Pichon Comtesse de Lalande

Wine Advocate

88 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/30/2000

This hedonistic, luscious, sexy, opulently-textured Pichon-Lalande is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Exhibiting a dark ruby color with purple nuances, it is open-knit, with plentiful quantities of roasted herbs, smoky oak, vanillin, and creamy black currant fruit. A lush texture, low acidity, and an accessible, velvety-textured style will have many admirers. Consume it over the next decade.

Wine Spectator

85 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe1/31/2000

A pretty wine, even though it's rather light for this estate. Medium- to light-bodied, with berry, spice and toasted oak character. Soft finish. Drink now

Wine Advocate

87-89 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/30/1999

Readers will enjoy the 1997 Pichon-Lalande. Its dark ruby color is accompanied by luscious, black cherry and currant fruit intermixed with notes of mocha, smoke, and toast. The wine displays excellent richness, a sweet, expansive mid-palate, medium body, and a supple finish. It will provide ideal drinking during its first 10-12 years of life. Restaurants and readers who are unable to defer their gratification, take notice!

Wine Advocate

87-88 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/30/1998

It seems to me that Pichon-Lalande aimed for an elegant style of wine in 1997, avoiding any attempt to over-extract. Consequently, it turned out a wine with more depth, but also astringent tannin. It is an elegant, medium-bodied Pichon-Lalande that will drink well young. If it puts on a bit more weight and intensity, it will merit a slightly higher score. This estate's harvest took place between September 19 and early October. Only 40% of the production was considered good enough for the grand vin. A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and a whopping 10% Petit Verdot, the wine exhibits a dark ruby color, followed by a forward, sweet black cherry and cassis-scented nose, and fleshy, medium-bodied, open-knit, low acid flavors. The finish is slightly short, but the wine is stylish, graceful, and easy to drink and understand. It should age well for 10-12 years. An expressive wine aromatically, with light tannin in the finish, Pichon-Lalande's 1997 is a captivating and pleasing wine, but to put it in perspective, it is not comparable to the fabulous 1996 and 1995, or even the underrated, impressive 1994.