine which offers an enormous pleasure.
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3/12/2011 - beezer6 wrote: 91 Points
Saturday Tasting Group (Knightsbridge Wine Shop (Northbrook, IL)): Old Bordeaux nose. Super rich with lots of oxidation showing. Nice nose. Green streak with some stewed fruit. Some red vegetation.
Leather, cigar, horse saddle. Decent finish.
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1/11/2011 - BradKNYC wrote:
Pot Roast at my place; Prum, Raveneau, L'Aigueliere, Pichon Lalande, Rostaing, VT & Graham's (My place.): Helen Mirren in a bottle. Classy, refined, elegant and showing some age, but can still take names and kick some ass. I just love the harmony and balance in this wine. Herb, black fruit, tobacco and earth in a wonderful dance. My WOTN and I think the groups, too. A/A-.
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1/9/2011 - PIntag wrote: 92 Points
Pop 'n pour and drank over 2 hours. Brownish color. Very fragrant nose of pencil lead, caramel, and cedar that opened up with the air. On the palate, medium-bodied, smooth and soft, but full-flavored showing a lot of caramel and cedar. Tannins fully resolved. Not terribly complex, but a fine aged Bordeaux probably past peak but still drinking well.
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12/21/2010 - cadamson wrote: 81 Points
Another tired old Bordeaux that did not do much for me. Over the hill, but still dark, with decent fruit and chocolate. Fading, not much complexity, mainly good because it was next to two older Bordeaux's that were well past there prime.
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11/27/2010 - Zweder wrote: 95 Points
Occasional tasting group (@ PZ Only Magnums): Beautiful classical Bordeaux bouquet and palate. Although the wine is completely ready and the tannin is silky soft, the wine still has a perfect bite and a long finish.
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11/27/2010 - MauriceE wrote: 95 Points
At an extensive tasting of magnums this was the great surprise and WOTN. Incredibly fresh. The bottle was stored perfectly, and you could tell! Very long and refined. Great, exemplary Bordeaux.
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7/1/2010 - Jeff Leve wrote: 90 Points
This fully mature, elegant Pauillac offers truffle, tobacco, earth, cassis, blackberry, spice and aked fruit aromas. Medium/full bodied, with all the tannins fully resolved, there is no reason to hold this any longer.
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2/13/2010 - Faryan wrote: 94 Points
1981 and 1978 are becoming my two favorite sleeper BDX vintages with age. This wine was magnificent with an excellent pitch of cassis and soft, delicate aromas of leather and blackberry. It has such a hallmark richness to its fruit, hardly faded. A really splendid Bordeaux. It reminded me why I love age on my BDX and why I tend to drift left bank with age nonetheless. WOTN by a mile. Thanks Kevin C, a real gem for me.
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12/12/2009 - bacchus wrote: 90 Points
shared with pat, keith and jean at selkirk manor. reading notes from other members, i decided not to wait any longer. this bottle was in good condition. good fill. cork extracted easily and intact. rich color. no browning or fading. considering the vintage, there was a remarkable amount of fruit left. pleasant nose. however, the wine is rather understated, as if it does not want to be noticed or recognized. i taste mostly plum and chocolate. the pleasure of this wine centers on its smoothness. tannins and acid are fully resolved and do not get in the way of enjoying the fruit. i thought that this was quite a respectable bottle to share with old friends until we had keith's bottle (1982 gruaud larose) which put my wine to shame. for other members who still have bottles in the cellar, i would not wait on them. especially since so many bottles have been reported to be on the cusp.
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11/28/2009 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 91 Points
Académie des Cinquante Mature Claret Tasting (Restaurant Niven *, Rijswijk, NL): Paired with Gruaud-Larose 1981. The stylistic difference is as obvious as one would expect: finesse v. power. The quality is similar.
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9/12/2009 - KimberlyDo wrote: 91 Points
Classic paulliac with lead pencil nose. On palate a wonderful flavors finishing much shorter than the 1982 we were tasting next to it. Also, the wine had a touch of brown.
