Château Pichon-Longueville Lalande is one of the most important Super Seconds and this 2ème Cru Classé Pauillac estate has made tremendous strides in the last 20 years. This is largely due to the energy, drive and ambition of May-Eliane de Lenquesaing, who took over the property in 1978 before selling it in 2003 to establish Glenelly Estate in Stellenbosch.

Pichon-Longueville Lalande is a 75-hectare property that produces on average 36,000 cases per year. Located in the east of the Pauillac appellation.

Reserve de la Comtesse is their second wine, make from younger vines in an approachable style.

Vineyards – lie on deep gravel beds underpinned by clay and then sandstone and limestone (part of these vineyards actually reside in the St-Julien appellation).

Blend – 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc

Winemaking – As the Grand vin, the wine is fermented in stainless steel cuvées and then matured in oak barriques (50% new) for up to 18 months.

Pichon-Longueville Lalande is not as powerful or as tannic as some its Pauillac neighbours and this is mainly because of its relatively high Merlot content. In the best years, it is one of the most exotic and voluptuously scented wines of the Médoc. At least a decade of cellaring is required before the wines should be approached.

James Suckling – 94 points

24 Jan, 2021 – Aromas of dried violets, blackcurrants, oyster shells, ink and bitter chocolate. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, tight-grained tannins. Concentrated and tight with an nicely austere finish. Needs a few years to soften. Second wine of Pichon Lalande. Try from 2025.

Wine Advocate – 92-94 points

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.

“I just don’t know where it came from,” Pichon Lalande’s Technical Director, Nicolas Glumineau, told me. “So much rain. Six months of almost daily rain! So, there came a point when you had to ask, what kind of wine can we make in 2018? Then from mid-July it abruptly switched. It was warm and dry—such contrast was very unusual. So, what kind of wine were we going to make? We wanted everything to ripen perfectly. Every day, we could see the shape of the berries changing in the run-up to harvest, shrinking, and we wanted to make something pure with freshness. We harvested over four weeks. I think 2018 is between 2009 and 2010. It makes me think of 1989. People ask me what kind of wine do you want to make at Pichon? This is it.”

Decanter – 92 points

Tasted by Jane Anson (at Bordeaux, 10 Nov 2020) Part of Best 2018 Bordeaux second wines: Re-tasted in the bottle
I like the Pauillac character, safe and eucalyptus-lined with a ton of black chocolate, cassis, and a brush of slate. Really a wine that you feel stands on its own.
Drinking Window 2023 – 2038

Vinous – 91 points

The 2018 Réserve de Pichon Comtesse has undergone a discreet change of name since the 2017 vintage. What has not changed is that it’s a knockout Second Label. It ladles out gorgeous scents of blackberry mixed with iodine and violets, just as it did from barrel. The palate is quite rich and generous, with saturated, pliant tannins, a very fine line of acidity and hints of graphite furnishing the finish. Give it, say, three years in bottle and you will have a delicious wine on your hands.