Popped cork in AM and decanted 4 hours and then back in bottle for tasting. On the nose did not get much of any earthiness or typical bordeaux. Cab dominated. The people drinking it blind thought was a Napa cab. Modern wine making in hot vintage with dark ripe fruit, smooth almost glossy no obtrusive tannins. Overall good wine but not for bordeaux purists!
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Bordeaux 2018 - 5 Years On - 7 Reds: Time to check in on some top 2018s, and the initial observations were all confirmed: A) This is obviously the ripest, sweetest Bordeaux vintage in the last decade. While only one wine (Cos d'Estournel, 88pts) was overripe and overdone, two others (Calon Segur - 94pts, Grand Puy Lacoste - 91pts) are not for purists and are quite sweet - at least this young. B) Despite the ripeness, the wines are generally very balanced and harmonious, not as extracted or thick as many 2009/2010s. C) The structural frames are of high quality with ultra-fine tannins and good acid backbones. However, with so many other great vintages produced in recent years, this is not the vintage to chase - especially for purists. The group winner was the highly elegant, seductive yet aristocratic Pichon Lalande (rated 95pts), just ahead of my WOTN, the floral, perfumed, airy Canon (96pts).
TN: Medium expressive nose with intriguing coffee notes, dark and red berries, some herbs. Wow, an amazing Pauillac with that Mouton burnt sugar notes to die for. Seamless on the palate with so much coffee, herbs, fresh strawberries, some dark red berries, herbs, graphite. This reminded me very much of a young-ish magnum of the legendary 1982 we had some years ago. The structure is quite perfect: the wine is so round and smooth with a wall of fine tannins, no excess weight, superb freshness. This is a fantastic, hedonistic yet elegant and sophisticated Cabernet which proves again that PLL is among the very best wines today in Bordeaux.
Decanting: Quickly double decanted three hours before consumption, no extensive decanting necessary.
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Part of a small Bordeaux 2018 5-years on tasting. The wines were partially served single-blind. Main observations: 1/ the vintage pairs concentration and ripeness with weightless and elegant structures. 2/ tannins are generally finely grained and well-integrated. 3/ Extraction levels managed well with only 1 instance of heat and no overripe fruit. 4/ Best bottles were Canon and Pichon Longueville.
Tasting note: Tasted single-blind. Herbaceous with coffee notes, chocolate and red berry fruit. Fresh and juicy palate. Full bodied, but fine and elegant, amazing tension, yet light like a feather for a Paulliac
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A blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. 14.5%abv
Deep aroma of blackcurrant, blackberry, perfumed violet, sandalwood, loads of graphites, sweet and pungent spices, hint of leather and dark chocolate.
Layered and complex on palate. Full bodied, vibrant and full of tension with zen like balance and calmness, despite of its tremendous depth and length. Built to last but you can already glimpse the near-perfect potential of this vintage. Seductive.
Personally prefer this 2018 to the lovable 2019 & 2016, among these legendary trio.
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Bordeaux tasting - with a few pirates: At first pass, this was super fruity and almost too accessible. The edges were round and it was displaying a predominantly red-fruited cherry-berry profile (not always my favorite). However, as I kept coming back to this wine over the course of a few hours, it started to both deepen and attain better focus. The fruit became darker and more expansive, while even-better holding the line in frame and direction. It also started to present an elegance on the finish that initially went from a bit globular and even over-opulent to chic and cultured. On the day of this tasting, I would have put it in a conservative 93-94-ish point range.
Yet, I was fortunate enough to retain this bottle on Day 2, and it was an absolute kick in the pants. It was still very expressive but got a bit serious and gothic on me. Dark purple and inky in color, with blackberry, coffee, bitter chocolate, and spice notes firing out of the glass. Was this the same wine?! Of course, BDX in its most typical fickle and frustrating manner, decided to fully show up to the party a day late, when now ya’ll will only have my word to go by to attest for its wonder. It was certainly good on the first day (but I wasn’t looking to load up on it in the future or anything at that point), but I was captivated by it on day two. 97++ points on the second day.
As with all things BDX, best advice is to hold. I’ll leave it to the palm readers to speculate on how long and when it will sleep and wake up and go back to sleep and rub its eyes and shut down and become horrible and then become awesome and then tank and then blossom and then it’ll be 2063 and I’ll be in a cryogenic chamber and then………..
Destined to be one of the great vintages of Pichon Lalande, the wine is opulent, silky, fresh, full-bodied, and vibrant. The layers of perfectly black and dark red fruits coat your palate, ending with waves of sensuously textured fruit. This is going to be approachable in its youth, but it also has the stuff to age for decades. Drink from 2025-2055.
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Flavors of jubilant red fruits (both dark and bright), soft spice, pleasant earth and a pleasant lift. Curious as to how this would have been with more time.. I couldn't guess which direction the fruit would go in terms of depth but would have been interesting to see.
It was such an experience and pleasure to be able to try this and an older bottle.
