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La Réserve de la Comtesse 2018

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pauillac
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyCabernet Sauvignon

This is the popular second wine of Chateau Pichon Lalande. There is always a high percentage of Merlot in the blend here which makes the wine soft and easy to drink when young. The 2018 is 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc.

View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Label

Tasting Notes

A rich and dense second wine of Pichon Lalande with a full body, round and juicy tannins and a fruit-driven finish. Chewy, too.

93/94
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, April 2019

This second wine represents 41% of the crop. Composed of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Reserve de la Comtesse springs from the glass with vibrant scents of ripe blackcurrants, black raspberries and baked plums, plus suggestions of pencil lead, cedar chest, ground cloves and lilacs. Medium-bodied, the palate is elegantly crafted with fine-grained tannins and lovely freshness nicely framing the delicate fruit, finishing earthy. 2023 - 2040

92
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (End of Mar), March 2021

As with the first wine of Comtesse, this is one to look out for in 2018. It’s seductive but with a minerality and pull through the palate joined by plush raspberry and damson fruits – so much depth but also so pretty.

As the tannins close in the finish is a little tighter than the mid-palate and when you return to it after tasting the first wine the fruit flavours have been joined by liquorice and touches of woodsmoke, it’s delicious.

The split is 50/50 between first and second wine in 2018, with over 90% of the total production used. 1% Cabernet Franc makes up the blend. 9% press wine. 3.85pH, 87IPT.

Drinking Window 2024 - 2036

93
Jane Anson, Decanter.com, April 2019

53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot. 1% Cabernet Franc. Barrel sample.
Very dark cherry fruit. Sweeter and riper on the nose than the Pez just tasted, pure, dark and spicy. Much riper than usual. Pencil shavings scent on the palate, lithe and fine tannins, really smooth and gentle, just enough freshness to balance. A gentle touch. Creamy. They have kept lovely harmony. (JH)
Drink 2023-2033

16.5
Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2019

Deep ruby, with a pure nose of black cherry and a hint of cassis. The palate is opulent and ripe with chalky tannins and spicy, exotic flavours from oak. Despite this there is harmony, with a touch of hedgerow fruit and savoury, cedary undertones. This is a plush and polished wine that has a long, roasted and creamy finish but retains it vibrancy through acidity.

91+
Farr Vintners, Farr Tasting, April 2019

Starting with the second wine of the estate, the 2018 Réserve De Comtesse checks as a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. It's another rock star of a second wine that taste more like a grand vin with its terrific perfume of crème de cassis, blackberry, graphite, high-class tobacco, and earth. It's deep, medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and has serious length.

92/94
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com, May 2019

(53 Cabernet Sauvignon, 42 Merlot, 4 Petit Verdot, 1 Cabernet Franc) | 30% new oak (but this sample is taken from a new barrel) | 14% alc This is a very successful Réserve with finely tuned fruit and a long, ripe finish. The fruit notes are heightened in this wine with concentration and also an extra level of acidity which means that there is good balance here, too. Nicely structured with fit tannins, this is a remarkable wine for this label.

17+
Matthew Jukes, MatthewJukes.com, April 2019
Read more tasting notes...

Most of the plots that were planted since 2011 have gone into this. This second wine represents 41% of the crop. A blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, the very deep purple-black colored 2018 Reserve de la Comtesse opens slowly to offers glimpses and dusty soil, Sichuan pepper, garrigue and tobacco over a core of warm black cherries, cassis and blackberry pie plus a waft of crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with juicy black fruits and loads of earth/mineral nuances, finishing with lovely freshness and a quiet intensity. Very impressive.

92/94
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (April 2019), April 2019
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.