Pichon Comtesse de Lalande - Pauillac 2016

Wine Advocate

100

byWilliam Kelleythe8/11/2022

One of the greatest wines that this estate has produced in the modern era, the 2016 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a brilliant classic that no Bordeaux lover is going to want to do without. Mingling aromas of cassis and plums with notions of licorice, sweet tobacco leaf, rich soil tones, licorice, cigar smoke and violets, it's full-bodied, seamless and complete, with huge concentration, bright acids and a long, penetrating finish. Standing out for its unerring precision, impeccable balance and ineffable sense of completeness, it should prove almost immortal.

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

100

byJane Ansonthe7/9/2021

Hard to fault the confident, tightrope-walking balance of muscular tannins, concentrated berry fruit and vibrant acidities. Sings of Pauillac, but a sophisticated, well-finessed version. Still young, but the wall of tannins is bouncy, rippling with silk and satin, along with liqourice, cocoa bean and camp fire smoke. Assume it will close down over the next few years, so make the most of it now with a long carafe, or wait for 5 to 10 years. 40hl/h yield, 60% new oak, and a long, slow harvest from September 20 to October 20.

Vinous

97

byNeal Martinthe8/13/2020

The 2016 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is very expressive on the nose, displaying more red fruit than the 2016 Lynch-Bages, but retaining classic Pauillac style thanks to tobacco and cedar scents that manifest with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity. Very harmonious, leading to a pure and very detailed, almost pixelated finish that is utterly seductive. I would guess this is Pichon-Lalande [Post-edit: Bingo!] Superb. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting.

Jancis Robinson

18

byJancis Robinsonthe2/5/2020

Yvesbeck.wine

99

byYves Beckthe3/20/2019

Pourpre violacé. Le bouquet de Pichon Comtesse 2016 se distingue par sa finesse, sa complexité, son aptitude à présenter un nez aussi expressif avec tant de subtilités. Filigranes notes de cassis, de myrtilles, épices et finalement une touche de cèdre et de graphite. Clairement, le bouquet revendique l'élégance variétale du Cabernet Sauvignon. A l'aération, je relève également du bois de réglisse et de la cannelle. La mise en bouche continue dans la logique de finesse et de précision. Tous les éléments présents sont en parfaite synthèse. Il y a du jus, de la puissance, de la finesse et beaucoup de fraîcheur. Le tout idéalement soutenu par une structure qui elle assure l'avenir. Les tannins sont majestueux, précis, puissants, aux grains très fins. Ils confèrent une touche suave qui est de pair avec l'expression aromatique fruitée. Un très grand Pichon qui titille la note absolue et je suis convaincu qu'un jour il l'atteindra. Il me manque juste un dernier déclic fruité tout en fin de bouche. 2026-2061 99/100

Jeb DUNNUCK

100

byJeb Dunnuckthe3/1/2019

Coming from the genius winemaking talent of Nicolas Glumineau, the 2016 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande matches the 1982 and is a perfect, legendary wine in the making. A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc brought up in 60% new oak, it's not the most powerful Left Bank but offers perfect balance and thrilling intensity as well as heavenly aromatics of crème de cassis, leafy herbs, jammy blackberries, tobacco leaf, and freshly sharpened lead pencils as well as more violets and minerality with time in the glass. Possessing a deep, full-bodied, singular character, the purity of fruit that's the hallmark of the vintage, building tannins, and a sense of class and elegance that's hard to describe, it's a 50-year-wine. While this cuvée has included a fair chunk of Merlot in the past that gave it more upfront appeal, it's important for readers to know it's much more Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated today, and while it is slightly more approachable than some of its neighbors, it shuts down rather quickly with time in the glass. (I followed this wine for multiple days.) I suspect a solid decade of cellaring is warranted.

Wine Spectator

97

byJames Molesworththe2/5/2019

Saturated with dark currant, fig and blackberry compote flavors, this has a fleshy, nearly glycerin feel at first before stretching out to reveal singed cedar, tobacco leaf, dark earth and cassis bush flavors. A terrific tug of cast iron emerges at the very end. Deliciously juicy dark fruit keeps rolling throughout. Best from 2025 through 2040.   –JM

Jamessuckling.com

98

byJames Sucklingthe2/4/2019

Glorious aromas of blackcurrants, blackberries and flowers, from violets to roses. Iron and rust undertones. Full-bodied, dense and very layered with loads of richness. It goes on for minutes. Reminds me of the 1986. Best in decades? Take a first look at it in 2025.