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Bordeaux and Beyond (The csimm_M Estate): Another generous contribution from our hosts to BDX night. On the nose and palate, medium notes of red and black currants and berries, char, dark florals, earthy minerality, lead pencil and green leafiness. Medium bodied with medium to thick legs. Medium++ acidity, medium tannins no heat. VG+ intensity, VG complexity and persistence. Another bottle I didn’t return to, I remember thinking that this had among the best lift and energy of the wines, was somewhat tight and seemed a totally different animal than its ‘61 kin (I supposed considering the age difference, how could it not be?). I’m withholding a formal numeric score, both because of the one time, small taste, but also, because, like Bryan, I have a memory of this being more red fruit dominant, which seems at odds with what most of the other TNs and pro reviews mention, which makes me question my memory. If scoring, I’d put it in the 93-94+ range, with the thought that there should be good upside in 5-7 years, then excellent drinking for sometime thereafter. Would welcome revisiting this.
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Wine: the Gathering Old World, Bordeaux (Château de Chris et Melissa): Had alongside its 61 year old grandfather. The Pichon landed in my top 5. This was very complex, red fruited and a bit floral. The wine stayed fairly consistent throughout the evening as I went to it at least three times and each time, it felt like it only improved.
Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 2018: I compared the 2018 to the 2016 last week over several days and found the comparision so fascinating, I did it again. My note for last week's comparison can be read in the Pichon Lalande 2016 review page. This is a repeat comparison of two new bottles of the 2018 vs the 2016 just one week later over a period of seventy two hours. Texturally, in the mouth, both the 2018 and the 2016 feel like high end luxury products; silky smooth, velvety rich with a very long mildly saline finish. Maybe the 2016 is slightly silkier, but that's splitting hairs, they are neck and neck in texture character. Both have great structure, freshness and energy. The similarities end there. The 2018 is more masculine, more muscular compared to the gorgeous, opulent, feminine 2016. Both have great aromatics immediately evident upon opening the bottles. In both cases the bouquet improved over twenty four hours and held up for seventy two hours. Aromatically the 2018 opens with blackberries, lots and lots of blackberries front and center. But it is not a soloist, it is like a great piano concerto, with blackberries playing the major role supported by the rest of the orchestra; cassis, cherries, anise, exotic spices, plums, leather, chocolate, coffee, cinnamon, vanilla, tobacco in the background. The blackberry concerto theme persisted throughout the three days of tasting both on the nose and palate. While the 2018's major aromatic blackberry component is bold and up front, the 2016's components are not so easy to discern. The 2016 resembles a symphony where each aromatic element plays a precise and equal role to form beautiful, elegant perfume. Aromatically, it is a perfectly balanced blend composed of roses, lilacs, oriental lilies, crushed dried flowers, sandlewood, ocean breeze, exotic spices, cherries, cassis, chocolate, mint, coffee, cedar, strawberry twizzlers. It is easily recognized as gorgeous floral perfume, but requires some thought and time to understand what is there because it is so incredibly well balanced. The 2016's amazing perfume is an accomplishment that can be achieved by using only top quality perfectly ripened grapes. Both wines are great and very complex but reveal their complexities in different ways. The 2016 is horizontal, it has tremendous breadth. The 2018 is vertical where the blackberry soars above all other players, grabs our attention and shouts, “Here I Am!” Neither wine has shut down. This bottle of 2018 seemed to open up a bit quicker than the first bottle consumed last week. The 2016 performed the same as the prior bottle. Although both wines can be enjoyed now, they will improve with age. The 2018 in particular needs time to settle down. There are no significant tertiary notes yet other than very subtle hints of what's to come buried deep in the background. It is impossible to determine if these wines will soon shut down. At this time they are both open for business for those who wish to explore their current virtues. 2018=98++ 2016=100
More restrained nose than the 2017 next to it but clearly bigger fruit and mocha flavors with dark red berries, some mint, flowers, and crushed stone; body is substantially more weighty, dynamic and attractive than the 2017 with extraordinary length, acid, and great tannic structure. Will be great but needs way more time.
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this is a 94-95...I was disappointed relative to the price I paid, so would score it 94...but that being said, I'd be excited to drink this for the rest of my life, so went for the higher range...at its worst, too much Napa dark fruit, purple/inky, new world, plum, vanilla, blackberry...at its best, super young, fun, playful, with nice length and complexity that is only beginning its journey
Very primordial ripe fruit nose initially that gives way to cassis, graphite and tobacco leaf. Full bodied and unctuous. Lovely rounded palate of dark fruits and sandalwood. The tannins are super fine. Really vibrant acidity. Really nice comtesse. Looking forward to checking in on it in a decade and I suspect it will score much better. This has the makings of being a showstopper in the future.
From a 375. After reading the rave reviews I was disappointed. Lacked concentration. No purple at the rim. Plumbs, red fruit. Classy tannins saved it from being ordinary. Of course very primary at this point. The fruit was not impressive. Good wine but not great
71%, 23% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Smoky and delicious in the aromas with massive fruit of blackberries, blackcurrants, cask spices and leather. Good full-bodied and wonderfully delicate in the mouthfeel where the acid really gives a vibrant Pauillac. Excellent fresh fruit of blackberries, redder core, light sweet tobacco, vanilla bean, licorice boat and leather. Long complex finish. Great wine.
Deep and explosive nose bursting aromas of violet floral, blackcurrant, mint, pencil shavings, warm earth, wet stone, camp fire, sandal wood and truffle. Good use of oak. Very fine and precise with wonderful tension. Power and elegance perfectly combined. One of the best Bordeaux wines of the vintage.
