Critic Ratings & Tasting Notes
James Suckling (94-95/100)
“Extremely perfumed aromas of blueberries, currants and sandalwood follow through to a medium body with fine tannins that give length and energy. Very attractive to drink now, but tension at the end necessitating two or three years of bottle age. Drink or hold.”
Decanter (93/100)
“Deep nose – lush, ripe fruit, chocolate, blackcurrants; it smells sumptuous and rich yet still with a touch of graphite and cool minerality on the nose. Streamlined and well defined, with lovely energy and focus, all in balance. Fruity with high acidity but not too sharp or angular. You can feel the power underneath and the minerality on top, yet it has good flow. Not very long, but it’s refined and really easy to approach. If anything, it’s a bit quiet right now—subtle and elegant—though it has structure and some firmness. Good quality. 12% press wine. Aged 12 months, 50% new oak and 50% one year. 5% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. pH 3.67.”
Yves Beck (96/100)
“A lovely burst of freshness in the bouquet of the Réserve, with minty aromas followed by notes of ripe dark berries and a touch of eucalyptus. Slightly creamy, the wine offers fleshy tannins that provide a solid backbone. They are in harmony with the acidic structure, bringing vibrancy and precision to an overall rather rich profile. A wine with real character, clearly showing where it comes from and where it’s headed. It will certainly be enjoyable young, yet it also has considerable aging potential.”
Jane Anson (93/100)
“The success of Pichon in recent years extends to its second wine as well, delivering waves of cassis bud and red roses on the opening beats, followed by vibrant raspberry and blackberry fruits, easier to drink than the powerhouse 2022. A vintage that marks 50 years of Pichon Comtesse Réserve (once known, of course, as Réserve de la Comtesse). 55% of the production, more than usual because they were focusing so much on Cabernet for the main wine. Nicolas Glumineau, director.”
a Second Wine from Pauillac with lots of vivacity
The estate
Second Grand Cru Classé from Pauillac, the magnificent Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande shines on the left bank of Bordeaux. In 2007, Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande began a new chapter in its history by joining the Rouzaud family, owners of the prestigious Louis Roederer Champagne House.
The vineyard
A reference among the wines of Pauillac, Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande oversees a vineyard of 114 hectares, of which 92 hectares are in production. The soils, composed of gravelly ridges on sandy-clay subsoils, benefit the vines, which are on average 28 years old. In the process of converting to organic farming, the vineyard is certified organic and 65% biodynamic.
Réserve de Pichon Comtesse is the Second Wine of the estate.
The vintage
The relative mildness of the winter favours an early bud break in early April, a period whose frost risk is managed by the rigour of the teams. This is followed by a high sanitary pressure that does not impact a homogeneous flowering at the end of May and then veraison at the beginning of August. Gloomy, spring and summer are very dry.
Vinification and ageing
Parcel vinification. Gravity-fed vatting. Thermoregulated double-walled stainless steel truncated vats. Ageing for 12 months in barrels (50% new) with medium long heating. Traditional racking by candlelight.
Blend
Cabernet Sauvignon (60%)
Merlot (30%)
Petit Verdot (5%)
Cabernet Franc (5%)
