Pichon Comtesse de Lalande - Pauillac 2020

Vinous

99-99

byNeal Martinthe2/28/2025

The 2020 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has one of the more opulent aromatic profiles amongst the flight of Pauillac wines, displaying black cherries, cassis, graphite and cedar. The palate is medium-bodied with svelte tannins and a silver bead of acidity. Silky smooth in texture, this retains impressive composure toward the finish, handling the weight of fruit with class. It improves with each swirl, though the bottle I tasted just after bottling had a touch more precision. Nevertheless, this a fabulous Pauillac that flirts with perfection. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

Alexandre Ma

98

byAlexandre Mathe4/18/2023

Wine Advocate

95

byWilliam Kelleythe4/6/2023

The 2020 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is very demonstrative out of the gates, bursting from the glass without any coaxing to exhibit aromas of sweet cassis and blueberries mingled with notions of clove, violets and lilac. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and polished, with a seamless, charming profile that exhibits no hard edges, it concludes with a nicely defined, spice-inflected finish. It's a superb exercise in haut couture winemaking, even if, to my palate, the 2019 offers a deeper dive into the estate's D.N.A.

Wine Spectator

97

byJames Molesworththe3/31/2023

A wow wine, packed with cassis, loganberry and mulberry flavors that hint at the vintage’s warmth, but this stays poised and fresh, with a sleek structure built on graphite and iron. There’s violet and lilac lift in the background and a groundswell of sweet tobacco, savory and singed cedar details that emerge through the finish, all with a fine-grained and rather luxurious feel. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2030 through 2045.

Jeb DUNNUCK

98

byJeb Dunnuckthe3/30/2023

The Grand Vin 2020 Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse De Lalande checks in as 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc that was raised in 60% new French oak. It has classic Pauillac character in its red, blue, and black fruits as well as graphite, cedar pencil, violet, and flower nuances. Seemingly from a cooler vintage with its purity, vibrancy, and focus, it nevertheless is concentrated and has ripe, gorgeous tannins, a great mid-palate, and a finish that keeps you coming back to the glass. A deep, concentrated, flawlessly balanced 2020 that's built for the long haul, it needs a solid decade of cellaring and will be a 50+-year wine. Of the recent trilogy of 2018, 2019, and 2020, director Nicolas Glumineau has been consist in preferring the 2020, although I think at this point the nudge goes to the 2019. Regardless, these are all truly singular, magical wines that every reader will be thrilled to have in the cellar. It's a good time to be a Bordeaux lover!

The Wine Cellar Insider

99

byJeff Levethe3/22/2023

A riveting wine in every sense of the word, the perfume grabs you with its array of flowers, spices, tobacco, currants, smoke, cedar and roasted plums. There is intensity, purity, precision and length, which is perfect for allowing you to experience all the layers of silky, sensuous fruits and freshness. The finish crosses the 50 second mark with ease and never looks back. With time in the bottle, this gem could hit triple digits, it is that good! Drink from 2027-2065.

Alexandre Ma

98

byAlexandre Mathe3/15/2023

Wines Critic

97

byRaffaele Vecchionethe3/10/2023

There's Pauillac in the glass with strong notes of cassis, Mediterranean herbs, ginseng and gentian roots, white almonds, elderflowers and lavender. Medium to full bodied, extremely elegant tannins and a graceful, juicy finale. It lengthens beautifully showing absolutely no signs of austerity from the start. Better from 2025.

Vinous

97

byAntonio Gallonithe2/24/2023

The 2020 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is an opulent, massively tannic wine that is going to need many years to come together. Waves of dark fruit, leather, dried flowers and chocolate emerge with great reluctance, framed by huge, insistent tannins that never let up. The 2020 is a wine for readers who can be very, very patient. I am not sure when the 2020 is going to be ready to drink, but it is not likely to be anytime soon. Tasted two times.

Vinous

98

byNeal Martinthe2/15/2023

The 2020 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has a very intense bouquet with layers of black fruit, hints of seaweed/brine, crushed stone, and perhaps less mint than it displayed from barrel. This possesses stunning delineation, like a perfect C major chord echoing around an empty cathedral. The palate is very well balanced, much more classic in style than its barrel showing, saline to its core, with hints of brine. A Pauillac where you can really sense the Gironde estuary flowing through its veins. Nicolas Glumineau has one of his finest creations on his hands, and when it grows up, it will be challenging First Growths.

Jamessuckling.com

98

byJames Sucklingthe1/16/2023

Aromas of blueberries and blackcurrants with some stone and sandalwood undertones. Medium-bodied with a solid core of fruit and a fresh and delicious finish. Classy tannins that are fine and textured. Such sophistication. Drink after 2027 and onwards.

