2023 Chateau Pichon Comtesse de Lalande
Pauillac’s Second Grand Cru Classé, Château Pichon dazzles with its 2023 vintage. The nose reveals an elegant bouquet of liquorice, blackcurrant, and floral notes, evolving into earthy freshness. The palate, powerful yet balanced, offers layers of black and blue fruits, pastry, and cedar, stretching to a noble, persistent finish. Crafted with meticulous care, this wine embodies the estate’s storied legacy and commitment to excellence.
Wine Advocate
The 2023 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a brilliant wine that will be worth a special effort to track down. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of wild berries and cassis mingled with licorice, lilac, iris root, violet, burning embers and pencil shavings, it's medium to full-bodied, seamless and complete, with a deep, layered core of cool fruit that largely conceals it's ultra-refined structuring tannins. At a very measured 13% alcohol and 3.67 pH, it unites all Pichon Comtesse's sensuality with unimpeachable Pauillac classicism. The 2023 is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc.
Vinous
The 2023 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande was picked from September 6 until 29, with some rain on September 20 in the middle of Cabernet picking. But, Nicolas Glumineau remarked that the vineyard/fruit was in good condition; one day of rain did not affect the quality. The 2023 has a quintessential Comtesse bouquet, displaying pure and expressive black fruit laced with violet and graphite, delivered with impressive delineation. The palate is very refined on the entry. This is armed with beguiling symmetry—poised yet intense on the finish. It doesn’t exert huge grip because it knows it doesn't need to, and it fans out gloriously. Outstanding.
James Suckling
Wow. This is really excellent, with superb finesse and focus. It has tight density that is almost diamond-like in its brilliance. Medium to full body, with a quality of tannin that is incredibly seamless. Like silk in texture. A top Pichon Lalande. From organic and biodynamically grown grapes. 80% cabernet sauvignon, 17% merlot and 3% cabernet franc. May be better than 2022
Jeb Dunnuck
The Grand Vin 2023 Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse De Lalande checks in as 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc. It's a beautiful, elegant wine offering incredible finesse and elegance in its darker, almost blue fruits as well as graphite, violets, and crushed stone-like minerality. Medium to full-bodied, balanced, with silky tannins, as well as outstanding length, it brings that classic Comtesse round, seductive, sexy style and is another gorgeous wine from this remarkable team.
Decanter
This smells divine, lovely lush blackcurrant and black cherry characters on the nose with pencil led, graphite, liquorice and menthol elements - very Pauillac on the nose. Gorgeous weight, supple and agile, great movement and energy to this. Acidity makes this buzzy, tangy and bright but not over the top, this keeps its structure and retains a serious directness from start to finish. Generous licks of minerality adds some cool classicism to it. Sleek and refined, precise and very drinkable. One of a number of brilliant Pauillac wines in 2023. Winemaker Nicolas Glumineau wants it to be racy and it’s certainly racy. 50% grand vin production, 50% second. 3.67pH, 14.7% press wine only Cabernet. Ageing 19 months, 60-65% new oak and then one wine barrels.