Epic Bordeaux for an Epic Birthday!; 9/1/2021-9/12/2021 (Paris & Bordeaux): One of my favorites of the flight and a wine that benefitted from more time in the glass (although again much too young to be drinking now). This was more fruit forward than some of the others and the fruit was a bit riper. The tannins were fairly big but they softened with some time. It's a very well structured wine and makes me think that it could be something special with more time. 71% CS, 23% Merlot, 5% CF, 1%PV
71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot from 78 hectares under Pauillac appelation (11 ha of which are actually on Saint Julien soil). Aged 18 months in oak (60% new). 14.5% Abv. Owner: Frédéric Rouzaud Family (of Louis Roederer Champagne house) since 2007. CEO & Winemaker: Nicolas Glumineau Technical Director: Philippe Moureau
A(ccuracy)=2: Med deep brilliant ruby. Full fledged Cab blend. B(alance)=3: Distinctive components awaiting full integration. C(omplexity)=3: Layers of wine critics' vocabulary! D(epth)=2: Opulent mouthfeel. Loaded palate and lingering finish.
Wine Tally Score [2,3,3,2] = 10/10
Note less Merlot in this vintage (23% instead of the usual ~35%).
Exemplary illustration that a Wine Tally 10/10 wine DOES NOT have to be a "perfect" (or so-called 100 point) wine. It is just EXCELLENT in all A-B-C-D dimensions. This young Pichon is definitely already so, though it needs many more years of bottle age.
For story-telling label graphics, see: [https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce3R0UAuvG9/] [https://www.facebook.com/WineTally/] For a video explanation of WineTally (in 8 languages) see: www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2qWL0bXxgE.
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Feminine, elegant, and distinctly Pauillac in style, this wine hits its mark in 2018. In contrast to other 2018, this is reticent and snobby, and releases the allure little by little through the language of its terroir. Its the return of the lightfoot, dry, sexy Bordeaux for this in 2018. Drinkable now!
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2021 Bordeaux Tasting Trip; 7/12/2021-7/16/2021 (Bordeaux): A tasting in Bordeaux of 71 wines, some of the best I have ever had and others, umm, well were disappointing. If you read the Tasting story (and my grading history) I think it will do a much better job putting this in perspective.
Starting with the ‘18 vintage, Pichon Lalande puts the other Chateaus on notice. This wine is the complete package from the depth of the flavors to the kaleidoscope of complexity and the wonderful three phases (no formal notes but the impression is similar to 2020 with of course their individual differences and 2020 beating this one out by a little). What a wonderful wine and one that I can’t wait to experience through the years. Can be drank young and is pretty amazing now, yes really, and will benefit from age.
I have never been a big fan of Lalande Comtesse, have tasted a number (and own a fair amount) of the better vintages but they never wow’d me and quite frankly the Pichon Baron 2010 is a standout (for my palate anyway) between the two. Originally I only purchased a handful but the ‘18 & ‘20 tasting this week completely changed my perspective as this wine is spectacular.
Vinous Seminar: Big powerful black cherry fruited aromas with coffee and violets. Dense black fruited flavors with lots of concentration and well integrated structure. Lots of everything here and elegance. Quite young obviously yet shows grand potential and offers up some pleasure now. Seems so much more to give like a rose waiting to bloom. Offers just a leak into the future peak. Serious elegance and breed. Just needs time.
With a remarkable depth of color, the wine opens from the glass with touches of espresso, smoke, tobacco, flowers, spice and an array of red and black fruits. Full-bodied, richly textured, opulent, velvety and silken, the wine is off the charts with its decadent sex-appeal. This is a modern day version of the legendary 1982 that will easily age for 3-4 decades without fear. Give it at least 10 years in the cellar before pulling a cork. Bravo to the team of Nicolas Glumineau for producing this incredible wine!
Big, punchy aromas of black fruit and cigar boxes, textbook for the chateau. Not one for pop-and-pour, though, as the first sip was fiercely dry and tannic, not immediately sexy as the last umpteen vintages have been. I was ready to mark this a notch behind the magnificent 2014-2016 trilogy but it just needed time to sweeten up. With an hour or so to breathe the fruit picks up a nice sheen and then some, finishing sweet and creamy with a walnut note that reminds me of nearby neighbor Latour. Over the next couple days the fruit ratchets up its concentration and gloss enough to turn downright saucy, perhaps helped along by the 14.5% claimed as the ABV. That puts it in the heavyweight class by the standards of Comtesse if not Bordeaux in general; even the '15 was more refined if not as packed.
Arvi Bordeaux 2018 Arrivage (Dolder Grand, Zurich): Tasting of 2018 Bordeaux in the bottle. A mixed vintage where St. Emilion often ended up over-ripe and cooked while Pomerol seems to have fared better, as did the left bank. Wine of the tasting was Rauzan Ségla, but the Léovilles (Barton and Poyferré), Pichon Lalande and Clinet presented themselves brilliantly as well.
