Bordeaux 2024: Chateau Pichon Comtesse

It’s fair to say that the tenure of Nicolas Glumineau at Pichon Comtesse has been a golden era for this great Pauillac Second Growth. After an inauspicious start with the challenging 2013 vintage, it’s been plain sailing, with a sequence of outstanding wines, helping to cement its place as one of the leading wines of Bordeaux. The 2024 is yet another masterpiece, bursting with noble floral aromas and sweet cassis, followed by waves of luxuriant fruit and minerals, culminating with silky, detailed tannins. As Mr Galloni states, it’s “clearly one of the wines of the vintage”.

“Fragrant cassis bud, rose petals, and peony. Great definition, mouthwatering on the finish, savoury blue and black fruits, less concentration than the past few vintages, but this uses slate textured tannins, cold ash smoke and well-judged salinity to compensate and build interest and engagement. Harvest September 22 through to October 9. 66% new oak. Low yields of around 30hl/h. 16% press wine, 52% of the overall production (with the rest in Pichon Comtesse Reserve, no 3rd wine). 3.7 pH. IPT 70,” 94/100 – Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com

“The 2024 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is plush, sensual and inviting. Succulent dark-toned fruit, sweet spice, new leather, mocha, chocolate and lavender build nicely. Here, too, the tannins are so polished, so refined. The 2024 is an especially elegant Pichon-Comtesse. It’s also very clearly one of the wines of the vintage. Bravo. Tasted four times. 2034-2054” 94-96/100 – Antonio Galloni, vinous.com