France

Cabernet Sauvignon

Merlot

Cabernet Franc

Petit Verdot

Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 2eme Cru Classe Pauillac

Bordeaux

Pauillac

À L’aise

raffinert med ren rødfrukt, murstein, krydder og tobakk - pen syre

Expert

Fragrant cassis bud, rose petals, and peony. Great definition, mouthwatering on the finish, savoury blue and black fruits, less concentration than the past few vintages, but this uses slate textured tannins, cold ash smoke and well-judged salinity to compensate and build interest and engagement. Harvest September 22 through to October 9. 66% new oak. Low yields of around 30hl/h. 16% press wine, 52% of the overall production (with the rest in Pichon Comtesse Reserve, no 3rd wine). 3.7 pH. IPT 70, 

Inside Bordeaux

Mørke, dype solbær toner, mørke saftige bringebær, kjølige kaffe toner, pene granitt preg. 

Smak av flotte bringebær, veldig fremtredende rød frukt, men av det mørke slaget. Veldig solbær og bringebær. En ganske rustikk Comtesse stil. Flott syre.

94-95p.

A blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is deep garnet-purple in color. After a little coaxing, aromas of blackcurrant jelly, juicy plums, and wild blueberries waltz out of the glass, followed by nuances of red roses, damp soil, tar, and licorice. The medium-bodied palate is tightly wound, with impressive tension created by mineral-laced, crunchy black fruit layers, framed by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and savory. pH 3.8.

by Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

«Den kjente Comtesse spicen». Bjørnebær, solbær, anis, lakris, hvit pepper. 

Smak av solbær, litt grønnaktig spice. Derimot, så presterer Comtesse hver gang å få til den feminine, lekre balansen. 

93-94p.

Sorte jordbær, røde bringebær, mørke kirsebær. Veldig parfyrmert rødbærsfrukt på nesen. Minner meg litt om en moden Pichon Baron med alder på nesen. 

Smak av nyanserte bringebær, markjordbær og sommerlige nyper. Veldig elegant både på duft men også munnfølelse. Godt sammensatt, med høy kons. 

96-97p.

Bx messe.

Amatør

The 2018 Pichon Comtesse is deep garnet-purple in color. It features fragrant notions of garrigue, star anise, clove oil, and forest floor, over a core of baked plums, blackcurrant preserves, and dried mulberries. Full-bodied, the palate has a solid backbone of grainy tannins with seamless freshness to frame the taut, muscular black fruits, finishing with a spicy lift.

Dark chocolate shavings against the sun-sweetened damson and blackberry fruits, with notes of crushed earth, saffron, caramel and coffee. Not quite integrated at this stage, but there is smart winemaking on display. The riverside location of Pichon Comtesse meant they were not impacted by the frost unlike so many estates in the 2017 vintage, and the wine has much in common with the 2011 - sculpted and finessed but a little less concentrated than the biggest vintages. 36hl/h yeld, 3.8ph, 60% new oak

WSET 3

Smakt på Bordeaux-messe. For en vin! Dette er virkelig bra håndverk. Herlig presisjon og konsentrasjon. Utrolig balansert og en stor kompleksitet. 

The nose is elegant and classic with blackcurrant, cedar, graphite and some cellar. There are also red carnations and dark chocolate. It is complex and elegant. 

The palate is medium-bodied, intensely fruity and acidic in a fine balance. The tannins are noticeable but elegant. The finish is very long, structured and acidic. 

It is still young, but 2014 is a vintage that has become drinkable early. It pairs well with the Cote de Beauf at Matmagasinet in Stavanger.

Displaying a charmingly unfussy character to the blackberry and raspberry fruits, this has supple tannins that still have life and form to them, and is easily one of the best wines here. Rosebud and campfire smoke edge, and one of the few wines that give you a reason to buy this over the estate's other vintages, because it is that rare beast in the Médoc - a 100% Cabernet Sauvingon. I last tasted this wine two years ago, and this is an upscore (perhaps because I am tasting it as part of a horizontal not a vertical, and it stands out among its peers in the vintage). 13hl/h, Nicolas Glumineau's first year as director.

The 2012 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is medium to deep garnet colored. It bursts with flamboyant scents of creme de cassis, blackberry pie, and redcurrant preserves, plus suggestions of lilacs, bay leaves, and tree bark. The medium-bodied palate is taut and muscular, with firm, chewy tannins and a savory finish.

Essence of Pauillac on the nose. Graphite, cassis, slate, pencil lead, liqourice, the full gamut of the appellation's signatures, now opening up after years of being a little subdued. This is just about ready to drink even if there are still some austere tannins in evidence and although it's a vintage where I find many wines are a little disappinting in Pauillac (and St Estèphe, due to a hail storm in early September pushed some estates to a hasty harvest) here Comtesse shows itself, as it does in 2007 and 2013, as above average in its success. First year with Sylvie Cazes as director, 3.73ph, harvest September 13 to 28.