Tasting note: Beautiful, fruit-forward nose that tickles all the right nerves. Combines sweet notes without being too imposing, some herbal aromatics, even hints of leather. Fruit profile includes both dark and ripe red berries. A well-structured palate with fruits, herbs, mineral notes and a medium length finish.
Tasted next to the 2009. On the nose perfumed, airy, layered and delicate with notes of dark fruit, cedar, tobacco, tea leaf, graphite, spices, liquorice and floral notes. On the palate concentrated and at the same time very elegant and fine. Spicy, mineral, lovely purity of fruit, polished tannins. Great freshness and lift. Super persistent and elegant finish. 97-98+
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EP2018 tasting: Blackberries, violets, tea with floral perfume. Seductive. Palate of black fruits, plums, black tea, with slight tobacco and earthy tertiaries. Nice black tea, cedar and mint leaf finish. Balanced, silky and vibrant. Spikes of tannins tonight, which should resolve over time. Great showing. One of the best EP2018s tasted tonight. 94-97
Bordeaux 2018 from barrel: some selections (Bordeaux): Super Second, anyone? In terms of higher end price-quality ratios, this is your ticket. Here we have a tour de force that rivals both Latour and Margaux. Such a smooth Pichon Comtesse, once again proving the cliché that it comes across just as much Saint Julien as Pauillac. It stands out before all other Pauillac wines assessed last week at the UGCB tasting. At once supple and elegant, yet layered and long. What a great performance! Tasted twice again, at the negociant Joanne on 31 March and at the château three days later: sheer elegance, with iodine freshness. Alcohol is 14% precisely with just enough balancing acidity and plenty of tannin. “Many things made me think of 2010,” says director Nicolas Glumineau, as we have not seen such quality of must since the 2010 (when he was at Montrose). Powerful but fresh. Here a case where the 2018 enters legend and may well surpasses the 2016. Oh, and special mention to the second wine, Reserve de la Comtesse, well worth purchasing in 2018! 96-98
Full-bodied, rich, powerful, dense, opulent and frankly, incredibly sexy, as well as structured, stylistically it feels like a blend of 2009 and 2016 with the best attributes of each vintage. This wine is sensual with firm tannins, vitality, length, complexity and vibrancy in the finish. Yes, the wine is high in alcohol. But there is no heat, jam or lack of freshness. Everything here is in balance. Lay this down for a decade and pour sensuality right into your glass. The wine will age effortlessly for decades. Is it better than the perfect 100 Pt. 2016? Maybe, maybe not. But I cannot wait to taste those two vintages side by side in a blind tasting. The wine combines 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot reaching 14% alcohol with a pH of 3.85. The picking took place September 13-October 11 and 50% of the crop was placed into the Grand Vin. The yields were low here this year at only 35 hectoliters per hectare. 98-100 Pts
Geproefd op de UGCB Pauillac op Château Batailley op woensdag 03.04.2019. Mooi rijp zwart fruit. Heel compleet. Tannines mooi ingepakt. Lange zijdezachte afdronk. Groots! 96-98
12/8/2023 - Handy1 wrote: 95 Points
Popped cork in AM and decanted 4 hours and then back in bottle for tasting. On the nose did not get much of any earthiness or typical bordeaux. Cab dominated. The people drinking it blind thought was a Napa cab.
Modern wine making in hot vintage with dark ripe fruit, smooth almost glossy no obtrusive tannins. Overall good wine but not for bordeaux purists!
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11/28/2023 - richshoes Likes this wine: 94 Points
finding more recent tastings of this to be a little bit too sweet and too much plum...still young and dense though
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11/7/2023 - ayalao3 wrote: 98 Points
Tasted alongside chateau margaux, palmer, and haut brion. This one came in in third place but was in par with the two 1st growths.
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9/3/2023 - Cailles wrote: 95 Points
Bordeaux 2018 - 5 Years On - 7 Reds: Time to check in on some top 2018s, and the initial observations were all confirmed: A) This is obviously the ripest, sweetest Bordeaux vintage in the last decade. While only one wine (Cos d'Estournel, 88pts) was overripe and overdone, two others (Calon Segur - 94pts, Grand Puy Lacoste - 91pts) are not for purists and are quite sweet - at least this young. B) Despite the ripeness, the wines are generally very balanced and harmonious, not as extracted or thick as many 2009/2010s. C) The structural frames are of high quality with ultra-fine tannins and good acid backbones. However, with so many other great vintages produced in recent years, this is not the vintage to chase - especially for purists. The group winner was the highly elegant, seductive yet aristocratic Pichon Lalande (rated 95pts), just ahead of my WOTN, the floral, perfumed, airy Canon (96pts).
TN: Medium expressive nose with intriguing coffee notes, dark and red berries, some herbs. Wow, an amazing Pauillac with that Mouton burnt sugar notes to die for. Seamless on the palate with so much coffee, herbs, fresh strawberries, some dark red berries, herbs, graphite. This reminded me very much of a young-ish magnum of the legendary 1982 we had some years ago. The structure is quite perfect: the wine is so round and smooth with a wall of fine tannins, no excess weight, superb freshness. This is a fantastic, hedonistic yet elegant and sophisticated Cabernet which proves again that PLL is among the very best wines today in Bordeaux.
Decanting: Quickly double decanted three hours before consumption, no extensive decanting necessary.