Vinous

97

byNeal Martinthe1/24/2019

The 2016 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has an enthralling bouquet of tobacco-infused black fruit, shaved truffle and pencil shavings; crushed stone emerges with continued aeration. The Cabernet Sauvignon is clearly in the driving seat here, just like the 1996. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannin, more saline and marine-influenced than Pichon Baron, and a tad spicier toward the finish, which is one of the most impressively persistent I have ever encountered in a Pichon-Lalande, fanning out with gusto and leaving the mouth still tingling 60 seconds after it has departed. This is a benchmark for the estate, the best Nicolas Glumineau has overseen in his tenure... thus far.

Vinous

100

byAntonio Gallonithe1/21/2019

The 2016 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is every bit as regal as it has always been. Towering and spectacularly rich in the glass, the 2016 captures every ounce of potential is showed from barrel. The 2016 is a vivid, dramatically sweeping wine will leave readers week at the knees. Beams of tannin give the 2016 soaring intensity that is matched by a host of aromas and flavors that open up in the glass. Blackberry jam, graphite, spice, menthol, licorice, pencil shavings and spice are all finely sketc in a bold, savory Pauillac that hits all the right notes. The 2016 Pichon Comtesse has been riveting on each of the four occasions I have tasted it from barrel thus far, making it easily one of the wines of the vintage. Nicolas Glumineu and his team turned out epic Pichon Comtesse in 2016. Don't miss it!

Wine Advocate

98

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe11/30/2018

The 2016 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is blended of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc aged for 18 months in 60% new oak. Deep purple-black in color, it is a little mute, slowly unfurling to reveal a core of crushed blackcurrants, blueberry compote and black raspberries with nuances of cinnamon stick, violets, star anise, menthol and pencil shavings plus a waft of fallen leaves. Medium-bodied and super intense in the mouth, the palate bursts with black fruits and savory layers, complemented by red fruit sparks and framed by fantastically ripe, fine-grained tannins, finishing very long with a lingering suggestion of minerality.

Decanter.com

98

byJane Ansonthe10/26/2018

Vinous

97-100

byAntonio Gallonithe10/20/2017

Wow! The 2016 Pichon Lalande is one of the must-have wines of the year. I felt that way every time I saw it during the spring en primeur tastings. A few more months in bottle has only made that potential even more obvious. At once powerful and yet also delicate, the 2016 is a regal, aristocratic wine endowed with class and pedigree to burn. The crème de cassis, violet, graphite and menthol flavors are finely sketched, sure, but what stands out most is the wine’s extraordinary balance. While the 2015 is a soloist, the 2016 is an orchestra.

WeinWisser

19,5

byTjark Witzgallthe5/22/2017

75 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 21 % Merlot, 4 % Cabernet Franc, 40 hl/ha. Tiefes Purpur mit satter Mitte. Welch ein Parfüm von Cassis und Heidelbeeren! Dahinter Lakritze und Kokos, sowie aufkommende Schokonoten, und trotz dieser Dichte der Aromen niemals die Balance verlierend. Am kräftigen Gaumen zeigt er viel Charme, perfekt ausgereifte Tannine und eine Explosion von blaubeeriger Frucht und Mineralik im Rückaroma. Das Ganze mündet in ein nicht enden wollendes Finale mit Brombeeren und ein Crescendo, das seinesgleichen sucht. Der Pichon- omtesse reiht sich daher vor Mouton-Rothschild und ganz knapp hinter Lafite und Latour auf Platz 3 ein. Kann in der perfekten Trinkreife noch die Maximalnote erreichen!

Bettane & Desseauve

97-98

by Bettane & Desseauvethe5/3/2017

Le plus complet depuis le rachat par Roederer, et une expression noble et complexe du terroir de Pauillac (notes de cèdre et de havane très fines), dans un corps retrouvant une grande plénitude et droiture. Il méritera peut-être une note plus élevée après mise. Ici aussi, la plus forte proportion de cabernet sauvignon depuis longtemps, ce qui ne l’empêche pas d’être assez différent de son baron de voisin !

Wine Advocate

96-98

byNeal Martinthe5/2/2017

The 2016 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc (compare that to the 2010 that had 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, for example--that should give you some pointers). The alcohol level is 13.32% and a pH of 3.76. I tasted from a new oak barrel and the final blend will include around 60% new wood and 40% one year old, which is something I took into account. It has a very succinct bouquet, one that is almost understated at first, gradually unfolding with blackberry, cedar and graphite scents, in the vein of say the 1986 or 1996 Pichon Lalande of the past. The palate is very well balanced and what I appreciate here is that it is still as much identifiable as Pichon Lalande as it is a Pauillac and a 2016. There is that touch of roundness imparted by the Merlot, even though the Cabernet dominates the blend, surely the terroir sculpting the wine. It gently builds in intensity, maintaining freshness, a gentle but insistent grip towards the finish and a very long aftertaste. This is probably just a notch up on the outstanding 2015 Pichon-Lalande, a Rolls Royce with a purring engine.

