The 2018 Pichon Comtesse de Lalande is a beautifully structured wine, showcasing bold aromas of baked plums, ripe blackcurrants, wild blueberries, and subtle notes of cedar, pencil lead, and lilacs. The medium-bodied palate is refined, with seamlessly integrated tannins and a vibrant freshness supporting its rich black fruit profile. This wine is firm and tightly knit, demonstrating great aging potential. It is already approachable, but for optimal enjoyment, cellar it for a few more years. Expect this wine to continue evolving gracefully for decades to come.

Decanter | D 98
Published: Nov 10, 2020
Drink: 2026-2038

Lovely grilled and graphite notes right off the bat; this is big and muscular, and extremely Pauillac. There is grace here too, with raspberry purée, cassis, fig and blackberry fruits set against charcoal and fine tannins that quickly build up to suggest how well this will age. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 60% new oak used. 13% press wine. 3.75pH, 88IPT – higher even than the 80IPT in 2016.

The Wine Advocate | RP 97+
Published: Mar 31, 2021
Drink: 2026-2056

The 2018 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot with a pH of 3.85, an IPT (total polyphenol index) of 87 and 14% alcohol. The grand vin represents 50% of the crop this year. Deep garnet-purple colored, it charges out of the gate with bold scents of baked plums, ripe blackcurrants and wild blueberries, followed by hints of cedar chest, pencil lead, bouquet garni and charcuterie, plus a waft of lilacs. The medium-bodied palate is beautifully crafted with its seamless freshness and firm, grainy tannins supporting the compelling, finely knit black fruits and savory nuances, finishing on a lingering fragrant-earth note. This will need a good 5 years to come around and should easily cellar for another 30 years or more.

James Suckling | JS 97
Published: Jan 18, 2021

Aromas of blackberry, dried blueberry, gravel, mocha and cigar box. Light fresh-herb undertone. It’s full-bodied with firm, ultra fine tannins and fresh acidity. Focused and minerally with a long finish. Great length. Very tight and restrained at the moment. Wait until at least 2026 to take a look.

Jancis Robinson | JR 17.5
Published: Feb 10, 2022
Drink: 2026-2045

Tasted blind. Richly nuanced deep crimson. Light nose but the suggestion that there is a lot there. Gentle and subtle with a glorious combination of ripe fruit and ripe tannin with freshness. Much less chewy than many others and already approachable, which perhaps forfeits half a point. But a lovely wine for now. 

Pichon-comtesse.com

« Like the creation of a brand-new blend, music, through its vibrations and the unique way it resonates, has this incredible power of plunging us into our inner silence, into our most intimate emotions.
Each tune chosen forges close ties with wine and history, our history, that of Pichon Comtesse. Where were we? What did we feel? Which path did we take? And what about you? What will you feel? That’s how wine is set to music… » Nicolas Glumineau

2018 – Bedrich Smetana: Má Vlast, JB1:112: II. Vltava (The Moldau)

Technical Specs

Alcohol: 14.0%
Closure: Natural Cork
Vintage: 2018
Oak: French oak barrels; approximately 60% new oak
Varietals: 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot
Vineyard: Gravel, clay and sand soils; average vine age approximately 35 years
Harvest: 13 September – 11 October 2018
Vinification: Plot-by-plot vinification in temperature-controlled wooden or stainless-steel vats; maceration for 18–24 days with frequent pump-overs
Ageing: 18 months in French oak barrels, a little over 50% new oak, with the remainder in second-fill barrels
Winemaker: Nicolas Glumineau
Region: Pauillac, Bordeaux, France
Classification: 2ème Grand Cru Classé (Second Growth), 1855 Classification

Serving Temperature: 16–18°C
Decanting: Decant for approximately 2 hours before serving to allow the wine to open; adjust according to its development in the glass
Food Pairing: Roast lamb, beef tenderloin, venison, duck, truffle dishes, grilled red meats and mature cheeses