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6/19/2023 - sirpat00 wrote: 97 Points
Part of a small Bordeaux 2018 5-years on tasting. The wines were partially served single-blind. Main observations: 1/ the vintage pairs concentration and ripeness with weightless and elegant structures. 2/ tannins are generally finely grained and well-integrated. 3/ Extraction levels managed well with only 1 instance of heat and no overripe fruit. 4/ Best bottles were Canon and Pichon Longueville.
Tasting note:
Tasted single-blind. Herbaceous with coffee notes, chocolate and red berry fruit. Fresh and juicy palate. Full bodied, but fine and elegant, amazing tension, yet light like a feather for a Paulliac
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3/16/2023 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
This doesn't suck.
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1/28/2023 - wineappellation Likes this wine: 98 Points
Clearly First Growth in quality.
A blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. 14.5%abv
Deep aroma of blackcurrant, blackberry, perfumed violet, sandalwood, loads of graphites, sweet and pungent spices, hint of leather and dark chocolate.
Layered and complex on palate. Full bodied, vibrant and full of tension with zen like balance and calmness, despite of its tremendous depth and length. Built to last but you can already glimpse the near-perfect potential of this vintage. Seductive.
Personally prefer this 2018 to the lovable 2019 & 2016, among these legendary trio.
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11/1/2022 - Irish_Wine wrote: 95 Points
Medium ruby.
Dark and brooding and lovely on the nose with blackcurrant, black cherry, cedar, graphite, mint.
Great concentration on the palate. Fantastic finish.
*** Tasted as part of a walkaround 2018 Bordeaux tasting. Not full notes ***
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11/1/2022 - csimm wrote: 97 Points
Bordeaux tasting - with a few pirates: At first pass, this was super fruity and almost too accessible. The edges were round and it was displaying a predominantly red-fruited cherry-berry profile (not always my favorite). However, as I kept coming back to this wine over the course of a few hours, it started to both deepen and attain better focus. The fruit became darker and more expansive, while even-better holding the line in frame and direction. It also started to present an elegance on the finish that initially went from a bit globular and even over-opulent to chic and cultured. On the day of this tasting, I would have put it in a conservative 93-94-ish point range.
Yet, I was fortunate enough to retain this bottle on Day 2, and it was an absolute kick in the pants. It was still very expressive but got a bit serious and gothic on me. Dark purple and inky in color, with blackberry, coffee, bitter chocolate, and spice notes firing out of the glass. Was this the same wine?! Of course, BDX in its most typical fickle and frustrating manner, decided to fully show up to the party a day late, when now ya’ll will only have my word to go by to attest for its wonder. It was certainly good on the first day (but I wasn’t looking to load up on it in the future or anything at that point), but I was captivated by it on day two. 97++ points on the second day.
As with all things BDX, best advice is to hold. I’ll leave it to the palm readers to speculate on how long and when it will sleep and wake up and go back to sleep and rub its eyes and shut down and become horrible and then become awesome and then tank and then blossom and then it’ll be 2063 and I’ll be in a cryogenic chamber and then………..
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11/1/2022 - Jeff Leve wrote: 99 Points
Destined to be one of the great vintages of Pichon Lalande, the wine is opulent, silky, fresh, full-bodied, and vibrant. The layers of perfectly black and dark red fruits coat your palate, ending with waves of sensuously textured fruit. This is going to be approachable in its youth, but it also has the stuff to age for decades. Drink from 2025-2055.
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10/29/2022 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine: 96 Points
Bordeaux tasting with some Napa outsiders (The Embrace of Silence): Aromas of creamy red fruits, soft forest floor and fresh tree bark.
Flavors of jubilant red fruits (both dark and bright), soft spice, pleasant earth and a pleasant lift. Curious as to how this would have been with more time.. I couldn't guess which direction the fruit would go in terms of depth but would have been interesting to see.
It was such an experience and pleasure to be able to try this and an older bottle.
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10/29/2022 - sfwinelover1 Likes this wine:
Bordeaux and Beyond (The csimm_M Estate): Another generous contribution from our hosts to BDX night. On the nose and palate, medium notes of red and black currants and berries, char, dark florals, earthy minerality, lead pencil and green leafiness. Medium bodied with medium to thick legs. Medium++ acidity, medium tannins no heat. VG+ intensity, VG complexity and persistence. Another bottle I didn’t return to, I remember thinking that this had among the best lift and energy of the wines, was somewhat tight and seemed a totally different animal than its ‘61 kin (I supposed considering the age difference, how could it not be?). I’m withholding a formal numeric score, both because of the one time, small taste, but also, because, like Bryan, I have a memory of this being more red fruit dominant, which seems at odds with what most of the other TNs and pro reviews mention, which makes me question my memory. If scoring, I’d put it in the 93-94+ range, with the thought that there should be good upside in 5-7 years, then excellent drinking for sometime thereafter. Would welcome revisiting this.
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10/29/2022 - bsumoba Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wine: the Gathering Old World, Bordeaux (Château de Chris et Melissa): Had alongside its 61 year old grandfather. The Pichon landed in my top 5. This was very complex, red fruited and a bit floral. The wine stayed fairly consistent throughout the evening as I went to it at least three times and each time, it felt like it only improved.