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8/5/2009 - dbkitc wrote: 86 Points
(audouzed for 8 hours) This struggled next to the Latour. Initially, terribly weak without much going for it besides the fact that the fruit was mature and showing some nuance. Did gain some depth with additional air time, but was never really more than pleasant. (86)
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6/27/2009 - FLI wrote: 92 Points
Finesse, balance. Not showy, but elegant. Faded after about an hour.
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5/31/2009 - zimmy07 wrote: 93 Points
just a really good wine, really had a lot left in this. A bit of bricking around the edge, but the fruit was still holding together with spicy fruit, some leather, and tobacco. This was actually even better after 3 hours of air time.
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12/25/2008 - wombat wrote: 92 Points
Color: transparent, dark red cherry, 2 cm orange/ruby rim
Bouquet: smoke, leather, moderately funky earth, dried red and black berries,
Flavor: dried red and black berries, leather, subtle spice on initial attack and this continued on the mid-palate. On the finish, smoke and dried berries gain intensity giving way to lingering leather and smoke. 45 sec+ finish.
Comment: very soft and smooth; beautiful, elegant balance and integration. Good acidity. 3500 yen/glass at Enoteca.
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12/25/2008 - DaveArsenault wrote:
Fantastic wine. Still quite a bit of fruit, aromas of caramel, the wine of the evening.
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12/16/2008 - Rupert wrote: 93 Points
31 Vintages of Pichon Lalande 1928-2005; 12/16/2008-12/17/2008 (IOD, London): Ripe, direct, full backcurranty fruit, cedary, glycerol, complete and very lovely - in the glass, it developed a gorgeous smoky coffee bouquet
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12/10/2008 - SimonG wrote:
Ledbury Bordeaux december Decadence: Quite a spicy nose, rounded. More tobacco on the palate. Dry left bank. Classic claret, more balanced than the 1970 LLC I think. ***1/2
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12/31/2007 - tprpakman wrote: 93 Points
My love affair with Lalande continues unabated. Served with the heavy cheese course on New Year's Eve and the wine matched perfectly - was the wine of the evening and she is clearly not past her prime. Color was ruby and the decanting 2 hours in advance gave plenty of time for the wine to breathe. An excellent wine from a mediocre vintage that remains astonishingly vibrant 26 years later
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11/2/2007 - psmith wrote:
Heavily Merlot influenced - lush plum and tobacco notes, with a green character and a rather harsh tannic finish characteristic of the vintage. Overall a solid wine that's drinking about as good as it ever will.
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9/30/2007 - Marco68 wrote: 91 Points
Tasted 3 times in the last 2 years with similar notes.A great effort for Pichon Lalande in an average vintage.The colour is purple with no ageing signs, the nose is very complex with layer of fruits,leather,tobacco, herbs(thyme,oregano),black pepper.The mouth is very round,balanced,with silky tannins,very long.
Is full of life one of the best 1981 tasted.At his peak now but you can cellared some years more.Great!!!!!!
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7/12/2007 - Nanda wrote: 93 Points
Introspective Retrospective Tasting at Ken's (Ken's Place): Dark ruby to brown in color. Gorgeous and effusive aromas explode from the glass with layers of cassis, minerals, tobacco, leather, herbs and spice. Medium bodied palate has green herbs, tobacco and minerals in the forefront with cassis fruit in the background. Medium-to-long finish is full of complex flavors. Well structured with plenty of fruit - no reason to wait!
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6/2/2007 - kyork777 wrote: 92 Points
Almost same as the last bottle.
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4/17/2007 - yotaiwan wrote: 90 Points
Looking at the color of the wine when i poured in the glass, the was showing a tint of brown, and the body looked a little light. But the aroma of ink and herbs were pleaseant enough. Afer half an hour, the wine developed quite well, not the strongest of body, but the sweetness and aged old oak was distinct and a hint of fruity sweetness came back in the endding, the tannin was also soft. After an hour then ending started turning a little bitter, but still good.
