Description
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande (commonly referred to as Pichon Lalande or Pichon Comtesse) is a winery in the Pauillac appellation of the Bordeau region of France. Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is also the name of the red wine produced by this property. The wine produced here was classified as one of fifteen Deuxièmes Crus (Second Growths) in the original Bordeau Wine Official Classification of 1855. While the winery was once known for its higher percentage of Merlot and lower percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in its blends, the vineyard started to move towards blends more consistent with other wines from the Pauillac region, with recent vintages being between 70-75% Cabernet Sauvignon. The second wine is called Pichon Comtesse-Réserve.Château Pichon. Comtesse was once part of the larger Pichon estate, owned by Pierre de Rauzan, along with what today is Château Pichon Longueville Baron. In 1850, the estate was divided into the two current Pichon estates. In 1925, Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande was 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 2006, de Lencquesaing sold a majority interest in the Château to the Rouzaud family, which also owns the Champagne house Louis Roederer.
Tasting Notes
Deep garnet colored, the 2009 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a little reticent to begin, slowly giving way to notions of warm black cherries, blackcurrant cordial, stewed plums and sautéed herbs with hints of damp soil, tobacco and beef drippings. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with tightly wound black fruit and earthy layers, framed by ripe, fine-grained tannins and lovely freshness making for a long, lively finish. Classic! [97+ Points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown– March 2019, robertparker.com]
