2022 Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Pauillac

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, often referred to as Pichon Lalande, is a distinguished Second Growth (Deuxième Cru Classé) estate located in the Pauillac appellation of Bordeaux's Left Bank. Established in the late 17th century by Pierre de Mazure de Rauzan, the estate has a rich history intertwined with the Pichon Longueville family. In 1850, the property was divided, leading to the creation of two separate estates: Pichon Longueville Baron and Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. The latter was named after Virginie de Pichon Longueville, the Comtesse de Lalande, who inherited a portion of the estate and significantly influenced its development.

In 2007, the estate was acquired by the Rouzaud family, owners of Champagne Louis Roederer, ushering in a new era of innovation and excellence. Under the guidance of Managing Director Nicolas Glumineau, formerly of Château Montrose, the estate has continued to uphold its reputation for producing wines of exceptional elegance and complexity.

The 2022vintage is a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc, harvested from September 6 to 27. This vintage is noted for its exceptional balance and depth, with an alcohol content of 13.65% and a pH of 3.80. Yields were 30 hectoliters per hectare, with only 50% of the harvest designated for the Grand Vin.

2022 was an extraordinary vintage for Bordeaux, it was blessed with a 95-98 pt review by Wine Spectator who said: "A new paradigm for Bordeaux. Very aromatic and sleek, fresh and pure in feel, with all major varietals performing well; far more consistent than the 2018-2020 trio."

78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc. The wine presents an inky, dark garnet hue. On the nose, it reveals layers of leather, cedar, spice, flowers, truffle, mint, currants,and dark cherries.The palate is pure silk, with no edges or corners, offering a seamlessand expansive experience. The mid-palate showcases currants and plums, leading to a finish that is balanced and enduring, lasting over 60 seconds. This vintage is hailed as potentially the best ever produced by the estate.

Deep dark ruby in colour with an almost inky, opaque core, purple reflections, and subtle brightening on the rim. On the nose, a very inviting bouquet of cassis and clove, dark wild berries, ripe cherry, and fine nougat. The full-bodied, elegant palate is fresh and complex with a sweet, chocolatey texture, great length and harmony with tremendous drive, and a saline finish that is never-ending. The successor to the legendary 1982 is born, the most delicate Pauillac in a long time. ~100 Falstaff

One of the gems from Pauillac is unquestionably the 2022 Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse De Lalande, which is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. A hypothetical blend of the 2019 and 2020, it's a full-bodied, concentrated, opulent Comtesse offering beautiful blue fruits, some chocolate, leafy herbs, and undeniable minerality, ripe, velvety tannins, and a great finish. Despite the higher Cabernet Sauvignon component, this stays silky, expansive, and incredibly sexy. It's going to be drinkable with just 4-5 years of bottle age but should have a lengthy drink window. Hats off to director Nicolas Glumineau for another legendary wine from this château. ~97-100 JD

I love the aromatics here with botanicals as well as currants, blackberries and oranges. Full-bodied with incredible tannins that build on the palate with finesse and focus. Featherlight but always there. Stealth in structure. Very vertical. Savory. Superb. 78% cabernet sauvignon, 17% merlot and 5% cabernet franc. ~98-99 JS

One of my favourite wines from 2022, utterly seductive from the first sip, this is a stunning effort that shows the power of Pauillac in 2022 delivered with elegance and class. Heavily scented on the nose, full of dark fruits, savoury notes of salty chocolate and floral scents. Smooth and so appealing in the mouth, the texture stands out, deep and rich but soft and chalky, tannins have a subtle powderiness that spreads the mouth, cooling and refreshing and giving the minerality while the cool black and blue fruits linger in layers expanding vertically. This is so refined and polished - it's serious no doubt, not super fun, but it doesn’t need to be, it’s rich and sumptuous with sweet blue fruits balanced by high acidity that keeps the focus and energy. Bright, bold, well worked, clean, crystalline and pure. Somehow delicate and punchy at the same time. A mind-blowing wine that you just have to marvel at with intensity, brightness and vibrancy, building as it goes. A long, clean finish leaves you wanting more, salivating for that next sip. 3.8pH. A potential 100-point wine. 3.8pH. 50% grand vin. Tasted twice. ~98 Decanter

The 2022 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is one wine where a comparison with this estate's magical 1982 doesn't appear to be far-fetched. Wafting from the glass with deep aromas of cassis, plums, violets, rose petals, tobacco leaf and pencil shavings, it's full-bodied, supple and fleshy, with a layered, seamless core of fruit that largely conceals its chassis of powdery structuring tannin. Concluding with a long, expansive and beautifully perfumed finish, it's a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc that has the potential to equal or even surpass the 2019 and 2016 vintages at this address. It checks in at a very classical 13.6% alcohol and a rather high pH of 3.80. ~97-99 WA

The 2022 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is magnificent. In recent years, Estate Director Nicolas Glumineau has pushed Pichon Comtesse to the limit. Maybe even a bit too far. But the 2022 is in the end a super-classic wine that emphasizes mid-weight structure, aromatic presence and persistence more than size. Sweet floral, savory and mineral accents run through a core of ripe, racy red-toned fruit. All the elements are so well balanced. Tasted four times. ~96-99 AG-VM

The 2022 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande was picked 6 to 27 September at 30hL/ha, the drought chipping away so that one-third was eventually lost. This has 13.65% alcohol and pH of 3.80. There is 17.5% pressed wine, the highest ever. This has a subtle bouquet, not understated but it unfurls in the glass (unlike others that explode.) Blackberry and cedar, light touches of mint, a hint of dark chocolate. The palate is medium-bodied with a velvety texture with lovely balanced, gentle but insistent grip, slightly granular as it fans out with black fruit, cedar and light graphite notes. This is a very suave Pichon-Lalande that will age with style. ~96-98 NM-VM

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