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Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 2eme Cru Classe Pauillac

Bordeaux

Pauillac

Centropa Restaurant

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

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

Aroma av blåbær, grafitt, vanilje, lyd sjokolade, bringebær, markjordbær, cola, perfyme, tranebær,

Veldig fin balanse, finesse

Poeng 95-96

WSET 2

Smakt på Bordeaux-messe, og var messens beste vin. Selv om den er lukket og litt vanskelig å feste grepet rundt, er det er en dybde i den vinen her som er helt hinsides. Den har en uhyrlig konsentrasjon og finesse. 

Hvordan denne vinen utvikler seg kan bli en morsom reise. Dette er er så godt, så godt!! 

The 2019 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is composed of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it features notions of cedar chest and menthol to begin, giving way to a core of blackcurrant pastilles, black cherries, and fragrant soil with a waft of wild sage. The medium to full-bodied palate is rich and dense, with firm tannins and a long spicy finish.

by Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

A gourmet vintage that I found a little atypical En Primeur but it has shown over subsequent tastings that this is in control and is going to age beautifully. Love the touches of fennel, liqurice and olive paste that sit alongside the tar, pencil lead, slate and cassis fruits. 50% new oak, 35hl/h yield because of the dry summer. A great wine that I am expecting to have the 2009 ability to surprise you with its finesse as the terroir comes through. Tasted at a chateau vertical July 2021, and again September 2021.

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 2014 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is medium to deep garnet-brick in color. Notes of black cherry compote, preserved plums, and incense slowly drift from the glass, with underlying hints of cedar, violets, espresso, and forest floor. The medium-bodied palate delivers impressive tension and soft, approachable tannins, with plenty of fragrant black fruit and a touch of wood on the finish.

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.

Medium ruby in colour, less intense towards the edge of the rim, suggesting a touch of evolution. This shows vanilla and sage spice, crushed dark cherries, with a mid palate dominated by velvety but still firm and present tannins. A wave of fresh acidity comes in on the finish and supports a rolling out of vanilla and sweet spices. The vintage profile is identifiable in the weight of the body, and the sweeter, drinkable style of the wine. 55% new oak, first year with Nicolas Glumineau as director (overseeing blending but not viticulture), with 50% 1st wine in production, harvest October 1-18.

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+

Sødmefulle solbær, sigareske, lær, sopp, tobakk, blyantspiss.

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,

Duft av kjølig utviklet frukt. Tobakk, lær og skogbunn. Delikat frukt med balansert syre og tanniner som begynner å bli avslipt. Mange lang og god lengde. 

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.

I have been lucky enough to have this vintage of Comtesse three times in the past year, and two of the three bottles (including this one) have been brilliant. Considered one of the wines of the vintage at the time, this is packed full of signature Pauillac but also signature Comtesse. Silky seductive tannins at this point, powerful but with delicacy, soft saffron and cedar notes, with a smoked campfire finish. A higher proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon in the bottle than in most years, and it has helped it to remain enticingly firm. 50% of production went into the first wine.

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.

En helt riktig flaske - pent utviklet. Bjørnebær - struktur - bra syre - lang - har fortsatt noen år å gå på!

Sommelier

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

Minner meg svært om Chateau Savignon Louis-Comptre Bayeux Paris aux Marseille 1679. Grunnet markant tykk i smaken, frekk i druen, og nedlatende på nesen. 

Helt ok vin - passer fint til lapskaus.🖕🏿

Certified Sommelier

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

Like so many in this vintage, the 1975 took so long to come around that you can pretty much guarantee most of the original buyers never got to drink it at its peak. For those who did wait, or are able to get hold of a bottle now, it is coming to the end of its drinking window, but will still give pleasure. It has a lean and savoury hedgerow, blackberry and strawberry fruit feel, with charming traces of tobacco leaf and truffle. I should add that I tasted the Lafite Rothschild 1975 in the same week this summer, and I would probably head there for the most bang for your buck.

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

Category	Red wine
Vinmonopolet no.
Producer	Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Vintages	1976
Country	France, Bordeaux, Pauillac
Bottle	75 cl

Alcohol	%
Acid	%
Sugar	g/l

Packaging
Cork type
Selection
Wholesaler
Carrier