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Pichon Lalande

The Winery

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

"True purity of taste is a quality of the mind; it is a feeling which can, with little difficulty, be acquired by the refinement of intelligence; whereas purity of manners is the result of wise habits, in which all the interests of the soul are mingled and in harmony with the progress of intelligence. That is why the harmony of good taste and of good manners is more common than the existence of taste without manners, or of manners without taste."
- Louis Roederer, Proprietor

The heritage of Pichon-Lalande dates back to before the greater Pichon estate was split in half, its sister winery being Pichon-Baron. Unlike its sister though, the wines are much more refined, feminine and full of finesse. The estate is now owned by Roederer, and with the help of oenologists Jacques Boissenot and Hubert de Bouard (of Angélus), it is deemed by Robert Parker as "One of Pauillac's most consistently brilliant wines”.

The Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot blend is softened by a heavy hand of 35% Merlot, making it gentle compared to its Pauillac neighbors. During harvest, a team from Andalusia journeys to Lalande to pick, by hand, the grapes before they are completely destemmed. The scores are high, the wines are lovely, and the investment is worthy. Enjoy the grand vin, Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande or if you prefer, the second wine produced names Réserve de la Comtesse. Notable vintages include 1982, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2005.

www.pichon-lalande.com

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Tasting Notes

WA95
Now at 30 years of age, there is a gulf between the two Pichons in this vintage that no longer exists. The 1986 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has long been one of the best wines from the estate alongside the 1982 (even if the first bottle was a little oxidized). The second bottle was representative. It has a classic pencil-lead, cedar-infused nose that rockets from the glass, a subtle floral note developing with time. The palate is medium-bodied with supple red berry fruit, a pinch of white pepper and cedar, structured compared to coeval vintages and perhaps further along its drinking plateau than previous examples. Certainly à point, I would be reaching for bottles of this now if you cannot locate those 1982s, or alternatively seek out the superlative 1996. This still remains a fine, rather regal Pichon-Lalande. Tasted July 2016.

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