Editors notes
This has to be up there with one of the most seductive Comtesses on record with layers of alternating softness and concentration combined with a lot of 2016’s elegance and power.
The nose on this stands out a mile, getting it right up on the podium before you even take a sip. Rich raspberries combine with peonies and curls of woodsmoke while the appellation’s signature slate, cedar, liquorice and tannic grip slowly builds up on the palate. I’ve tasted this several times with each conveying a juiciness and elegance that is quite different in style to many in Pauillac this year - it's a 98-100 for me, and I'm already looking forward to re-tasting it in bottle.
- Decanter
Details
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Wine Type
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Vintage
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Variety
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Brand
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Location
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Cellaring
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Closure
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Alcohol Percentage
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Oak Type
Tasting Profile
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Light (Light)Full (Full)
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Low Tannin (Low Tannin)Tannic (Tannic)
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Sweet (Sweet)Dry (Dry)
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Low Acidity (Low Acidity)High Acidity (High Acidity)
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Aroma
- Blueberry
- Boysenberry
- Herbal
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Palate
- Blue Fruits
- Cassis
- Graphite
Food Pairings
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Red Meat
Critic Scores & reviews
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Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW
97"The grand vin represents 50% of the crop this year. The 2018 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is made up of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot with a pH of 3.85, an IPT (total polyphenol index) of 87 and 14% alcohol. Very deep purple-black colored, it is like hitting a brick wall to begin, needing considerable coaxing to start to reveal notes of crushed black cherries, warm blackberries, ripe blackcurrants and chocolate cake with nuances of violets, rose hip tea, charcuterie, tapenade and incense with wafts of new leather and iron ore. Full-bodied, concentrated and completely laden with tightly wound black fruit and savory layers, the palate gives a rock-solid backbone of firm, super ripe, super fine-grained tannins and soft background freshness, finishing very long with a veritable display of mineral fireworks"
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Decanter
99"This has to be up there with one of the most seductive Comtesses on record with layers of alternating softness and concentration combined with a lot of 2016’s elegance and power. The nose on this stands out a mile, getting it right up on the podium before you even take a sip. Rich raspberries combine with peonies and curls of woodsmoke while the appellation’s signature slate, cedar, liquorice and tannic grip slowly builds up on the palate. I’ve tasted this several times with each conveying a juiciness and elegance that is quite different in style to many in Pauillac this year - it's a 98-100 for me, and I'm already looking forward to re-tasting it in bottle"
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Jeb Dunnuck
96"The top wine is the 2018 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse De Lalande, a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Compared to the 2010 by director Nicolas Glumineau, this saturated purple-colored effort offers the classic elegance and regal style of the estate as well as plenty of pure Pauillac character. Crème de cassis, liquid violets, charcoal, and scorched earth nuances all give way to a full-bodied, deep, layered 2018 that has remarkable purity, building yet ultra-fine tannins, flawless balance, and a great, great finish. It's in the same class as the magical 2016, and while I suspect it will be approachable with just short-term cellaring, it's going to age for 40 years or more. This estate has been on a qualitative roll over the past 5-6 years thanks to the talents of Glumineau, and this is unquestionably another great wine from him and his team."
Other vintages
Love this wine? Here's a list of other vintages we have in stock if you'd like to try them as well.
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- Variety Cabernet Blend
- Vintage 2018
- Brand Chateau Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
- Cellaring 15 Plus Years
- Wine Type Red
- Alcohol Percentage 14.5% Alcohol
Chateau Pichon Comtesse de Lalande 2018 1.5L-
Lisa Perrotti-B97 points
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Decanter99 points
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Jeb Dunnuck96 points
$1,015.00
Current auction
All current auctions for this wine & any different vintages.
Locations
France
Wine is being produced throughout France and has been done for over 2,500 years with certain Châteaux dating their history back to Roman times, around 6th Century BC. Ranking second in the world in per-capita consumption and first in total production quantity. More so than the overall quantity of wine is the quantity of truly great wines coming out of France makes the nation the envy of wine-making nations worldwide.
Two concepts pivotal to the higher end French wines, in particular, are the idea of 'terroir' and the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) system. Terroir refers to the way the geography, geology and climate find their way into the glass, telling a story of the origin of the wine. The AOC was set up in 1935 and has the primary goal of protecting the authenticity of the wines and the livelihoods of the producers. Appellation rules strictly define which varieties of grapes and winemaking practices are approved for classification in each of France's several hundred geographically defined appellations, which can cover entire regions, individual villages or in some cases, like in Burgundy even specific vineyards.
Classic wine regions in France include Champagne (home of Champagne), Burgundy (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay), Bordeaux (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot), Alsace (Aromatic varietals), Loire Valley (Chenin Blanc, Crémant) and the Rhône Valley (Syrah, Grenache Mourvedre)
The Bordeaux classification of 1855 is still in use, as is the Sauternes and Barsac Classification of the same year. Wines from certain regions can be bought En Primeur, which is when the wine is sold prior to it being bottled.