The Wine Cellar Insider

98-100

byJeff Levethe4/27/2017

Deep, ark in color, the espresso, cigar box, tobacco, spice, forest floor, blackberry, cassis, lead pencil and dark red fruits make an incredible perfume. Pure silk and velvet, this is so sexy, it’s off the charts. Opulent, in fact, decadent, this wine tastes and feels so majestic I drank it all! This is the best vintage since the majestic 1982 and that is really saying something. Made from a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc, it reached 13.32% alcohol with a pH of 3.76. The harvest took place September 20 to October 20.

Vinous

97-100

byAntonio Gallonithe4/26/2017

A deeply emotional, moving wine, the 2016 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is simply extraordinary. The tannins are nearly buried by the sheer intensity of the fruit, while the 100% new oak is remarkably well integrated at this stage. Dark, powerful and brooding, the 2016 possesses remarkable polish for such a big wine. The purity of the flavors is simply captivating. Scents of graphite, smoke, leather, tobacco and menthol soar from the glass, enhancing a core of deep, plush, dark fruit. All the elements fuse together in a wine of nearly unparalleled beauty. Although not inexpensive, Pichon-Lalande is arguably the single finest relative value in ageworthy wine in Bordeaux right now. Readers should do whatever they can to pick up the 2016. It is without question one of the wines of the vintage and potentially a legendary wine in the making. Tasted three wines.

Decanter.com

98

byJane Ansonthe4/25/2017

Beautiful mix of power and restraint that you can almost reach out and touch. The extraction is so silky that the effect is a wine that seems endless, suspended above your palate, caressing it and teasing you to find the tannins that are very much hidden. There are some rich coffee seams that fill out on the mid-palate with cassis and ripe blackberry notes, whipped together with violets and peonies. The juicy, mouthwatering quality just keeps on coming. The blend is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc from yields around 40hl/ha and with an IPT of 82, 10% higher than in 2010 but you simply can't tell. This is clearly going to age and age. One of the wines of the vintage, and I am ready to be seduced. Drinking Window 2027 - 2050

matthewjukes.com

18,5

byMatthew Jukesthe4/25/2017

(75 Cabernet Sauvignon, 21 Merlot, 4 Cabernet Franc) | 50% new oak | 13.3% alc. |81 IPT This wine has a profound aroma with focussed flavours, once again, coming from very small berries. Honed, dusty tannins mark the finish and this underlines the fact that this is a wine which will age well. The Merlot makes itself heard in the blend with some red highlights which differentiate it from the other top Pauillacs and overall this is an impressive wine loaded with class and integrity. Nicolas Glumineau compares it to the 1996 and, by chance, I tasted that wine during the En Primeur week and I must concur! 18.5+

Decanter.com

98

byJane Ansonthe4/24/2017

Beautiful mix of power and restraint that you can almost reach out and touch. The extraction is so silky that the effect is a wine that seems endless, suspended above your palate, caressing it and teasing you to find the tannins that are very much hidden. There are some rich coffee seams that fill out on the mid-palate with cassis and ripe blackberry notes, whipped together with violets and peonies. The juicy, mouthwatering quality just keeps on coming. The blend is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc from yields around 40hl/ha and with an IPT of 82, 10% higher than in 2010 but you simply can't tell. This is clearly going to age and age. One of the wines of the vintage, and I am ready to be seduced. Drinking Window 2027 - 2050

Jancis Robinson

17

byJancis Robinsonthe4/21/2017

Blackish crimson. Sweet start and much less obvious density than some, very Merlot and just a little soft. Super-supple certainly… But where's the beef?17-

Le Figaro

19,5

byBernard Burtschythe4/20/2017

Un vin sensuel, profond, vibrant.

Wine Enthusiast

96-98

byRoger Vossthe4/19/2017

Barrel Sample. Dense tannins and dark fruits are just a part of this wine's complex character. It is ripe, full of blackberries, yet solid, with a structure that balances the fruit. It should age extremely well; be ready be prepared to hold this for 15 years or more.

Wine Spectator

95-98

byJames Molesworththe4/10/2017

Light savory and tobacco notes peek out from the core, but a ball of cassis and blackberry fruit is still coiled up with the strong iron spine. This is to be expected. Very pure, with a long finish. Risk-free cellaring.—J.M.

Jamessuckling.com

96-97

byJames Sucklingthe4/5/2017

Linear and racy with ultra-fine tannins and a gorgeous center palate. Full-bodied, tight and so polished. The classicism and beauty are exceptional. Love the texture. Better than 2015?