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  • Country ranking ?

    159
  • Producer ranking ?

    3
  • Decanting time

    4h
  • When to drink

    2020-2035
  • Food Pairing

    Beef

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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.

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Vintage 2020

In Bordeaux, the heat led to early flowering. Additionally, this led to an early harvest after a very hot summer. As a starting point, there is great maturity in the grapes, and we can expect a more opulent vintage than in recent years.

This year's summer was the hottest since 1959, but the rain fell at just the right time during the growing season. The harvest took place two weeks before the norm and will produce grapes with high alcohol potential and the lowest acidity since the 2003 vintage. As they say in Bordeaux: “It was a good and extreme growing season which , hopefully, also produces great wines.”

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Tasting note

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Written Notes

A highly sophisticated wine with intense purple colour, violet hue and black core. Great nose with complex approach, aroma reminiscent of blackberries, blackcurrants, black cherries, sloe and elderberries. Elegant balmy spices, hints of dark chocolate, cocoa and mocha in the background. On the palate excellent structure, depth and length, a wine with great precision, silky yet persistent tannins, fine acidity, multi-layered fruit and mild spices. A wine with great tension and very refined character. 

  • 98p

2020  Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Pauillac Deep, dark and almost opaque in hue, the perfume is intoxicating with its spice box, dark Cuban cigars, violets, lilacs, oak, savory herbs, roasted plums, currants and cigar box aromas. On the palate the wine is pure silk and velvet with layer after layer of supple textured fruits. Silky, sexy and sensuous, there is richness, depth of flavor, length and purity here that is a treat to feel and taste. The wine blends 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc, 13.6% ABV 3.82 pH. Picking took place September 9 - September 30. Yields were low, 30 hectoliters per hectare, 60% of the harvest was placed into the Grand Vin. 97-99  Pts

  • 99p

Pichon Comtesse CC - 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc. I found this wine slightly tighter and more pronounced tannic structure than I experienced in 2018 and 2019 vintages. Nevertheless, we have an incredibly complex, rich, sophisticated and multilayered creature, which needs several decades to develop awesome things. 97-99p.

  • 99p

Ruby. Cassis, fruit driven, blackberries, deep, vanilla, spices, intense and layered nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, spices, liquorice, cassis, detailed, layered, firm and long. Maybe not the most seductive Comtesse made, but impressive, for sure. A masculine version. 97-99

  • 99p
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Origin

Pauillac, Bordeaux
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