Bordeaux
Bordeaux has a rich history of winemaking, dating back to the Roman times. Today, it is known as one of the most significant wine regions in the world, with a reputation for producing complex, full-bodied red wines. The region is home to a diverse range of terroirs, each with its own unique microclimate, soil composition, and grape varieties.
The left bank of Bordeaux is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, which thrives in the region's gravelly soils. These wines tend to be bold, tannic, and complex, with notes of blackcurrant, cedar, and tobacco. On the right bank, Merlot is king, producing wines that are softer and fruitier, with notes of plum, cherry, and chocolate.
Aside from the red blends, Bordeaux is also renowned for its sweet wines, particularly from the Sauternes and Barsac appellations. These wines are made using a unique process that involves botrytis, or "noble rot," which concentrates the sugars in the grapes, resulting in a lusciously sweet and complex wine.
Bordeaux's classification system has evolved over time, with some estates moving up or down the ranks depending on the quality of their wines. Today, the system includes five growths, with Premier Cru being the highest and Deuxièmes Crus being the second-highest. There is also a separate classification for the sweet wines of Sauternes and Barsac, with Chateau d’Yquem holding the highest rank.
Overall, Bordeaux is a region that continues to captivate wine enthusiasts around the world with its rich history, diverse terroirs, and exceptional wines.
Pauillac
Pauillac, a commune within Bordeaux, is considered to be the most opulent appellation in the region and produces wines that are renowned for their richness and power. Wine expert Hugh Johnson has even gone as far as to declare that if he had to choose just one commune in Bordeaux to top the list, it would undoubtedly be Pauillac. This village, situated on the left bank of Gironde and located between Saint-Julien and Saint-Estephe, spans over 1,200 hectares and is the largest in the Médoc, with a population of more than 5,000.
The vineyards in Pauillac are mainly dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, although they also include blends of other grape varieties, such as Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. Despite its relatively small size, Pauillac's terroir differs significantly from the surrounding wine regions, which has allowed the winemakers to develop a unique and expert understanding of the area's flavor profiles. They have become skilled in accentuating the unique flavors of each individual vineyard, resulting in wines that showcase the essence of Pauillac.
The region's wines are characterized by a stark and blunt style, with a dominant flavor of black currant and hints of cedar-wood aromas. The wines are known for their robust and powerful nature, making them a favorite among wine enthusiasts worldwide. If you're a wine lover, then Pauillac is undoubtedly an appellation that you should experience for yourself.
About the brand Chateau Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
For many wine lovers, at its best, Chateau Pichon Lalande is one of the best examples of Bordeaux wine from Pauillac. Sensuous textures, deep concentrated layers of ripe fruit and a perfume filled with earth, tobacco and cassis are what you’ll find in Pichon Lalande.
The first mention of what we now call Chateau Pichon Lalande discusses the creation of the vineyard by Pierre de Mazure de Rauzan. Pierre de Mazure de Rauzan is the same man responsible for forming many of what are now widely considered the top Bordeaux estates of today. One owner, Baron Joseph de Pichon Longueville succeeded his mother taking over Pichon Lalande when he was only 19. He was 90 years old when he died in 1850.
Before his death he split up the estate between his five children, becoming independent and producing two different wines very distinct in style.
After the estate was divided into the two current Pichon estates, 1925 saw Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande bought by Edouard Miailhe and Louis Miailhe. The daughter of Edouard Miailhe, May Eliane de Lencquesaing (born in 1926) later became the owner and manager of the property in 1978. She made numerous investments and improvements at Pichon Lalande, perhaps her greatest achievement being expanding the size of Chateau Pichon Lalande from 40 hectares to its current 89 hectares of vines! (Quite an accomplishment to grow a major property in the Left Bank by more than 50%.)
May-Eliane de Lencquesaing sold Pichon Lalande to the owners of Roederer Champagne in January 2007. This family-run company is managed by Frederic Rouzaud and owns several other wine estates in Bordeaux including Chateau Bernadotte, Chateau de Pez , Haut Beausejour and Chateau Reaut la Graviere. Once the purchase for Chateau Pichon Lalande was concluded, in 2008, a complete renovation of the estate took place. The wine making facilities were rebuilt and modernized. The new construction of course included work in the cellars, vat rooms and chais. The reception area, glass museum and chateau was remodeled. A targeted, replanting program for select, vineyard parcels was started. The replanting focused on making sure the best root stocks with the most potential were planted in the correct, specific soil types for each grape varietal.
On average, the vines are 45 years of age. However, they have old vines, which are now close to 90 years of age having been planted in the early 1930s. You can divide the vineyards of Pichon Lalande into 6 large blacks that are almost contiguous. You can further subdivide those blocks into a range parcels that are close to 60 in number.
The vineyard of Chateau Pichon Lalande also includes 11 hectares of vines in the St. Julien appellation that the estate is allowed to vinify as Pauillac. The grapes can be used for the Grand Vin, the second wine , or bottled as a Saint Julien. However, the majority of the time, those vines are used in both the Grand Vin and in the second wine.
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