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10/22/2022 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
NY Wine Experience 2022; 10/20/2022-10/23/2022 (Marriott Marquis): Really lovely, blackberry, lavender, young, fresh. Seems to have a ton of ageability. Would love to try it again towards the end of my life.
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10/4/2022 - richshoes Likes this wine: 98 Points
wine was off the charts--hall of fame experience...multi-layered, elegant, grand, linear...light sour cherry, spreckles of tannin
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9/28/2022 - Luap1111 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wanted a taste. Way too soon. Delish.
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6/4/2022 - Matjet Likes this wine: 98 Points
Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 2018:
I compared the 2018 to the 2016 last week over several days and found the comparision so fascinating, I did it again. My note for last week's comparison can be read in the Pichon Lalande 2016 review page. This is a repeat comparison of two new bottles of the 2018 vs the 2016 just one week later over a period of seventy two hours.
Texturally, in the mouth, both the 2018 and the 2016 feel like high end luxury products; silky smooth, velvety rich with a very long mildly saline finish. Maybe the 2016 is slightly silkier, but that's splitting hairs, they are neck and neck in texture character. Both have great structure, freshness and energy. The similarities end there.
The 2018 is more masculine, more muscular compared to the gorgeous, opulent, feminine 2016. Both have great aromatics immediately evident upon opening the bottles. In both cases the bouquet improved over twenty four hours and held up for seventy two hours. Aromatically the 2018 opens with blackberries, lots and lots of blackberries front and center. But it is not a soloist, it is like a great piano concerto, with blackberries playing the major role supported by the rest of the orchestra; cassis, cherries, anise, exotic spices, plums, leather, chocolate, coffee, cinnamon, vanilla, tobacco in the background. The blackberry concerto theme persisted throughout the three days of tasting both on the nose and palate. While the 2018's major aromatic blackberry component is bold and up front, the 2016's components are not so easy to discern. The 2016 resembles a symphony where each aromatic element plays a precise and equal role to form beautiful, elegant perfume. Aromatically, it is a perfectly balanced blend composed of roses, lilacs, oriental lilies, crushed dried flowers, sandlewood, ocean breeze, exotic spices, cherries, cassis, chocolate, mint, coffee, cedar, strawberry twizzlers. It is easily recognized as gorgeous floral perfume, but requires some thought and time to understand what is there because it is so incredibly well balanced. The 2016's amazing perfume is an accomplishment that can be achieved by using only top quality perfectly ripened grapes. Both wines are great and very complex but reveal their complexities in different ways. The 2016 is horizontal, it has tremendous breadth. The 2018 is vertical where the blackberry soars above all other players, grabs our attention and shouts, “Here I Am!” Neither wine has shut down. This bottle of 2018 seemed to open up a bit quicker than the first bottle consumed last week. The 2016 performed the same as the prior bottle. Although both wines can be enjoyed now, they will improve with age. The 2018 in particular needs time to settle down. There are no significant tertiary notes yet other than very subtle hints of what's to come buried deep in the background. It is impossible to determine if these wines will soon shut down. At this time they are both open for business for those who wish to explore their current virtues.
2018=98++
2016=100
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3/31/2022 - mchern02 wrote: 95 Points
More restrained nose than the 2017 next to it but clearly bigger fruit and mocha flavors with dark red berries, some mint, flowers, and crushed stone; body is substantially more weighty, dynamic and attractive than the 2017 with extraordinary length, acid, and great tannic structure. Will be great but needs way more time.
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3/21/2022 - richshoes Likes this wine: 95 Points
this is a 94-95...I was disappointed relative to the price I paid, so would score it 94...but that being said, I'd be excited to drink this for the rest of my life, so went for the higher range...at its worst, too much Napa dark fruit, purple/inky, new world, plum, vanilla, blackberry...at its best, super young, fun, playful, with nice length and complexity that is only beginning its journey
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1/28/2022 - ayalao3 wrote: 97 Points
96-98 at this point. Classic tobacco, leather, lactic, espresso notes of PL. try young, won’t regret it.
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1/21/2022 - Shugs_Claret Likes this wine: 93 Points
Total accident. Thought I was opening the 2005.
Very primordial ripe fruit nose initially that gives way to cassis, graphite and tobacco leaf. Full bodied and unctuous. Lovely rounded palate of dark fruits and sandalwood. The tannins are super fine. Really vibrant acidity. Really nice comtesse. Looking forward to checking in on it in a decade and I suspect it will score much better. This has the makings of being a showstopper in the future.
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12/20/2021 - Ispendtoomuchmoneyonwine wrote: 89 Points
From a 375. After reading the rave reviews I was disappointed. Lacked concentration. No purple at the rim. Plumbs, red fruit. Classy tannins saved it from being ordinary. Of course very primary at this point. The fruit was not impressive. Good wine but not great
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12/2/2021 - pmik Likes this wine: 97 Points
Hedegaard Bordeaux tasting
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11/30/2021 - Andre Brattland wrote: 95 Points
71%, 23% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Smoky and delicious in the aromas with massive fruit of blackberries, blackcurrants, cask spices and leather. Good full-bodied and wonderfully delicate in the mouthfeel where the acid really gives a vibrant Pauillac. Excellent fresh fruit of blackberries, redder core, light sweet tobacco, vanilla bean, licorice boat and leather. Long complex finish. Great wine.
