A Chateau with Innovation and History
Pierre de Rauzan bought plots of vineyards in Pauillac to later be divided into what is now Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande and Pichon Baron. Part of the land de Rauzan purchased was given away as dowery in 1850, when his daughter married into the Baron de Pichon-Longueville family. This is where Pichon Lalande earned its name. Quite astonishingly, this winery was owned by a mere two families for three centuries – quite a rare feat for a Bordeaux Chateau. The estate encompasses 220 acres of vineyards, with plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. In 2012, the winery was renovated to create a more modernised facility. The renovation included a new triple tiered cellar where everything moves by gravity, and underground barrel ageing cellar amongst other green initiatives in the vineyard. As of 2014, about 15 acres of land were set aside for experimenting with different farming techniques. Half is set up for organic farming, while the other half is used exclusively with biodynamic farming.
The Pichon Longueville Comtesse Lalande 2009 is a wine you want to hold on for years to come. While the wine is soft enough to open up a bottle tonight, you will be missing out on the nuances and secondary flavours that come with age. This wine would be best with at least 10 to 12 years of bottle age. The wine is bursting with notes of ripe cherry, floral, liquorice, truffle and spices. On the palate the wine is silky, fresh and lively with dark berries. It has great layers of ripe fruit and a perfume filled with earth, tobacco and blackcurrant that will get even better with age.
Parker : 97+ / 100
J. Robinson : 16 / 20
Wine Advocate-Parker :
Deep garnet colored, the 2009 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a little reticent to begin, slowly giving way to notions of warm black cherries, blackcurrant cordial, stewed plums and sautéed herbs with hints of damp soil, tobacco and beef drippings. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with tightly wound black fruit and earthy layers, framed by ripe, fine-grained tannins and lovely freshness making for a long, lively finish. Classic!
