Château Pichon-Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande

Pichon Comtesse Réserve, Pauillac, 2022

Name: Pichon Comtesse Réserve, Pauillac
Brand: Château Pichon-Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande
Price: 322.33 GBP

Available Vintages

all 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

justerini & brooks tasting note

The quality of some of the second wines this year is quite astonishing. Technical Directors must have questioned the need to declassify any fruit. Nicolas Glumineau decided to produce Pichon Comtesse Reserve, and it's a wonderful example with grand vin proportions. It opens with an attractive and lifted bouquet of purple fruits, graphite and violets. The palate continues in the same vein with detailed, expressive, wonderfully textured creme de mûre fruit, lots of minerality and a sumptuous mouthfeel. Super-refined and very serious for a second label. 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc.

critic reviews

92/100Chris Kissack,The Wine Independent

The second wine of Pichon-Comtesse, made by Nicolas Glumineau, this is a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot, the later variety generally reserved for the Réserve, if you will pardon the phrase. The élevage was in 50% new oak, 50% second-fill barrel, for close to 14 months, and this accounts for 40% of the production in this vintage. The nose is savoury and complex, with notes of black fruit, tar, liquorice, cigar box, charcoal and smoke. There follows a supple blend on the palate, rather dry and bold in style, with sinewy fruit and evident tannic grip underpinning it. The grip persists through to the finish, beneath that supple upper layer;it all works well, although it cries out for cellar time. Long, savoury, gripped and dark, this is one of the better second wines in this vintage, so don’t broach this one too early. The alcohol is 13.8%.

DRINKING WINDOW 2027 - 2049

date of review 06/2025

92/100Jane Anson,Inside Bordeaux

Beautiful depth of colour, enticing aromatics, holds your interest, dark chocolate block, slate and firm tannins, luscious fruit, clearly ripe, but it keeps the Pauillac signature, getting a shot of espresso and pure bilberry as it opens, super enjoyable, not quite as persistent perhaps as the very best years, but this is good. Nicolas Glumineau director, Eric Boissenot consultant. Harvest September 8, lasting for three weeks.

DRINKING WINDOW 2026 - 2034

date of review 03/2025

91-93/100Neal Martin,Vinous

The 2022 Réserve de la Comtesse represents half the total production from the vineyard due to a stricter selection of the Merlot. It has a perfumed, floral bouquet with blueberry, violet and light cassis scents. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins. Very sensual with touches of graphite and espresso toward the harmonious finish. You could almost drink this now!

DRINKING WINDOW 2025 - 2040

date of review 05/2023

91-93/100William Kelley,Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Like a number of second wines from the best classified growths, the 2022 Reserve de la Comtesse shares much of the personality of the grand vin this year, delivering aromas of blackberries, violets and exotic spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, supple and fleshy palate with a rich core of fruit framed by powdery tannins.

date of review 04/2023