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3/17/2007 - kyork777 wrote: 93 Points
Coffee, leather, and fresh earth. This wine may have been past it's peak, but it was better than expected.
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3/14/2006 - gurbaz wrote: 87 Points
was very interesting and fine elegant
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5/24/2005 - xwine wrote:
Bones are definitely beginning to show, but also has some nice cedar, forest, and red fruit. Some complexity, but a bit hollow. Fairly nice wine, but better five or six years ago. Initially seemed very slightly corked on pouring, but it seemed to blow off with aeration so it must simply have been a general mustiness since TCA doesn't blow off. Second night: definitely not corked; mustiness completely gone. Holding together quite well.
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3/19/2005 - paul195 wrote: 90 Points
Nice mature PL, its greatest charm lies in its silky texture.
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9/11/2004 - MRichman wrote:
Bordeaux offline (Tout Va Bien, NYC): Lively, well balanced. Very nice. Good fruit & structure.
B+
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6/14/2004 - JeffGMorris wrote: 89 Points
Tasted at dinner at Montrachet with Olivier. Taste was generously sent to our table from another. The Montrachet staff encourage sharing on their Monday night BYO amongst tables opening high quality wines.
Light bodied and very delicate. Predominant flavors of green pepper along with some cassis. Did not seem as old as it was and was drinking quite well.
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11/4/2002 - paul195 wrote: 91 Points
Showing signs of maturity at the rim, bouquet dominated by earth and smoke with muted dark fruits. Nice texture, smooth and silky finish. Palate had saddle and dark fruit at its core. Nice balance and finish not getting any better.
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2/6/2002 - Burgundy Al wrote: 88 Points
Wine tasting. Quite mellow, softer Bordeaux, past its peak (at least this bottle) but charming nonetheless. Black fruit less prominent than earthy aromas and flavors, but the two are in balance with some cigar box qualities and meaty spice. Moderate finish,
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11/1/2001 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 95 Points
Lovely, lovely, rich tobacco nose, hints of green peeper, very rich, elegant mouthfeel, big, rich fruit, hint of tannins on the finish, needs 4 years to peak. My #1 of 5.
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10/1/1997 - sdr wrote: 85 Points
Promising nose and attack but finishes abruptly. Not bad but lacks the harmony of the better vintages.
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2/1/1996 - sdr Does not like this wine: 84 Points
Hollywood Wine Seminar. Tannic even on the nose. Seems awfully thin after tasting the voluptuous ‘82. Not very impressive.
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11/14/1991 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 94 Points
9 Bordeaux 1981, 1982, 1983 Pichon Lalande, La Lagune, Gruaud Larose. Was showing big, berry fruit on the nose with hints of licorice, followed by a rich, elegant, fruity taste with hints of cedar, intense berry, fruity finish. My #2, Group #7.
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5/22/1991 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 93 Points
1981 Bordeaux Tasting with the Wine Group (Walnut Creek, Ca.): Lots of bell pepper on the nose, slighty warm/heat but nice, cab flavors, pleasant, big finish.
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3/1/1991 - sdr Does not like this wine: 80 Points
Hollywood Wine Society. Plums, red and black currants are attractive. But too thin, short, hollow.
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4/25/1990 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 80 Points
Chateau Pichon Lalande 8 Vintages (Lafayette, Ca.): Tasting of 7 Chateau Pichon Lalande. orange/red color in the glass, high in acid and medium fruit on the palate that is unpleasant. My #5.
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10/5/1988 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 90 Points
With K, MPL and BLR at Stars. Deep, dark ruby-cranberry. Rich, very deep, intense aroma. Quite forward in the manner of a California Cabernet. Deep, ripe fruit on the palate makes a similar impression. Still tannic. 5-11-16-8: 90/100.
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3/1/1988 - sdr wrote: 84 Points
Hollywood Wine Seminar. Perceptible weakening of color. Fully developed nose. Fragrant and cedary. Slightly faded mid palate. Very good for the vintage and very much alive though.
Clive Coates “one of the best ‘81s, good for drinking now”
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