The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's 50 best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.
Viinin Kuvailu
The Story
Château Pichon Longueville de Lalande is ideally situated between the Gironde estuary and the Atlantic Ocean. The variety of parcels of land, due to the elements of the earth and their encepagement explains the complexity of the personality of the wines of Pichon. Since the end of the 1970's, the reputation of Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has acquired the status of a "super second" and a "nearly first", in light of the consistency of its quality.
The unique encepagement and the twelve hectares of vines situated on the soils of St Julien endow the wines of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande with an exceptional personality compared with the other crus of the Pauillac appellation. Complexity, elegance and longevity are the hallmarks of this race, they are found every year during the creation of the vintages..
The nose is distinguished by a bouquet of aromas, mixing blackcurrant and violet, vanilla and cinnamon. In the palate, the tannins appear mature and melted, revealing a strong and affirmed structure, a surprising suppleness, perfect harmony and long persistency. The wine is seductive when young without prejudicing its longevity. James Laubé of the Wine Spectator baptised Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, "A First Class Second Cru", a most fitting tribute...
Pichon-Longueville Lalande is a 75-hectare property that produces on average 36,000 cases per year. Located in the east of the Pauillac appellation, the vineyards (Cabernet Sauvignon 45%, Merlot 35%, Cabernet Franc 12%, Petit Verdot 8%) lie on deep gravel beds underpinned by clay and then sandstone and limestone (part of these vineyards actually reside in the St-Julien appellation). The wine is fermented in stainless steel cuvées and then matured in oak barriques (50% new) for 18 months.
Pichon-Longueville Lalande is not as powerful or as tannic as some its Pauillac neighbours and this is mainly because of its relatively high Merlot content. In the best years, it is one of the most exotic and voluptuously scented wines of the Médoc. At least a decade of cellaring is required before the wines should be approached.
Wine Information
2000 The sanitary condition of the grapes is remarkably good : excellent phenolic maturity with a strong concentration of anthocyanins
Assemblage:
50% Cabernet Sauvignon
34 % Merlot
6% Cabernet Franc
10% Petit Verdot
Hiver:
Mild with very little rain.
Printemps:
May and June were warm and moderately wet.
There were severe attacks of Mildew which were rapidly brought under control.
Mid flowering on June 3rd
Été:
July : moderate temperatures, cool with a certain amount of humidity.
August was fine and warm, sunny weather enabled the grapes to ripen in ideal conditions.
Mid veraison on August 6th . The veraison was completed in a short space of time.
Automne:
September : climatic conditions followed those of August.
Temperatures were higher than normal, with 3 days above 30°C.
Picking took place between September 21 and October 9th .
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Château Pichon Longueville de Lalande is ideally situated between the Gironde estuary and the Atlantic Ocean. The variety of parcels of land, due to the elements of the earth and their encepagement explains the complexity of the personality of the wines of Pichon. Since the end of the 1970's, the reputation of Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has acquired the status of a "super second" and a "nearly first", in light of the consistency of its quality.
History
1686-1689
The archives record the creation of a property by Pierre de Mazure de
Rauzan, a great name in the history of Bordeaux wine. Thérèse, the founder's daughter, received it as dowry when she married Jacques de Pichon Longueville, the first President of the Parlement de Bordeaux. Thus began the history of one of the greatest Bordeaux vineyards.
1850
The Baron Joseph de Pichon Longueville’s children Raoul and Virginie inherited the property. After a period of several years during which the property was administered by the Baron Raoul de Pichon Longueville, the rupture was effective. From then on the lands of Pichon Longueville would have two very different futures.
Anticipating this indivision, Virginie married Count Henri de Lalande,
and took over the control of the domain, the Count giving her independence and the title of Comtesse de Lalande. Her passion for vines and the quality of her management made her a strong personality in the Médoc in the last century, leaving her mark on the domain that has kept her name. In 1855 the Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande acquired the status of Second Cru Classé.
1900-1925
In 1920 the vineyards were auctioned. Edouard and Louis Miailhe, descendants of an old Bordeaux family of Vineyard owners and wine dealers, bought the Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande in 1925.
1978-today
May Eliane de Lencquesaing, the daughter of Edouard Miailhe, became the
owner and administrator of the Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de
Lalande. She quite naturally revived the tradition of the Comtesse de
Lalande, personally overseeing the management of the family domain with
her passion for wine and strict management.
Vineyard soil: gravel on top of clay
Production area: 75 ha
Grape varieties: 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 12% of Cabernet Franc, 8% of Petit Verdot
Harvest method: hand picked
Winemaking: fermentation in thermoregulated stainless steel tanks
Ageing: 18 months in 50% new oak and 50% one year old oak barrels
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
33250 Pauillac - France
Tél. 05.56.59.19.40 - Fax. 05.56.59.29.78
Email : pichon@pichon-lalande.com
www.pichon-lalande.com
Vuosikerta 2000
Weather conditions / The 2000 vintage was proclaimed from the start as one of the best vintages of modern times. In the spring of 2003, I had many opportunities to find out if we really had a true dream vintage on our hands.
During the 2000 harvest, while doing a “personal inspection” in the vineyards, I noticed that something extraordinary was on the way. The grapes looked extremely healthy.
While the sorting table was rolling, I observed that there were few leaves, stems and weeds among the grapes. This is why sorting the grapes was so easy and quick. This must be one of the characteristics of the 2000 vintage, because normally even great vintages require a lot of work at the sorting table.
The 2000 vintage is a classic, extravagant and extremely long Bordeaux with dark and extremely dense wines, which have a huge concentration of fruit, length and superbly concentrated tannins. The tannin is not allowed to dominate, as it is well enveloped by the fruit. A scent of under-ripeness is only present in a few wines. One of the hallmarks of this vintage is an intense, deep aroma of dark berries, such as blueberries, blackberries and black cherries.
All red grape varieties have reached perfect maturity, including Bordeaux's most temperamental and unruly grape variety, Petit Verdot. Petit Verdot brings to wines the long-awaited addition of backbone and power.
Additionally, the grapes for whites, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Muscadelle, ripened perfectly and produced extremely fine dry white wines. The sweet white wines have unfortunately transformed into some light, elegant and charming wines, based 100% on the September harvest. From October 11, it rained a lot in Bordeaux and this continued until the end of the year.