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11/25/2021 - Orange Tsian wrote: 93 Points
香气端庄大气，浓密有力，前中后段连续紧凑，成熟的黑醋栗、黑樱桃和黑莓，近乎果酱的质地，致密地结合在一起，稳固如钟。紫罗兰等花香飘摇环绕，光滑的硬木家具、石墨、矿物、香草奶油、皮革、烟草碎和香料粉的味道均匀地分布于果味的环围内。入口亦然，结构大，集中度较高，单宁很多，但是很细致，呈现出类绒的细粉质地，包裹舌头。黑色果味浓郁，浮于单宁之上，凝成整体，在石墨和矿物的包围下，致密不透，似乎绝不轻易示人以容，但似乎缺少一纵线性的“主心骨”。中后段有些流畅的香草奶油、香料、烟草碎和皮革味，收尾长。93-94/100
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11/25/2021 - wineappellation Likes this wine: 98 Points
Deep and explosive nose bursting aromas of violet floral, blackcurrant, mint, pencil shavings, warm earth, wet stone, camp fire, sandal wood and truffle. Good use of oak. Very fine and precise with wonderful tension. Power and elegance perfectly combined. One of the best Bordeaux wines of the vintage.
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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): One of my favorites of the flight and a wine that benefitted from more time in the glass (although again much too young to be drinking now). This was more fruit forward than some of the others and the fruit was a bit riper. The tannins were fairly big but they softened with some time. It's a very well structured wine and makes me think that it could be something special with more time. 71% CS, 23% Merlot, 5% CF, 1%PV
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9/3/2021 - WineTally Likes this wine:
71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot
from 78 hectares under Pauillac appelation (11 ha of which are actually on Saint Julien soil).
Aged 18 months in oak (60% new).
14.5% Abv.
Owner: Frédéric Rouzaud Family (of Louis Roederer Champagne house) since 2007.
CEO & Winemaker: Nicolas Glumineau
Technical Director: Philippe Moureau
A(ccuracy)=2: Med deep brilliant ruby. Full fledged Cab blend.
B(alance)=3: Distinctive components awaiting full integration.
C(omplexity)=3: Layers of wine critics' vocabulary!
D(epth)=2: Opulent mouthfeel. Loaded palate and lingering finish.
Wine Tally Score [2,3,3,2] = 10/10
Note less Merlot in this vintage (23% instead of the usual ~35%).
Exemplary illustration that a Wine Tally 10/10 wine DOES NOT have to be a "perfect"
(or so-called 100 point) wine. It is just EXCELLENT in all A-B-C-D dimensions.
This young Pichon is definitely already so, though it needs many more years of bottle age.
For story-telling label graphics, see:
[https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce3R0UAuvG9/]
[https://www.facebook.com/WineTally/]
For a video explanation of WineTally (in 8 languages) see:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2qWL0bXxgE.
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8/30/2021 - Purple Tooth wrote: 97 Points
Feminine, elegant, and distinctly Pauillac in style, this wine hits its mark in 2018. In contrast to other 2018, this is reticent and snobby, and releases the allure little by little through the language of its terroir. Its the return of the lightfoot, dry, sexy Bordeaux for this in 2018. Drinkable now!
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7/13/2021 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine: 95 Points
2021 Bordeaux Tasting Trip; 7/12/2021-7/16/2021 (Bordeaux): A tasting in Bordeaux of 71 wines, some of the best I have ever had and others, umm, well were disappointing. If you read the Tasting story (and my grading history) I think it will do a much better job putting this in perspective.
Starting with the ‘18 vintage, Pichon Lalande puts the other Chateaus on notice. This wine is the complete package from the depth of the flavors to the kaleidoscope of complexity and the wonderful three phases (no formal notes but the impression is similar to 2020 with of course their individual differences and 2020 beating this one out by a little). What a wonderful wine and one that I can’t wait to experience through the years. Can be drank young and is pretty amazing now, yes really, and will benefit from age.
I have never been a big fan of Lalande Comtesse, have tasted a number (and own a fair amount) of the better vintages but they never wow’d me and quite frankly the Pichon Baron 2010 is a standout (for my palate anyway) between the two. Originally I only purchased a handful but the ‘18 & ‘20 tasting this week completely changed my perspective as this wine is spectacular.
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6/6/2021 - KenK wrote: 97 Points
Vinous Seminar: Big powerful black cherry fruited aromas with coffee and violets. Dense black fruited flavors with lots of concentration and well integrated structure. Lots of everything here and elegance. Quite young obviously yet shows grand potential and offers up some pleasure now. Seems so much more to give like a rose waiting to bloom. Offers just a leak into the future peak. Serious elegance and breed. Just needs time.
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3/9/2021 - Jeff Leve wrote: 99 Points
With a remarkable depth of color, the wine opens from the glass with touches of espresso, smoke, tobacco, flowers, spice and an array of red and black fruits. Full-bodied, richly textured, opulent, velvety and silken, the wine is off the charts with its decadent sex-appeal. This is a modern day version of the legendary 1982 that will easily age for 3-4 decades without fear. Give it at least 10 years in the cellar before pulling a cork. Bravo to the team of Nicolas Glumineau for producing this incredible wine!
