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Pichon Lalande
Bordeaux
Burgundy
Chateau Pichon Longueville de Lalande is ideally situated between the Gironde estuary and the Atlantic Ocean. These two masses of water favour the movement of air, which clears the sky of clouds and reduces rainfall. The region of Pauillac benefits from a microclimate that is relatively dry which helps the concentration of the grapes. 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 key word in this success is selection, from the period of the grape harvest to, above all, the preparation of the cuvee. The wine sees 18-24 days of tank fermentation, 18 months barrel maturation, with 50% new oak and 50% old oak. Wines are racked every 3 months and the fining is always done with whipped egg whites. The bottling is carried out at the Chateau at the beginning of June of the second year following the grape harvest.
| Vint | Description | Cl | ? | Cs | Bt | Cs | Bt | + |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tasting Notes: Pichon LalandeÕs new owner, the Roederer champagne firm, appears to have produced one of the finest Pichon Lalandes made in recent years. Administrator Thomas Do-Chi-Nam, assisted in 2006 by consultant Hubert de Bouard, declared only 41% of the production as the grand vin, resulting in a wine that should rival both the 2003 and 2000. The final blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon and 36% Merlot was cropped at 41 hectoliters per hectare. This gorgeous wine represents an updated version of the 1996. It boasts a dense purple color as well as a beautiful nose of espresso roast, chocolate, creme de cassis, cedar, and spice. Full-bodied and powerful with high tannin, an attractive mouthfeel, and a multilayered texture, it will be a backward-styled Pichon Lalande, but it is significantly better than the 2005, recalling some of the finest vintages produced over the last 20-35 years. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030+. Wine Advocate # 170 Apr 2007. Parker Points: 94-96 Drinking Period: 2015-2030 |
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Tasting Notes: The disappointing 2005 Pichon Lalande reveals a much lighter style than one expects from this estate. However, the new owners, the Louis Roederer/Deutz champagne firm, have recently brought in Hubert de Bouard (from St.-Emilion) as a consultant, and the 2006 appears to be a dramatic improvement over the 2005. For all its greatness, Pichon Lalande previously experienced hiccups in superb vintages, 1990 being a prime example. While good, in the context of the vintage, the 2005 is unimpressive. A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, and 7% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, this deep ruby-colored effort exhibits a slightly herbaceous nose revealing hints of roasted coffee, cedar wood, cherries, and black currants. Good acidity and elevated tannins give the wine a streamlined, medium-bodied, fresh taste. Wine Advocate # 176 Apr 2008 Parker Points: 86 Drinking Period: 2008 - 2020 |
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Tasting Notes: (94 points) The 1996 Pichon-Lalande exhibits extraordinary sur-maturite due to the exceptional ripeness the Medoc's Cabernet Sauvignon achieved in this vintage. The wine has tightened up since my tasting in the spring, but it remains an opaque purple-colored example with a smoky, blueberry, blackberry, and cassis-scented nose that is to die for. Medium to full-bodied, with huge extract as well as extraordinary elegance, and a perfect marriage between new oak, fruit, and tannin, this is one of the more structured and tannic Pichon-Lalandes I have ever tasted, yet the wine's triumph is a result of its sweetness of tannin. As I indicated in my earlier review of the wine, an atypically high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon (75%) was used in the blend, with an abnormally small percentage of Merlot (5%). In most vintages Pichon-Lalande contains 30%-40% Merlot, so the 1996 may be the most Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine made at this estate in memory. A profound success, the 1996 is one of the finest examples made under the regime of Madame de Lencquesaing. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2025. The 1995/1996 vintages are two of the greatest back to back efforts Pichon-Lalande has ever produced, including the 1982/1983 vintages. Robert Parker - The Wine Advocate. Parker Points: 96 Drinking Period: - |
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