Remains a little reserved on the first nose, suggesting it could do with a few more years in bottle, but this is fabulous quality. Intense black pepper spice, blackberry and damson fruits layered between silky tannins, waves of rosemary, olive tapenade cigar box, graphite and charcoal, mouthwatering and intense. Great stuff, but go with the 2009 Comtesse for the next few years - this is still to recapture the 100 points I have given it in the past, and needs time to reopen. Last year with Thomas Do-Chi-Nam as technical director. 3.6ph, harvest September 27 to October 13.

Luscious and rich ruby colour, powerfully enticing aromatics, a ton of dark cassis and blueberry fruits, this is great quality, juicy with oyster shell salinity that pulses through the mid palate. Tobacco and campfire on the finish, this is approaching its drinking window but in no rush. Sylvie Cazes director at the time.

The bilberry and cassis fruit is tinged with smoked toffee edging, a lovely gourmet touch balanced by black chocolate, crushed earth and fresh mint uplift on the finish. 2008 saw a cool August followed by a dry sunny September, and you feel this is the fruit character, which is dark and autumnal with blackberries, bilberries, hawthorn, enticing and very Pauillac yet a little surly still at this stage. Oak not perfectly integrated, with a good few years ahead of it before you can say for sure that all elements have slotted into place. Could be drunk but will show its terroir character more over the next decade. 3.7ph, harvest September 29 to October 14.

Showing more tertiary aromatics than the 2006, with soft tobacco, cured leather. A vintage which has come around to its drinking window quicker than some but is still on the plateau of delivering pleasure. Lighter in structure than the 2006 or 2008 on either side of it, but it is totally charming, and the softly-spoken fine tannins are a delight. Saline, mouth watering finish, really excellent quality and ready to go. Plenty of Comtesse character also. One to recommend if you are looking to pull the cork any time soon. 3.68ph, harvest September 21 to October 9, 50% new oak.

Aroma av bringebær, lakris, sjokolade, sursøte blåbær, solbær, mocca, lær, 

Avslipte tanniner, bra balanse, fremdeles fin frukt

Åpner seg veldig etter 45min

Poeng 93+

WSET 2

Love the colour of this, deep damson, generous and enticing. The tannins are just astonishingly finessed and generous, chocolate, cedar, cocoa bean, so well constructed, combining depth to the fruit with feather-pillow tannins. Clearly young, decades ahead of it, but this is already confident and enjoyable, effortlessly standing out from this lineup of exceptional wines. It lacks the weight and concentration of the 2009 or 2010 of Comtesse, but it's showing extremely well, and seems to be gaining in power. 50% new oak.

In the same frame as the 2002 in that it is classic, with firm tannins, big shoulders, and Pauillac bite, but this is bigger and more enjoyable in every way, more of a crowd pleaser, and a beautifully velvety texure. Cassis, cocoa baen, liquorice root, bilberry, crushed stones, essence of its appellation. An abundant year also, with high yields (clocking in at over 60hl/h). Plenty of intensity through the mid palate. Not as seductive as some vintages of Comtesse, but easily one of the wines of this vintage and it's beginning to be ready to drink at this point. Gildas d'Ornon director at the time.

The real surprise for me in this lineup, with clear sweetness to the fruit. It is ripe in character, reflecting the heat of the vintage, touches of fig and prune, a ton of chocolate and cinammon spice layering on the gourmet appeal. Less grip than many of the vintages on display here, with a softness to the tannins and cured leather notes that suggest it is ageing relatively quickly, but still alive and kicking and giving pleasure right now, and they have teased crushed mint leaf out of the finish. Drink now, or within next five to 10 years. Slight VA on the nose as it opens. Harvest September 10 to 26. 3.77ph.

This has been a stubborn vintage from the beginning, with angularity to the tannins. At 19 years old they are beginning to soften and allow the blackberry and bilberry fruits to show themselves more clearly. There is plenty of Pauillac kick, with evident charcoal and crushed stone notes. Sweet cinammon, tobacco leaf and cedar come in through the mid palate. Good quality but lacking a heart-quickening moment. 3.76ph,

Sweeter and silkier aromatics on the nose than the 2000 vintage, a more softly spoken wild strawberry and raspberry puree fruit, with acidity evident on the close of play. Tobacco and campfire notes curl through alongside white pepper and tumeric. It is supremely elegant, almost more St Julien than Pauillac in expression but still plenty of estate signature. The fine tannins build up over the palate and tell you that it is not going anywhere soon. A gentler and more seductive expression than the biggest vintages. 50% new oak, 3.89ph.