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2/2/2021 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 96 Points
Big, punchy aromas of black fruit and cigar boxes, textbook for the chateau. Not one for pop-and-pour, though, as the first sip was fiercely dry and tannic, not immediately sexy as the last umpteen vintages have been. I was ready to mark this a notch behind the magnificent 2014-2016 trilogy but it just needed time to sweeten up. With an hour or so to breathe the fruit picks up a nice sheen and then some, finishing sweet and creamy with a walnut note that reminds me of nearby neighbor Latour. Over the next couple days the fruit ratchets up its concentration and gloss enough to turn downright saucy, perhaps helped along by the 14.5% claimed as the ABV. That puts it in the heavyweight class by the standards of Comtesse if not Bordeaux in general; even the '15 was more refined if not as packed.
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11/2/2020 - sirpat00 wrote: 95 Points
Arvi Bordeaux 2018 Arrivage (Dolder Grand, Zurich): Tasting of 2018 Bordeaux in the bottle. A mixed vintage where St. Emilion often ended up over-ripe and cooked while Pomerol seems to have fared better, as did the left bank. Wine of the tasting was Rauzan Ségla, but the Léovilles (Barton and Poyferré), Pichon Lalande and Clinet presented themselves brilliantly as well.
Tasting note:
Beautiful, fruit-forward nose that tickles all the right nerves. Combines sweet notes without being too imposing, some herbal aromatics, even hints of leather. Fruit profile includes both dark and ripe red berries. A well-structured palate with fruits, herbs, mineral notes and a medium length finish.
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10/13/2020 - R J Lewis wrote:
N: mued.
P: Fades in comparison to Pichon Baron. Alc feels high. Disappointing.
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7/3/2019 - rossi.wine wrote: 98 Points
Tasted next to the 2009. On the nose perfumed, airy, layered and delicate with notes of dark fruit, cedar, tobacco, tea leaf, graphite, spices, liquorice and floral notes. On the palate concentrated and at the same time very elegant and fine. Spicy, mineral, lovely purity of fruit, polished tannins. Great freshness and lift. Super persistent and elegant finish. 97-98+
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6/1/2019 - vinhonotte Likes this wine: 94 Points
Vintage Club - Bordeaux 2018 En-Primeur and Gala Dinner (Andaz Hotel): Pronounced nose of orange blossoms and cool mint. Acidic, punchy and yet fleshy as well, with plums, rose, orange blossoms, and tea leaves. A good lengthy finish of plums and cool mint
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6/1/2019 - dnnk88 Likes this wine:
EP2018 tasting: Blackberries, violets, tea with floral perfume. Seductive. Palate of black fruits, plums, black tea, with slight tobacco and earthy tertiaries. Nice black tea, cedar and mint leaf finish. Balanced, silky and vibrant. Spikes of tannins tonight, which should resolve over time. Great showing. One of the best EP2018s tasted tonight. 94-97
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5/10/2019 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
Bordeaux 2018 from barrel: some selections (Bordeaux): Super Second, anyone? In terms of higher end price-quality ratios, this is your ticket. Here we have a tour de force that rivals both Latour and Margaux. Such a smooth Pichon Comtesse, once again proving the cliché that it comes across just as much Saint Julien as Pauillac. It stands out before all other Pauillac wines assessed last week at the UGCB tasting. At once supple and elegant, yet layered and long. What a great performance! Tasted twice again, at the negociant Joanne on 31 March and at the château three days later: sheer elegance, with iodine freshness. Alcohol is 14% precisely with just enough balancing acidity and plenty of tannin. “Many things made me think of 2010,” says director Nicolas Glumineau, as we have not seen such quality of must since the 2010 (when he was at Montrose). Powerful but fresh. Here a case where the 2018 enters legend and may well surpasses the 2016. Oh, and special mention to the second wine, Reserve de la Comtesse, well worth purchasing in 2018! 96-98
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4/19/2019 - Jeff Leve wrote: 99 Points
Full-bodied, rich, powerful, dense, opulent and frankly, incredibly sexy, as well as structured, stylistically it feels like a blend of 2009 and 2016 with the best attributes of each vintage. This wine is sensual with firm tannins, vitality, length, complexity and vibrancy in the finish. Yes, the wine is high in alcohol. But there is no heat, jam or lack of freshness. Everything here is in balance. Lay this down for a decade and pour sensuality right into your glass. The wine will age effortlessly for decades. Is it better than the perfect 100 Pt. 2016? Maybe, maybe not. But I cannot wait to taste those two vintages side by side in a blind tasting. The wine combines 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot reaching 14% alcohol with a pH of 3.85. The picking took place September 13-October 11 and 50% of the crop was placed into the Grand Vin. The yields were low here this year at only 35 hectoliters per hectare. 98-100 Pts
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4/3/2019 - dvansteenderen Likes this wine: 97 Points
Geproefd op de UGCB Pauillac op Château Batailley op woensdag 03.04.2019.
Mooi rijp zwart fruit. Heel compleet. Tannines mooi ingepakt. Lange zijdezachte afdronk. Groots! 96-98
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