7/5/2023 0 Comments Chateau pichon longueville![]() On the nose, elegant, opulent and earthy, with delicacy, power and subtlety airy quality, a nice fine texture, a very discreet hint of iodine and a bit of stretch. On the finish there are fine roasted/grilled hints in the background. On the palate this wine expresses bright cherry, blueberry and more slightly fleshy/juicy blackcurrant notes combined with touches of blueberry, violet as well as zan/badian (almost mentholated which brings pep), discrete hints of pepper, lily, graphite, a subtle hint of fresh saffron and fine hints of toastiness/caramelisation. The palate is elegant, fresh and offers juiciness, a nice acidity/minerality, good definition, gourmandize, a nice roundness, tension, a nice crunchiness and a controlled explosion in the mouth. There are notes of violet blackberry, bright strawberry and, more slightly, bright blue berries combined with touches of liquorice, cornflower and discreet hints of Cuben pepper, a subtle touch of tobacco, blue tea, Bourbon vanilla and a discreet hint of camphor. The nose is elegant, nicely intense and reveals a very fine grain, controlled, just right power, depth, a nice airy side to the approach and a very nice powdery character. Tannins are powerful but full of finesse and delicacy. ![]() On the palate, this wine expresses notes of bright wild cassis, fresh/pulpy blackberry and slight notes of bright red currants associated with touches of fresh/fleshy small blue fruits, graphite, tonka bean, cocoa, slight hints of Bourbon vanilla pod, lily/flowers as well as a hint of incense and sweet/toasted spices. A pretty silkiness and fleshiness blended with an aerial side. Beautiful “strength” in delicacy! Nice density and matter on the middle of the mouth. The mouth is beautifully elegant, pure and offers a well mastered / precise power, deepness, a slight hint of “blackness” as well as a fine and very discreetly tight grain. It reveals notes of bright strawberry, small crushed red berries and small notes of black pepper associated with small charcoal touches, blueberry as well as slight hints of violet, Bourbon vanilla and a very discreet hint of blond tobacco (in the background). At least a decade of cellaring is required before the wines should be approached.The nose is fresh, elegant and offers a nice concentration with finesse, power / deepness in finesse, delicacy, a certain little straightness, a small fleshiness of the fruit as well as complexity. In the best years, it is one of the most exotic and voluptuously scented wines of the Médoc. Pichon-Longueville Lalande is not as powerful or as tannic as some its Pauillac neighbours and this is mainly because of its relatively high Merlot content. The wine is fermented in stainless steel cuvées and then matured in oak barriques (50% new) for 18 months. Located in the east of the Pauillac appellation, the vineyards ( Cabernet Sauvignon 45%, Merlot 35%, Cabernet Franc 12%, Petit Verdot 8%) lie on deep gravel beds underpinned by clay and then sandstone and limestone (part of these vineyards actually reside in the St-Julien appellation). Pichon-Longueville Lalande is a 75-hectare property that produces on average 36,000 cases per year. James Laubé of the Wine Spectator baptised Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, "A First Class Second Cru", a most fitting tribute. The wine is seductive when young without prejudicing its longevity. In the palate, the tannins appear mature and melted, revealing a strong and affirmed structure, a surprising suppleness, perfect harmony and long persistency. The nose is distinguished by a bouquet of aromas, mixing blackcurrant and violet, vanilla and cinnamon. Complexity, elegance and longevity are the hallmarks of this race, they are found every year during the creation of the vintages. The unique encepagement and the twelve hectares of vines situated on the soils of St Julien endow the wines of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande with an exceptional personality compared with the other crus of the Pauillac appellation. 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 variety of parcels of land, due to the elements of the earth and their encepagement explains the complexity of the personality of the wines of Pichon. Château Pichon Longueville de Lalande is ideally situated between the Gironde estuary and the Atlantic Ocean.
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