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Goedhuis, February 2018
A real show stopper, with striking plum pudding aromas. A wine which balances the natural grace of Pichon Lalande with the inherent power of Pauillac. Full and mouthcoating, this will need time in bottle, but is a truly superb wine.
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Goedhuis, April 2015, Score: 94-96
Unquestionably one of my favourite wines of the vintage; this was an absolute delight to taste and a beautiful reminder of the finesse and elegance of the Comtesse de Lalande wines of yesteryear. This has all the ingredients for a great Lalande, balancing true Pauillac power with a lovely feminine touch. The lasting sensation on the finish is polished, with silky sweetness. A total delight to taste.
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Neal Martin, January 2019, Score: 93+
The 2014 Pichon-Baron repeats its performance of just a few weeks earlier, presenting blackberry, undergrowth and graphite on the detailed nose, though perhaps a little more black currant than the previous bottle. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannin, and extremely pure and precise. A tingle of cold stone, an almost flint-like sensation, appears toward the pixelated finish. Very fine. Tasted at the Pichon-Baron vertical at the château.
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Neal Martin, April 2015, Score: 93-95
The Château Pichon-Lalande 2014 is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot picked over five weeks between 16 September and 20 October. It has a very pure and precise bouquet with a light marine influencing the black cherries and blueberry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with a tense, graphite-tinged opening, a fine line of acidity (pH 3.72) and a silky smooth finish. The Cabernet Sauvignon is very expressive and dominates the Merlot at the moment, although the Merlot is essentially counterbalancing what might have been a much more austere Pichon-Lalande. Under Nicolas Glumineau, this Pauillac estate is really beginning to "motor" and this is an excellent wine, one within touching distance of the First Growths.
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Antonio Galloni, April 2015, Score: 93-96
The 2014 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a huge wine. Rich, powerful and dense, yet remarkably precise, the 2014 boasts extraordinary density and fabulous balance. Scents of black fruits, graphite, smoke, tobacco, grilled herbs and incense meld into a huge core of fruit. Hints of black cherry jam, wild flowers and mint add an attractive aromatic top register on the close. Explosive and virile in style, the 2014 appears to have the pedigree to age well for several decades. It is without question one of the wines of the year. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot.
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James Suckling, March 2015, Score: 93-94
What a joy to feel the ultra-fine tannins in this wine! It really is like touching fine silk. It’s full-bodied with integrated drip fruit of tar, blackberries, minerals as well as a compacted and very long finish. Polished texture. Strong elegance. Reminds me of some outstanding wines of the 1980s such as 1986.
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Decanter, April 2015, Score: 91
Lovely fragrant cassis fruit – quite feminine compared to Pichon-Baron. Though it lacks the depth of some, it is beautifully balanced and a very classy wine. Drink: 2019-2030
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Matthew Jukes, May 2015, Score: 18+
(65 Cabernet Sauvignon, 22 Merlot, 7 Cabernet Franc, 6 Petit Verdot) n.b. I didn’t much enjoy my tasting at Pichon-Lalande because I was put into a room to taste on my own while a large party of non-descript wine trade filed out and cleaners mopped and wiped around me. I couldn’t ask questions of any Château employees, so this is a fairly sparse note – it’s a good job the wine passed muster! There is good density and freshness here, with tightly coiled tannins and a crisp punch of acidity. This is a well made and sleek wine with a long finish. Smart multi-faceted notes come from the sensitively-assembled, complex blend. This will provide a lot of joy in the short and medium term, but it won’t make old bones. Following on from the successful 2013 vintage, it seems that this vintage further underlines the long-awaited renaissance of Pichon-Lalande.
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Jancis Robinson, April 2015, Score: 17
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot. Up to 60% new oak. Very opulent nose. But almost more like a scent than a wine - as though all the effort has been put into the rather exotic perfume. Then quite vigorous and chewy. Rich and glamorous. 13.3% Drink 2025-2040
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Tim Atkin, May 2015, Score: 95
Last year’s varietal Cabernet Sauvignon wasn’t to everyone’s taste (although I loved it), but this is a more classic Pichon Comtesse. It’s typically fresh and alluring with compact, ageworthy tannins, oodles of perfume, fine black cherry, graphite and blackcurrant fruit and a chalky, minerally lift. Very impressive. Drink: 2022-32
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Wine Spectator, March 2015, Score: 92-95
Vibrant, with a blaze of iron running from start to finish, while dark currant, cherry and plum fruit forms the core. The long, grippy, integrated finish shows excellent vivacity.
