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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.9 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 704 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by europat55 on 4/22/2024 & rated 92 points: This kept getting better hours after opening. (747 views) | | | Tasted by beatles on 4/21/2024 & rated 96 points: A perfect bottle, perfect fill, perfect provenance. Young feel with a rich, yet balanced fruit, black berries, tobacco, chocolate. Wonderfull freshnes, no hurry to drink this.
#Brøndsalen#Bichel (892 views) | | | Tasted by ShakenNotStirred on 4/16/2024 & rated 95 points: A full flavored wonderful wine. Right after opening, on the first sip, the acid was showing more than it should. But within half an hour or so it had already mellowed and the wine was wonderfully balanced with nice fruits. Before opening the fill seemed a bit low, but it turned out that it was nothing to worry about because the wine was wonderful (568 views) | | | Tasted by AFM87 on 4/14/2024 & rated 95 points: Phenomenal (1006 views) | | | Tasted by ONEFIVE on 4/14/2024: Youthful appearance and alive on the nose.
Dried red and black fruit, tobacco, damp soil, and density.
In the mouth it is med- body, med acid, med tannin.
Well balanced with vibrancy and structure. Only knock is that it is slightly thin (less ripeness = more acid).
It’s holding up well due to the freshness and tannin. Fruit is hanging on well.
This will age for at least another 10-15 years. (856 views) | | | Tasted by RobinTeo on 3/30/2024 & rated 91 points: The one with Old Bordeaux (Praelum): Perhaps a victim of bottle variation. The last time I had the 86 Lalande it was firing with graphite and waves of mature plums but tonight this was muted on the nose and slightly fading on the palate. Noticeably left bank with subtle power and elegance but also slightly sweet (kirsh and black plums) (1159 views) | | | Tasted by bordeaux_bro on 3/22/2024 & rated 94 points: Compared to 86 Mouton and LLC tasted last two weeks, I found the Pichon to be more evolved and not in the same class as the other two, but that isn’t to say it is any slouch. Nose is classical Pauillac, pencil shaving, some smoke, and earth. Tannins seem very fine lending to a smooth, plush mouthfeel, which a surprise given the vintage. Color is still relatively deep with bricking on the edge. Medium acidity. A very pleasurable drink, but not as precise as the Mouton or LLC. Seems to be at peak, but should last another decade. (925 views) | | | Tasted by scott@asrestaurant.com on 3/14/2024 & rated 89 points: 1986 vintage. Tasted multiple bottles (6 btls for an 1986 BDX horizontal dinner-one btl corked). Great fills with-age appropriate corks. Used a Durand for all bottles. Double decanted with a mesh screen. Tasted over the course of four hours. Medium body throughout. Body was there for all bottles but the 5 bottles were lacking the hallmark cocoa powder, blueberries and beguiling femininity that define this producer. The 1989 is (currently) a dead ringer for how the 1986 was tasting as of 4-5 years ago...and the 1989 is a drink now for the next 2-3 years before drop-off. Haven't had an example of the 1986 that was tasting at the top of the bell curve (96) in 5 years. In larger format bottles-possibly. 3.14.24 (1226 views) | | | Tasted by Tad GW on 2/18/2024 & rated 90 points: 50+5+12+15+8=90 Seems to be fading. Tannins are gone but so is some of the bouquet and complexity. Maybe a slightly bad bottle? (The cork crumbled on opening). (1575 views) | | | Tasted by Alessandro DC on 1/19/2024 & rated 95 points: Oh man. This bottle was singing beautifully.
Feels like it still has 30 years of life ahead (which it would if it wasn’t for the cork, now fully soaked). I need to split the rating in two tho.
Technical rating 93-94.
Pleasure rating 96-97, no doubt.
I’ve set the rating at 95 for “par condicio”.
Opened 2,5h. Needed longer aeration.
I had another bottle I would’t wait longer than it’s 40’s to pop. And of course, I would not hesitate to give it more air in a decanter.
