CHATEAU PICHON LONGUEVILLE 'Comtesse de Lalande' 2eme Grand Cru Classe, Pauillac 2021 Bottle

Description

The 2021 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a remarkable wine, receiving 98 points from Vinous for its explosive vertical lift and impressive blend, which features a high proportion of Cabernet. Antonio Galloni describes its captivating aromas of lavender, dried herbs, and mint, complemented by notes of spice, rose petal, and orange peel. The wine epitomises class, with bright saline notes extending the finish. James Suckling awarded it 97 points, lauding the enticing aromas of blackberries, blackcurrants, and graphite, along with its full-bodied, velvety tannins. Decanter rated it 96 points, praising its fragrant profile of cocoa, iris, and dark fruits, along with a powerful structure and an elegant terroir signature, making this vintage a standout choice for enthusiasts and collectors alike.

*****

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a prestigious wine estate located in the Pauillac appellation of Bordeaux, classified as a 2ème Grand Cru Classé. Established in the mid-18th century, the estate covers approximately 89 hectares, primarily planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot grapes. Château Pichon Longueville is celebrated for its elegant and complex wines, often displaying rich fruit flavours, spicy notes, and velvety tannins, with a characteristic balance and finesse that reflects its exceptional terroir. The estate has undergone significant investment in recent years, leading to improvements in winemaking techniques and vineyard management. Consistently receiving high scores from critics, Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a coveted choice for collectors and connoisseurs seeking the essence of fine Bordeaux.

VINOUS 98 points
The 2021 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a towering wine. Just as it did en primeur, the 2021 dazzles from start to finish. The Cabernets are very high in the blend, and that comes through in a Saint-Julien endowed with ton of explosive vertical lift. Lavender, dried herbs, mint, spice, rose petal and a kick of orange peel are some of the notes that run through this striking Pichon Comtesse. The aromatics alone are compelling, but everything about the 2021 speaks to class personified. Bright saline notes extend the finish. In a word: sublime. - Antonio Galloni

JAMES SUCKLING 97 points
Fantastic aromas of blackberries, blackcurrants and graphite. Metal shavings. It's medium-bodied, with a classy center-palate of fruit and fine, velvety tannins leading to an almost endless finish. This has so much class, especially for the vintage. Very low production. Drink after 2028.

DECANTER 96 points
Tasted by: Georgina Hindle
(at Bordeaux, 01 Apr 2022)
Part of Pauillac 2021 in bottle: Overview plus top-scoring wines
Drinking Window: 2027 - 2045
Cocoa powder, iris notes, pink roses and black fruits - so fragrant - you just want to smell the wines in 2021 for hours. This is a seriously impressive Comtesse and stands out as one of my favourite wines of the vintage with real promise. Power and depth from the get go, tannins are massy, softly fleshy but also provide support and structure, giving layers to the fruit and savoury elements that combine clove, cedar, cola, vanilla and cinnamon with teeth-coating liquorice and graphite too - the soft salinity entering towards the finish. It's concentrated and serious with a tightly knitted core, a consequence of the tiny yields and strict selection as well as the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend since 2013. I love the terroir signature on show in the glass as well as an overall sense of retaining elegance and finesse. A top buy for me! 3.76pH, 75IPT. 18-19 months ageing. Tasted twice.
WINE ENTHUSIAST 96 points
Black-currant fruit aromas are also backed by a powerfully tannic wine. It is both elegant and concentrated, and its refined character comes from the stylish structure. The wine also has enormous potential. Drink from 2028. — Roger Voss

THE WINE ADVOCATE 95 points
Reviewed by: William Kelley
Drink Date: 2027 - 2045
The 2021 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande wafts from the glass with aromas of blackberries and minty cassis mingled with notes of violet, lavender, pencil shavings and rose petals. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and polished, it's beautifully seamless and complete, with a fleshy core of fruit, ripe acids and sweet, powdery tannins that assert themselves on the gently structured finish. This will offer a broad drinking window. It's one of the vintage's real successes, but it also represents only one-quarter of a "normal" production.
Published: Feb 08, 2024