Vinous

95-97

byAntonio Gallonithe6/1/2021

The 2020 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is holding so much in reserve. Tightly wound and not fully expressive, the 2020 is going to need at least a few years to come out of its shell. Bright acids and persistent tannins give the 2020 a super classic, mid-weight feel. I very much like the wine's persistence. Readers will have to be patient with the 2020. The exuberance of some recent vintages is not present today. The blend is 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc, which means a touch more Cabernet Sauvignon than in recent years, and quite a bit more than in the past. Harvest ran from September 7 to October 1, which is about ten days earlier than normal. In the cellar, Estate Manager Nicolas Glumineau opted for light extractions, with minimal pumpovers of just one volume of wine per day, at no more than 25 degrees Celsius. Time on the skins was 21 days, pretty much the norm these days. Tasted two times.

Jeb DUNNUCK

98-100

byJeb Dunnuckthe5/28/2021

An estate that has been on fire of late, the 2020 Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse De Lalande is another brilliant wine in a succession of brilliant wines. Revealing a dense purple hue as well as full-bodied aromas and flavors of blac currants, scorched earth, tobacco leaf, and violets, it hits the palate with an expansive, rich, yet pure, precise texture that carries fabulous tannins, perfect balance, and a stacked mid-palate. Based on 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc, it's an incredible wine that's going to flirt with perfection and is unquestionably one of the finest, if not the finest, Left Banks in the vintage. Bravo. Tasted twice.

Vinous

96-98

byNeal Martinthe5/27/2021

The 2020 Pichon-Lalande has a backward nose similar to that of its neighbor Pichon-Baron, and so I decanted the bottle for 45 minutes. It then revealed gorgeous scents of blackberry, wild hedgerow, seaweed (Japanese nori) and wild mint. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit and gentle but insistent grip. Very intense but not ripe; there is a coolness about this Pauillac that I like, while the finish is very classically styled and leaves behind a persistent, slightly briny aftertaste. This is a magnificent, cerebral Pichon-Lalande that will deserve serious aging and the patience of anyone still waiting for The Cure's new album. Tasted three times, including directly from the château.

Decanter.com

96

byJane Ansonthe5/25/2021

Softer and silkier than many Pauillacs in the vintage, this is a clear success. Hugely silky and seductive, with grip, power and finesse. One of the best of the appellation, with finessed tobacco, heather and plump blueberry and cassis fruit, expertly managing the low 30hl/ha yield. 60% new oak. Tasted twice.

The Wine Cellar Insider

97-99

byJeff Levethe5/21/2021

Deep, dark and almost opaque in hue, the perfume is intoxicating with its spice box, dark Cuban cigars, violets, lilacs, oak, savory herbs, roasted plums, currants and cigar box aromas. On the palate the wine is pure silk and velvet with layer after layer of supple textured fruits. Silky, sexy and sensuous, there is richness, depth of flavor, length and purity here that is a treat to feel and taste. The wine blends 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc, 13.6% ABV 3.82 pH. Picking took place September 9 - September 30. Yields were low, 30 hectoliters per hectare, 60% of the harvest was placed into the Grand Vin. 97-99

Wine Advocate

95-97

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe5/20/2021

Deep purple-black in color, the 2020 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande begins on a single, well-defined, wonderfully pure note of ripe blackcurrants, opening out to a melody of redcurrant jelly, kirsch, ripe blackberries and tar, with emerging suggestions of dark chocolate, cardamom, ground cloves and violets, with a waft of black truffles. Medium-bodied, tightly wound and with loads of fantastically nuanced black fruit layers, it has a rock-solid frame of finely grained tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. The blend this year is 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc.

Anthocyanes

95-97

byYohan Castaingthe5/11/2021

Nez de fruits très murs, violette, épices, un peu cassis avec une trame mentholée à l'aération. Bouche ronde, suave, structure moyennement dense avec du velouté et un bel enrobage. Pas le plus massif des Comtesse mais la fraicheur et le velouté contrebalancent cela. Beau potentiel de garde.

Bernard Burtschy

96-97

byBernard Burtschythe5/10/2021

Falstaff

96-98

byPeter Moserthe5/10/2021

Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Zart floral unterlegte reife Kirschenfrucht, feine Nuancen von Brombeer und Cassis, zart nach Kadamom, Gewürznelken und kandierte Orangenzesten, einladendes Bukett. Saftig, feine Süße, reife Pflaumen, ein Hauch von Nougat, reife Tannine, gute Länge, zarte Röstaromen im Abgang, sicheres Reifepotenzial.

My Bettane + Desseauve

96

by Bettane & Desseauvethe5/7/2021

Jamessuckling.com

96-97

byJames Sucklingthe4/23/2021

This is extremely structured, but with a level of polish and refinement that highlights the excellence of the terroir. Very long and expansive on the palate, showing class and beauty. Powerful.