Enjoy! (2179 views) | | | Tasted by Francophile1 on 1/1/2024: 2024 New Year's Day Double Blind Tasting: Double-blind. Knock-out left bank nose. This wine wins on nose alone. I could smell it all night long. I called it '96 Pichon Lalande so I was only off by a full decade. A great wine! So fresh at 37 years old. (2063 views) | | | Tasted by paulst on 12/20/2023 & rated 97 points: Perfect balance of blackberry and earth; elegant and balanced; long finish. (2552 views) | | | Tasted by galewskj on 12/11/2023 & rated 94 points: ROCKNROLLERs bottle, so see his note for treatment. I have only been fortunate enough to have this once before in 2014, and it is at the same level, qualitatively. This has the tertiary Bordeaux flavors and yet it is so smooth, suave, there is no rustic quality to it. Dang, hats off to Pichon Lalande, and I wish I'd bought more 5+ years ago. (2179 views) | | | Tasted by rocknroller on 12/10/2023 & rated 94 points: Annual Tasting Group Holiday Party (St. Genevieve, Mpls, MN): Very dark red color. Double decanted for an hour plus. Lovely pencil notes, damp forest floor, dark fruits, cassis, blackberry, still poised and long. 93+ to 94pts. (1585 views) | | | Tasted by Dionysos55 on 11/14/2023 & rated 95 points: Robe à peine évoluée on ne voit pas à travers....Le bouquet est sûrement le plus complexe évalué cette année c'est affolant la succession d'arômes qui virevoltent:menthol,réglisse,tabac,cassis,prune,cerise,terre mouillée,sauge,marjolaine,café,chocolat et j'en oublie certainement c'est réellement magique.Le hic c'est que la bouche affiche une puissance phénoménale,une structure gigantesque,agrémentée d'une acidité bien présente.En gros pour la bouche ce vin a 10 ans d'âge alors qu'il affiche 37 au compteur.Cette cuvée a encore 50 ans devant elle !!!! Bref,on est loin d'un velouté magique,d'un vin complètement épanoui.C'est un bloc monolithique qui demande un affinage conséquent.Bref 100 pour le bouquet 90 pour la bouche d'où cotation finale 95.Le seul tracas et il est de taille c'est le bouchon:il est nécessaire de le remplacer pour une autre durée très longue.Sans cette assurance,je crains le pire pour les bouteilles restantes.... (2402 views) | | | Tasted by grub94 on 10/27/2023 & rated 95 points: From mag. Extremely youthful color, bright. Great classic Bord nose of blackberry, currant, graphite, cedar, tobacco, with hints of sage and marjoram. Very balanced with soft tannin and firm mild acidity. Perfect match for the racks of lamb ala Keller. Long soft finish. Happy to have more! (2135 views) | | | Tasted by Wine MOB on 10/21/2023 & rated 92 points: The score is not fair because the bottle was slightly court. I ran it through saran wrap and pulled much of the taint out of the wine.
This is classic Pichon. Very feminine and sexy and still has many years ahead. Rich, current fruit. Exotic spice, Cedar and lead pencil are all there. (2101 views) | | | Tasted by Eric on 10/19/2023 flawed bottle: M&PD Tasting: Argentinian Grill (Mount Baker, Seattle, WA): I am pretty certain this was lightly corked, as I kept getting moldy notes on the nose and a somewhat stripped palate. That said, this was tough to pinpoint due to the austere 1986 personality of this wine (which is a very atypically masculine Pichon Lalande). Regardless, it was very austere and very 1986. Powerful and dark with tobacco and mint. (2391 views) | | | Tasted by ElAzul on 10/19/2023 & rated 94 points: I had an option to say the bottle was flawed since the cork fell into it while using an ah-so puller and the fill was only to slightly below the neck line. But the aromas were classic cedar, forest floor and just a slight Bordeaux barnyard funk that disappeared in a couple of minutes. Eventually a dark fruit and currant nose emerged with a decant and several back and forth splashes between two glasses. The palate has the same blackberry fruit as before though not as flamboyant as the previous bottle. The prior comments are after four hours open.
Comments after open 24 hours: the finish is much more present with vibrant acidity and the tannin is very earthy, but not rustic. Thus the complex minerality of the wine has started to dominate the flavor profile, though the dark fruit is still present but has diminished a bit. I still like the wine despite the somewhat flawed bottle but I have to admit the wonderful experience with the prior bottle has most likely influenced me.
After 28 hours open: So four hours later I was surprised that the wine had evolved some more. Gone were the earthy tannins and they were replaced by sweeter, dryer yet sturdy tannin and acidity that now allows the blackberry fruit to re-emerge and with a finish lasting a full 30 seconds.
