Pichon Lalande vertical

We met to go through a mini vertical of some of the best ready-to-drink vintages of Pichon Lalande. Impressed by the consistency of the wines and the lovely freshness and green touch they all shared. Indeed one of the best Pauillac.

• 2011 Domaine Georges Vernay Condrieu Coteau de Vernon Flawed

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu

  Same bottle as Melvin. Light golden yellow, fairly oxidative nose, rich palate with yellow fruit, good acidity though, nice and complex finish but again a bit oxidative. Drinkable and complex but too oxidative for me. Have no experience with Northern Rhone whites so not sure how this should taste, Melvin called it clearly premox so giving it the benefit of doubt and rating as flawed.

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• 2018 Roagna Barbaresco Albesani 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  Melvin's bottle. Double blind. Pale, translucent red. Plenty of earth and some herbs on the nose made me immediately think Italy. Sweet red fruit. Still some fairly serious tannins but not unpleasant. Thought for a moment Sangiovese but this was too sweet hence guessed Barbaresco 2000s.

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• 1991 Domaine Joseph Voillot Volnay 1er Cru Les Fremiets 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru

  Corry's bottle, double blind. Horse stable and plenty of animal notes on the nose reminding me of the Cordier wines in the 80s, rich but evolved fruit providing a bit of morbid sweetness, somewhat elevated acidity, a touch of cardboard on the mid palate. The nose was very Bordeaux in my eyes whereas the palate did not entirely fit. Went with the nose and Talbot 86.

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• 1979 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Same bottle as Melvin. Nice fully mature left bank Bordeaux. The leather notes are dominating the remaining fruit. Less ripe, more pronounced greenness than the vintages following. Tannins fully integrated. Great food wine for me. 91-92

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• 1983 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Same bottle as Melvin. To me typical 80s Bordeaux with a touch of TCA from a dirty cellar/barrel but not corked outright. Leafy, lighter style. A clean bottle might show better.

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• 1988 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Same bottle as Melvin. Slow ox'ed for 2h. Dark garnet, still fairly rich fruit, iron, not surprisingly the most pronounced green note of the Pichon Lalalande's that evening, good tannic structure. Was clearly preferred around the table in the flight against the significantly better rated 89 which was showing lean and strict.

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• 1989 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Melvin's bottle. Decanted into Voss bottle 3h ahead. The least fun PLL to drink that evening. Strict and lean with fairly pronounced tannins. Might benefit from more air / time in bottle but the risk here is that the wine might dry out as there is not a lot of fruit. 91-92+.

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• 1995 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Same bottle as Melvin. Followed the 89 and was paired against the 96. While a bit more relaxed than the 89, this was especially initially pretty strict and rigid. Everybody preferred the 96 for the first try which was much richer and more flamboyant but as the evening advanced the 96 seemed to fade a bit and the 95 moved ahead with a very classic and precise Pauillac display. Great wine.

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• 1996 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Same bottle as Melvin. This was paired against the 95, and on first try was preferred around the table as this was a much richer and more flamboyant wine, whereas the 95 was not a generous and rather strict. Upon revisiting I thought however that the 96 had plateaued or even faded a bit, whereas the 95 had opened up and was showing a more regal Pauillac in my eyes. Both superb wines though.

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• 2000 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Same bottle as Melvin. This was excellent as expected. Fairly rich dark fruit, pencil lead. Solid structure but entirely covered by fruit. Again a subtle green note. Classic Pauillac.

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• 1982 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 95 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Same bottle as Melvin. Third time drinking the 82 and I thought this was the best bottle. Seemed a bit younger with a touch more fruit than the previous two which could make sense since this was a late 93 release. Still while the palate is beautifully aromatic, the wine is completely resolved and the fruit seems slightly fading. While probably the best of the wines this evening (but then this was not blind), it's not a 100 point wine in my book (anymore?) and I would drink those 82 PLL over the next years as I feel they have peaked and are on a gentle downwards slope.

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