| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pauillac |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
One of the great names of the Médoc and a true "super-second". The château is situated next to Château Latour and opposite Pichon Baron, with most of the vines a little further inland from the river. Pichon Lalande is one of the most demanded wines of Bordeaux. Characterised by a slightly exotic, spicy character, plump ripe fruit and a polished texture. The percentage of Merlot in the vineyard is high for Pauillac. The "Comtesse" is now owned by Champagne house Louis Roederer and managed by the brilliant wine-maker Nicolas Glumineau, the man who made the awesome Montrose 2009 and 2010 before coming here. A new winery has just been built and recent vintages have been amongst the best ever produced here. An absolute star wine with great pedigree and brilliant wine-making.
The 2022 is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon with no Petit Verdot, 17% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. The yield was low at 30 hl/ha but double that of the tiny 2021 harvest.
The 2022 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is one wine where a comparison with this estate's magical 1982 doesn't appear to be far-fetched. Wafting from the glass with deep aromas of cassis, plums, violets, rose petals, tobacco leaf and pencil shavings, it's full-bodied, supple and fleshy, with a layered, seamless core of fruit that largely conceals its chassis of powdery structuring tannin. Concluding with a long, expansive and beautifully perfumed finish, it's a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc that has the potential to equal or even surpass the 2019 and 2016 vintages at this address. It checks in at a very classical 13.6% alcohol and a rather high pH of 3.80.
The 2022 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande was picked 6 to 27 September at 30hL/ha, the drought chipping away so that one-third was eventually lost. This has 13.65% alcohol and pH of 3.80. There is 17.5% pressed wine, the highest ever. This has a subtle bouquet, not understated but it unfurls in the glass (unlike others that explode.) Blackberry and cedar, light touches of mint, a hint of dark chocolate. The palate is medium-bodied with a velvety texture with lovely balanced, gentle but insistent grip, slightly granular as it fans out with black fruit, cedar and light graphite notes. This is a very suave Pichon-Lalande that will age with style. 2029-2065
A clear star of the 2022 vintage, Pichon Lalande builds on its very strong catalogue of wines from the last decade and is as impressive from bottle as it was from barrel. Deep purple in the glass, the nose is seductive, sweet and powerful, layering cassis, baking spices, sweet tobacco and just a hint of liquorice. The palate is cashmere smooth, the serious weight of tannins fully cloaked by luxurious, glossy black fruit. The spices are sweet, savoury and smoky, coming in waves but never dominating the fruit. This feels like a wine with no hard edges, a remarkable feat given it is clearly laden with ripe tannins underneath. Very impressive to be so giving, delicious and sweet yet not overdone or blousy. It should age gracefully in bottle for decades.
I love the aromatics here with botanicals as well as currants, blackberries and oranges. Full-bodied with incredible tannins that build on the palate with finesse and focus. Featherlight but always there. Stealth in structure. Very vertical. Savory. Superb. 78% cabernet sauvignon, 17% merlot and 5% cabernet franc.
A blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is deep garnet-purple in color. After a little coaxing, aromas of blackcurrant jelly, juicy plums, and wild blueberries waltz out of the glass, followed by nuances of red roses, damp soil, tar, and licorice. The medium-bodied palate is tightly wound, with impressive tension created by mineral-laced, crunchy black fruit layers, framed by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and savory. pH 3.8.
Exceptionally well controlled, delivering grip and tension alongside the creamy ripe blackberry, cassis and raspberry puree fruits, studded with cloves, cocoa bean, violet, iris, wet earth, heather, mandarin, orange zest, slate. Another exceptional vintage from a property that is delivering at the top of its game, this impresses without seeming to try too hard. Precision winemaking also, with very low pumpovers, reduced by half from a decade ago, and no added sulphites until putting the wine into barrel. 3.65ph, 31h/h yield, with around 50% of production split between this and Reserve.
One of the gems from Pauillac is unquestionably the 2022 Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse De Lalande, which is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. A hypothetical blend of the 2019 and 2020, it's a full-bodied, concentrated, opulent Comtesse offering beautiful blue fruits, some chocolate, leafy herbs, and undeniable minerality, ripe, velvety tannins, and a great finish. Despite the higher Cabernet Sauvignon component, this stays silky, expansive, and incredibly sexy. It's going to be drinkable with just 4-5 years of bottle age but should have a lengthy drink window. Hats off to director Nicolas Glumineau for another legendary wine from this château.
78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc. Cask sample.
Gently fragrant, the Cabernet element to the fore. Juicy extract but firmness behind. Suave texture of tannin. A certain finesse but power as well. Freshness and length on the finish. A refined statement. (JL) 13.5%
Drink 2032– 2055
A brilliant wine again this year, the 2022 Pichon Lalande finds beautiful definition in such a warm vintage. Deep in colour and pure in blackcurrant fruit, there is a refinement and focus with flecks of green peppercorn, anise and cumin integrated into the fruit already. The palate builds on the promising aromatics, with an ultra-refined structure persistent but ripe and fine grained. There is a note of truffle and cedar, adding savoury depth to the intense black fruit. Expansive on the finish, this could well merit a perfect score in time. Another hit from Lalande, one of the most consistent performers in recent years.
