Pichon Comtesse Réserve

5/7/2019 WeinWisser WEINWISSER : 18 / 20 5/1/2019 Vinous VINOUS (ANTONIO GALLONI) : 89-92 / 100 The 2018 Réserve de la Comtesse is a very pretty second wine from Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. Pliant, creamy and inviting, the Reserve is attractive, but also a bit laid back relative to recent vintages in which the Réserve was perhaps a more serious, structured wine. The Réserve is built around a core of younger vine's fruit. The more accessible style is most likely explained by the natural heterogeneity of the vintage itself. The blend is 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Tasted four times. 5/1/2019 Jeb DUNNUCK JEB DUNNUCK (JEB DUNNUCK) : 92-94 / 100 Starting with the second wine of the estate, the 2018 Réserve De Comtesse checks as a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. It's another rock star of a second wine that taste more like a grand vin with its terrific perfume of crème de cassis, blackberry, graphite, high-class tobacco, and earth. It's deep, medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and has serious length. 4/23/2019 The Wine Cellar Insider THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER (JEFF LEVE) : 90-92 / 100 Classified Growth in quality with layers of ripe, sweet, lush fruits, Pauillac character, espresso, spice and green olives along with the backbone to age. Buy this beauty and drink it while waiting for the Grand Vin to mature. 4/23/2019 Wine Advocate WINE ADVOCATE (LISA PERROTTI-BROWN) : 92-94 / 100 Most of the plots that were planted since 2011 have gone into this. This second wine represents 41% of the crop. A blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, the very deep purple-black colored 2018 Reserve de la Comtesse opens slowly to offers glimpses and dusty soil, Sichuan pepper, garrigue and tobacco over a core of warm black cherries, cassis and blackberry pie plus a waft of crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with juicy black fruits and loads of earth/mineral nuances, finishing with lovely freshness and a quiet intensity. Very impressive. 4/17/2019 Decanter.com DECANTER.COM (JANE ANSON) : 93 / 100 As with the first wine of Comtesse, this is one to look out for in 2018. It’s seductive but with a minerality and pull through the palate joined by plush raspberry and damson fruits – so much depth but also so pretty. As the tannins close in the finish is a little tighter than the mid-palate and when you return to it after tasting the first wine the fruit flavours have been joined by liquorice and touches of woodsmoke, it’s delicious. The split is 50/50 between first and second wine in 2018, with over 90% of the total production used. 1% Cabernet Franc makes up the blend. 9% press wine. 3.85pH, 87IPT. 4/12/2019 Jamessuckling.com JAMESSUCKLING.COM (JAMES SUCKLING) : 93-94 / 100 A rich and dense second wine of Pichon Lalande with a full body, round and juicy tannins and a fruit-driven finish. Chewy, too. 4/8/2019 Quarin JEAN-MARC QUARIN (JEAN-MARC QUARIN) : 92 / 100 4/3/2019 Wine Spectator WINE SPECTATOR (JAMES MOLESWORTH) : 90-93 / 100 Cassis, blackberry, pepper and tobacco notes are in the mix, with good energy on the graphite-edged finish. Shows textbook typicity, and should be ready in the near term after bottling. 4/1/2019 Beck YVESBECK.WINE (YVES BECK) : 94-95 / 100 42% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc Chaque grappe de Réserve de la Comtesse doit pouvoir aller dans le 1er vin. Robe pourpre violacé. L’identité de Pauillac se révèle en une fraction de seconde au nez. Mais pas seulement Pauillac, et c’est bien là le point essentiel, c’est la Comtesse ! Beaucoup de fruits et de minéralité au nez, accompagnés d’une agréable fraîcheur. Attaque friande, juteuse et fruitée. Au palais, le vin se révèle lentement, à l’image de ses tannins qui sont parfaitement intégrés et qui gagnent en puissance au fil du palais. Belle intensité aromatique, idéalement soutenue par la structure. Finale fruitée persistante. Un grand vin avec un beau potentiel. 2024-2038 4/1/2019 Decanter.com DECANTER.COM (JANE ANSON) : 94 / 100 As with the first wine of Comtesse, this is one to look out for in 2018. It’s seductive but with a minerality and pull through the palate joined by plush raspberry and damson fruits – so much depth but also so pretty. As the tannins close in the finish is a little tighter than the mid-palate and when you return to it after tasting the first wine the fruit flavours have been joined by liquorice and touches of woodsmoke, it’s delicious. The split is 50/50 between first and second wine in 2018, with over 90% of the total production used. 1% Cabernet Franc makes up the blend. 9% press wine. 3.85pH, 87IPT. Drinking Window 2024 - 2036