critic reviews
The 1995 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is now 30 years old. It has a fully mature bouquet of leather and loamy red berry fruit, with more Merlot clearly evident (40% of the blend). Touches of wild mint develop with time. The palate is medium-bodied with a fleshy opening, and again, the Merlot sways this Pauillac. Chinese five-spice, dried herbs and a dash of white pepper emerge towards the finish, which has a little more delineation than the 2005 tasted alongside. This is drinking perfectly now.
Pichon Lalande 1995 has a deep garnet-brick color. It comes bounding out with ready-to-go notes of prunes, fruitcake, and blueberry compote, followed by suggestions of Indian spices, sandalwood, and espresso. The medium to full-bodied palate is jam-packed with flamboyant, expressive black fruit preserves and exotic spice flavors, supported by velvety tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with impressive length. At its peak right now, this vintage has another 10-12 years of cellaring potential.
What sumptuous pleasures await those who purchase either the 1996 or 1995 Pichon-Lalande. It is hard to choose a favorite, although the 1995 is a smoother, more immediately sexy and accessible wine. It is an exquisite example of Pichon-Lalande with the Merlot component giving the wine a coffee/chocolatey/cherry component to go along with the Cabernet Sauvignon's and Cabernet Franc's complex blackberry/cassis fruit. The wine possesses an opaque black/ruby/purple color, and sexy, flamboyant aromatics of pain grille, black fruits, and cedar. Exquisite on the palate, this full-bodied, layered, multidimensional wine should prove to be one of the vintage's most extraordinary success stories. Anticipated maturity: 2001-2020. The 1995/1996 vintages are two of the greatest back to back efforts Pichon-Lalande has ever produced, including the 1982/1983 vintages.