One of the greatest wines that this estate has produced in the modern era, the 2016 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a brilliant classic that no Bordeaux lover is going to want to do without. Mingling aromas of cassis and plums with notions of licorice, sweet tobacco leaf, rich soil tones, licorice, cigar smoke and violets, it's full-bodied, seamless and complete, with huge concentration, bright acids and a long, penetrating finish. Standing out for its unerring precision, impeccable balance and ineffable sense of completeness, it should prove almost immortal.
100 points, William Kelley, Wine Advocate (Aug 2022)
Coming from the genius winemaking talent of Nicolas Glumineau, the 2016 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande matches the 1982 and is a perfect, legendary wine in the making. A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc brought up in 60% new oak, it's not the most powerful Left Bank but offers perfect balance and thrilling intensity as well as heavenly aromatics of crème de cassis, leafy herbs, jammy blackberries, tobacco leaf, and freshly sharpened lead pencils as well as more violets and minerality with time in the glass. Possessing a deep, full-bodied, singular character, the purity of fruit that's the hallmark of the vintage, building tannins, and a sense of class and elegance that's hard to describe, it's a 50-year-wine. While this cuvée has included a fair chunk of Merlot in the past that gave it more upfront appeal, it's important for readers to know it's much more Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated today, and while it is slightly more approachable than some of its neighbors, it shuts down rather quickly with time in the glass. (I followed this wine for multiple days.) I suspect a solid decade of cellaring is warranted.
100 points, Jeb Dunnuck (Feb 2019)
The 2016 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is every bit as regal as it has always been. Towering and spectacularly rich in the glass, the 2016 captures every ounce of potential is showed from barrel. The 2016 is a vivid, dramatically sweeping wine that will leave readers weak at the knees. Beams of tannin give the 2016 soaring intensity that is matched by a host of aromas and flavors that open up in the glass. Blackberry jam, graphite, spice, menthol, licorice, pencil shavings and spice are all finely sketched in a bold, savory Pauillac that hits all the right notes. The 2016 Pichon Comtesse has been riveting on each of the four occasions I have tasted it from barrel thus far, making it easily one of the wines of the vintage. Nicolas Glumineu and his team turned out an epic Pichon Comtesse in 2016. Don't miss it!
100 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Jan 2019)
Hard to fault the confident, tightrope-walking balance of muscular tannins, concentrated berry fruit and vibrant acidities. Sings of Pauillac, but a sophisticated, well-finessed version. Still young, but the wall of tannins is bouncy, rippling with silk and satin, along with liqourice, cocoa bean and camp fire smoke. Assume it will close down over the next few years, so make the most of it now with a long carafe, or wait for 5 to 10 years. 40hl/h yield, 60% new oak, and a long, slow harvest from September 20 to October 20.
100 points, Jane Anson (Sep 2021)
The 2016 Pichon Comtesse has a deep garnet color. It needs a lot of coaxing and swirling to shake loose notes of crushed black and red currants, black raspberries, and mulberries, plus wafts of lilacs, forest floor, and pencil lead, with a hint of smoked meats. Medium-bodied, the palate is packed with bright, perfumed black fruits, supported by plush, super-ripe tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and fragrant. Gorgeous!
99 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Independent (Dec 2022)
Glorious aromas of blackcurrants, blackberries and flowers, from violets to roses. Iron and rust undertones. Full-bodied, dense and very layered with loads of richness. It goes on for minutes. Reminds me of the 1986. Best in decades? Take a first look at it in 2025.
98 points, James Suckling (Dec 2019)
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