| 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 2024 was made from a yield of just 20 hl/ha - half a normal crop and no Petit Verdot made it into the blend which is 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc. Maturation in 60% new oak. Alcohol 12.7% (chaptalised by 0.2 degrees). Nicolas told us that he was very careful with extraction in order to make a smooth and elegant wine.
The 2024 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande offers up attractive aromas of cassis, burning embers, tobacco leaf and fresh mint, followed by a medium to full-bodied, ample and polished palate that's seamless and suave, concluding with a moderately persistent finish. A blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc that attained 12.7% alcohol, it's a charming effort that will offer a broad drinking window.
The 2024 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is clearly driven by Cabernet Sauvignon on the nose. Predominantly black fruit, freshly rolled tobacco and light cedar scents unfold in the glass, resolutely classic in style, strict yet focused and defined. The palate is medium-bodied with light tannins, evidencing the much lighter extraction exacted by Nicolas Glumineau. This results in an impressively balanced Pichon-Comtesse, lightly spiced with hints of cracked black pepper towards the finish, dare I say, cut in a "Lafite" style. Though without the ambition of the '22, this keeps within the limitations set by the growing season. I can imagine this Pauillac slipping down the throat with ease in its flush of youth. 2028 - 2048
Deep ruby in colour. There is a sense of luxury to the nose here despite the vintage, with carefully judged but luxuriant wood spice, coaxing the fruit to feel riper, fuller and darker. The palate has a similar profile, with cashmere tannins and even cream-textured red fruit coming through with that same clever, sweet wood spice. This is supple but not over-made, there is restraint, vertical intensity and a graphite-like stony quality. Seductive but serious for the vintage.
The length and linear nature of this wine make it outstanding. Medium-bodied with polished and refined tannins that caress the palate. Extremely well done. The length and finesse are impressive.
Deep garnet-purple colored. Shoots out of the glass with vibrant notes of black raspberries and black currants, plus hints of iris, fertile loam, cardamom, and graphite. The light-bodied palate is light on its feet with vivacious black fruit and savory flavors, supported by delicate, fine-grained tannins and appealing freshness, finishing earthy.
83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc. pH 3.7, IPT 70. The yield was 20 hl/ha were this year at Pichon Baron, vs. 39 hl/ha in 2023.
Fragrant cassis bud, rose petals, and peony. Great definition, mouthwatering on the finish, savoury blue and black fruits, less concentration than the past few vintages, but this uses slate textured tannins, cold ash smoke and well-judged salinity to compensate and build interest and engagement. Harvest September 22 through to October 9. 66% new oak. Low yields of around 30hl/h. 16% press wine, 52% of the overall production (with the rest in Pichon Comtesse Reserve, no 3rd wine). 3.7 pH. IPT 70,
The 2024 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is plush, sensual and inviting. Succulent dark-toned fruit, sweet spice, new leather, mocha, chocolate and lavender build nicely. Here, too, the tannins are so polished, so refined. The 2024 is an especially elegant Pichon-Comtesse. It’s also very clearly one of the wines of the vintage. Bravo. Tasted four times. 2034-2054