Now after 30 hours open the wine finally reaches its peak. The tannin is now fully integrated , the aromas are pure dark fruit and the palate is full of dark, brooding blackberry fruit that ends in a satisfying complex finish of dark fruit, cassis and anise.
So this suggests plenty of decant a d splash ing is required for this wine to show its true essence. I couldn't give it a 96 as before but the fact that the cork fell into the bottle may have influenced me to grade it a bit lower. Still, this is fine wine and I am happy to have fulfilled my duty to see it to its tasty end! (2117 views) | | | Tasted by djhammond on 9/17/2023 & rated 96 points: Not quite up there with previous bottles, but at this age you expect some bottle variance. ( please refer to my post note at the end,). That said, this was excellent with the wine managing to combine a masculne Paulliac profile with a hidden silky seductive side. Black cherry, plum, and leather are prominent with floral notes becoming more apparent. It has great balance and depth, but the finish was a little skewed this time out. As mentioned earlier this is just bottle variance and could rate this another couple of points higher on another occasion. A post note three hours in the decanter and an hour in the glass solved all issues, and I had to up the score. (2314 views) | | | Tasted by OnCloudWine97 on 9/13/2023 & rated 93 points: Was a little skeptical before opening it. The wine had a perfect neck and had a nice smooth silky taste to it. I hope to get my hands on another one. (2174 views) | | | Tasted by dlcolester on 9/11/2023 & rated 99 points: Perfect neck, color with a fabulous smooth silky robust taste with a great linguiring after taste. Nothing to be improved on this great wine. If you can get it you will not be disappointed (2026 views) | | | Tasted by englishman's claret on 5/3/2023 & rated 96 points: At its peak, the 1986 Pichon Comtesse shows a paradoxical nose - muscular yet somehow simultaneously lush, packed with cassis, ink, licorice and a subtle floral accent, even more profound on the palate than on the nose. Best with about 1.5-2 hours in the decanter, tailing off a bit by 3. (4736 views) | | | Tasted by Saint B on 4/15/2023: Second bottle after 3 years. Nose of pencil lead, some may interpret it as incense wood, blue fruits and forest floor in the background. On the palate, a melange of red and blueberries. Tannins are beautifully resolved. The aroma is slightly less intense from my previous encounter, but no less enjoyable. I am surprised by how well it is still able to deliver, hoping it continues to do so in the coming decades is my only wish. (3395 views) | | | Tasted by M.Y. Chong on 4/15/2023: Revisited after approximately 3 years.
Good cork.
Bricking at the edges but still looks vigorous considering age.
Cassis, cedar incense, and pencil lead. Quite profound pencil lead aroma. Background barnyard.
Good density of fruit.
Long finish with notes of cigar box.
I think this is drinking at peak. Less fruit than 3 years ago suggesting it is starting its long downward trajectory. (3374 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, Sep/Oct 2019, Issue #83, Château Pichon-Lalande The Most Elegant Of the Super Seconds
(Château Pichon-Lalande) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Neal Martin
Vinous, Two Imaginary Boys: Pichon-Lalande (Aug 2019) (8/1/2019)
(Pichon-longueville Comtesse De Lalande Pichon-longueville Comtesse De Lalande Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, Jul/Aug 2016, Issue #64, Comparing the 1981 Claret Vintage at Age Thirty-Five And the 1986 Bordeaux Vintage At Age Thirty
(Château Pichon-Lalande) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Ian D'Agata
Decanter, Ian D'Agata's top 12 wines showing Pauillac's varied appeal (10/9/2014)
(Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Pauillac, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Kapon
Vintage Tastings, Bordeaux Horizontals (5/11/2009)
(Pichon Lalande) Login and sign up and see review text. | The World of Fine Wine, March 2009, Issue #23
(Chateau Pichon Lalande) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (11/9/2014)
(Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande) Bricking dark red violet color; lifted, aromatic, tart red currant, very tart raspberry, cedar nose; tasty, silky textured, youthful, tart red currant, tart raspberry puree, cedar palate with firm, sweet tannins and near medium acidity; medium-plus finish 94 points | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (7/10/2009)
(Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande) Corked | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (5/30/2008)
(Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande) Cherry red color with pale meniscus; big tobacco and tart red fruit nose; tobacco, tight, tart currant, leather and mineral palate; medium-plus finish 93 points | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (5/17/2007)
(Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande) Nice subtle leather nose; tasty, tart red fruit, tobacco; medium finish 92 points | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (8/2/2003)
(Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande) Very reticent nose; tight, tart cherry, cedar, coffee palate; medium-plus finish 89 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of View From the Cellar and Vinous and Decanter and Vintage Tastings and The World of Fine Wine and RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Producer website – Read More about Chateau Pichon Comtesse de Lalande
Vineyard map
U.S. Importer (Addt'l Info)Red Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comBordeaux Bordeaux Wine Guide
Vins Bordeaux (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux)
History of Bordeaux
History of 1855 Bordeaux Classification
"2009 is all about ripeness, with wines impressively packed with ripe fruit and high alcohol levels. They are showy, in-your-face, and full of pleasure. The 2010s have the fruit and alcohol levels of the 2009s, but with a compelling freshness on the finish that balances the fruit and provides a perfect sense of structure." - Ben Nelson
"2016 is a landmark vintage in certain spots of Bordeaux and it should be remembered as one of the most inspired campaigns of the last 40-50+ years." -Jon Rimmerman
"The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded – although the response to the en primeur campaign was muted. Quantity was high too, with the equivalent of 770 million bottles of wine produced. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance." - Jancis Robinson
"2017 was complicated, but there are some excellent wines. Expect plenty of freshness and drinkability from wines that will offer excellent value, and others that will rival 2016 in terms of ripeness and ageability. But they are likely to be the exception not the rule, making careful selection key." - Jane Anson
"In the past, a vintage such as 2022 may have been overripe, raisined and low in acidity but 2022 had a sneaky little reservoir in its back pocket - a near perfect marriage of cool/cold/rain the previous winter and the previous vintage that literally soaked the soils (a key to why 2022 is not 2003...or 1893)." - Jon RimmermanMédoc Vins du Médoc (Conseil des Vins du Médoc) - Read More about the Medoc
VdB
The eight precisely defined appellations of the whole of the Médoc (from Blanquefort Brook to the north of the Bordeaux built-up area, almost to the Pointe de Grave) may claim the Médoc appellation. But there is also a specific territory in the north of the peninsula which produces exclusively wines with this appellation. In the great majority, the Médocs come from the north of the peninsula. The great individuality of this region is that the number of vines has increased more recently here than elsewhere, apart from a few isolated spots where vines have grown for many years. Today, the size of the small estate has brought about the development of a powerful co-operative movement. Four co-operatives out of five belong to the group called Unimédoc which ensures aging, bottling and marketing a large proportion of their wines.Pauillac Read more detailed information about Pauillac Looking full onto the river from the earliest days, with an important port activity, traces of which go back to ancient times (shipment of bronze as long ago as 2000 B.C.), Pauillac's life has always been intimately linked to the history of wine. Although port activities were at the root of its prosperity, Pauillac had to wait until the eighteenth century when Bordeaux ceased to hold its privileged position to become a wine port. The town then became the natural outlet for the wine production of neighbouring cantons before reaching its zenith in a period when the vineyards were exceptionally prosperous.
The characteristic of the Pauillac terroir is its exceptional relief: the many undulating ridges make it unique morphologically speaking. Highly favourable conditions facilitate the dissection of the layer of gravel. This thin, Garonne gravel from whose very poverty springs great richness, has an extremely effective natural drainage.
With their velvet red colour with a hint of amber, the wines from the Pauillac appellation, full-bodied and rich in tannin, are vigorous. Powerful when young, their aromas of red fruits (black-currant, raspberry) or flowers (violets, roses, irises) melt with the passing of time into a bouquet which is long in the mouth.
Rich and complex, the wines of Pauillac deserve to be laid down for a little longer.
Production conditions (Decree dated November 14, 1936)
In order to have the right to the Pauillac appellation of controlled origin, red wines must:
- come from the commune of Pauillac and from precisely defined parcels in the communes of Cissac, Saint-Julien, Saint-Estèphe and Saint-Sauveur, "excluding the parcels situated on recent alluvium and sand on impermeable subsoils",
- satisfy precise production conditions : grape-varieties (Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cabernet-Franc, Carmenère, Merlot Noir, Petit Verdot, Cot or Malbec), minimum of sugar (178 grammes - 6.27 oz. - per litre of must) degree (an acquired 10°5) base yield (45 hectolitres per hectare). |
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