A knockout wine that competed for the bottle of the tasting. At 24 years old the tannins still place you firmly in Pauillac, as do the lush cassis and grilled blueberry fruits, and the layers of liqourice root, cigar, campfire, and sandalwood. 50% new oak. Harvest September 21 to October 9. Owned in 2000 by May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, who had been in place since 1978 and remains at 98 years old one of the great figures of Bordeaux. Thomas Doh Chi Nam was technical director, as he was from 1992 through to 2011. It's been three years since I last tasted this vintage, and it's even better than it was then, really a wine to celebrate.

En utrolig forførende og korrekt flaske - den virker fortsatt pur ung - og har nok en del å tjene på å ligge lenger. Klassiske Bordeaux-aromaer, mye mørke bær, bjørnebær, solbærskall med også røde, friske plommer. Topp syre og topp lengde. En sjeldent god vin. 

Sommelier

Ruby red with a light garnet rim. Leather, tobacco, figs and blackcurrant. Fresh and lean. Cherry stones, tobacco, leather and some sweet-sour red fruits. Integrated supple tannins. Medium long.

1993 was another wet and rainy vintage. Loads of rain in spring, then sunny conditions giving hope. In September the rain came again diluting the grapes. This is a drink up vintage. It will not get any better. I have not tasted that many wines from 93 but I really enjoyed the Comtesse.

Ruby red with a brown rim. Mature blackcurrant and blueberries. Tobacco, leather, cedar wood, mint and minerals. Fresh acidity. Delicate and balanced with sweet sour cherries, tobacco, leather and automn leaves. Nuanced and layered. Integrated supple tannins. Very long.

How I love an aged Bordeaux! The 89 and 90 vintages have always been two favorites for me. The 89 often needs a good long decant and the 90 as well, but usually not that long. This bottle got better after an hour decant. At 31 years of age this one really shines!

Soft truffle and tobacco, this was a hot year that comes through in its exotic cinammon spice flavours, and its freshly cut rosemary and sage herbs that sit against bilberry and black cherry fruits. There are still tannins here, now fully integrated, and a kick of fresh acidity that adds a mouthwatering feel from the mid palate. Softens on the finish, and this is just beginning to dip from its perfect drinking window.

Elegant i peer group bdx 86, men fortsatt en potent tanninstruktur - dyp mørk frukt (94++)

Sømløs og «burgundersk» elegant - mørk krydret frukt - pen match til pinnekjøtt

A great example of a word-of-mouth hit, the 1982 Pichon Comtesse has built its reputation by delivering time and time again, giving the First Growths a run for their money with its cigar box and pencil lead Pauillac signature and the caressing ripe fruits of a great quality vintage. I have tasted this every two years for the past six years, and each time I have expected it to be past its peak, and each time it has proved me wrong. You get plenty of tertiary flavours, certainly, with truffles and rose petals, together with exotic dried spices of turmeric and cumin and barely-there tannins. Got to be the best value of the wines tasted in this 1982 horizontal, even though it has risen in price over the past 5 years. May-Eliane de Lencquesaing owner at the time, having stepped up to take over her family estate in 1978. Yield 40hl/h, harvest 16-30 September.

Mursteinsrød mot brun. Jordkjeller og muggost. Lukter også kork, men det forsvinner etter 20 min. Lett munnfølelse men god syre. Lite tanniner. Tørket frukt, tobakk, fat, skogbunn/mose. Drikkes nå (eller for noen år siden :-)

Lys rød farge, brunlig tynn rand. Cederttre, paprika og  svale røde bær på duft og smak. Elegant vin med utviklet fruktighet og forsatt konsentrerte tanniner og lang ettersmak. Dekantert i 2 timer før servering. Fra egen kjeller

Transparent ruby with an orange rim. Rose petals, tar, leather, anise, truffles and figs. Fresh acidity. Playful and elegant. Mature with dark berries, leather, white pepper, crowberries and anise. Fully integrated tannins. Long.

Drink from now until 2030

Elegant nese av sigarkasse, treverk og noen små hint av frukt. Noen tanniner igjen etter så mange år, kunne ønsket meg noe mer frukt. Fortsatt veldig livlig og var ikke i nærheten av å svinne hen selv etter fem timer i karaffel. Fra en årgang som det ikke var noe å skrive hjem om, gøy å prøve, men ingen stor opplevelse. 

Category	Red wine
Vinmonopolet no.
Producer	Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Vintages	1953
Country	France, Bordeaux, Pauillac
Bottle	75 cl

Alcohol	%
Acid	%
Sugar	g/l

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