Wine Advisor
Pichon Lalande 1985
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The fully mature 1985 exhibits a deep ruby color, and a ripe, oaky, curranty bouquet with a trace of herbaceousness. This lovely wine is rich, elegant, supple, and not dissimilar from the style of the 1979 and 1981. Anticipated maturity: Now-2002. Last tasted, 6/93
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at The Swan in Southwold. This is a great Pichon-Lalande wallowing in its maturity. Here it retains that enticing tobacco-infused nose with leather and a touch of thyme, the palate beautifully balanced with tarry black fruit, vibrant acidity, mellow and supple with a touch of game coming through. Supple with firm tannins marrying naturally on the finish that has the texture (though not alcohol!) of a tawny port. I suspect this has not intention of ameliorating further and alongside the 1983, these are the Pichon Lalande’s to start depleting in your cellar. Drink now-2018. Tasted January 2010.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Last Tasted 8/92 An intensely fragrant bouquet of weedy cassis fruit, toasted bread, and smoke is evolved and developed. In the mouth, the wine is medium to full-bodied, supple and smooth, with flavors of jammy black fruits and herbs. The finish is lush and silky. This wine has not yet begun to close up and I am beginning to doubt whether it will. A seductive-styled Pichon Lalande, it should drink well for another 10-15 years.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the Fine Wine Experience’s Pichon-Lalande vertical in London. This has a deep garnet core with deep brick rim. The nose is very enticing with tobacco tinged black fruit, cigar box, iodine and singed leather. Great definition, great vigour. The palate is medium-bodied but with very good weight, a little tarry and with touches of cooked meat on the palate. Well balanced with good acidity, nice focus and superb weight on the backward finish. This seems to have barely started motoring, but what a lovely Pauillac. Drink now-2025. Tasted December 2008.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
First tasted in May 1998 when I thought it needed more stuffing. Tasted again at the CECWINE event in March 2004 from a magnum. A moderate deep garnet core. A lovely leathery, herbal, tarry nose that is still quite closed. The palate is rounded and fleshy but melded together with firm, unobtrusive tannins. Very good weight on the mid-palate. Very focused with an unerringly powerful, cedar finish. A great Pichon-Lalande. Drinking perfectly now but will last 10 or 12 years. Tasted April 2004.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Fully mature, this wine shows some pink at the edge, a sweet nose of herb-tinged cherries and black currants intermixed with dusty notes and new oak. The wine is medium-bodied, elegant, very flattering, and perfumed. It does not have the weight, depth, or dimensions of the top vintages, but is quite seductive. Anticipated maturity: Now-2005. Last tasted, 5/02.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 1985 Pichon Lalande is an outstanding wine, but I do not think it reaches the same level of quality as the 1989, 1986, 1983, 1982, or 1978. It has a deep ruby color and a ripe, oaky, curranty bouquet with a trace of herbaceousness. On the palate, the wine is rich, elegant, supple, and not unlike the style of either the 1979 or 1981. It is a lovely wine. Anticipated maturity: Now-2002. Last tasted, 9/90.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the property, the 1985 Pichon Lalande is fully matured on the feral, tertiary nose, and like the bottle I tasted a couple of years ago, this has recently become much more diffuse than exemplary showing during the 1990s and 2000s. The palate is fleshy and smooth like many wines of this vintage, but in recent years, the tannins have become and little edgier, the fruit degraded and turning quite mushroom-like and earthy on the finish. I would broach bottles of this over the next five years, because I feel that it is drying out. Tasted March 2016.
About the Producer
Pichon Lalande is arguably the best known Super Second Pauillac for its quality consistency and quintessential Bordeaux claret expression. Neighbouring Chateau Latour and lying just right opposite Chateau Pichon Baron, Pichon Lalande, as its name suggests, has long seen extended female owner influence since the 1850s. Back in the 1850s, the original Pichon Lalande got broken down into two-fifth being renamed as Pichon Baron and three-fifth remaining as Pichon Lalande upon the passing of Baron Joseph de Pichon Longueville. The three-fifth was run by the three daughters of the Baron himself and over the course of a few years, Pichon Baron and Pichon Lalande took on distinctive styles - with the former being more a masculine expression and the latter, feminine. Female ownership and influence continued, with little interruption, till the modern days. Pichon Lalande's string of female leaders have contributed to the continuous modernization of Pichon Lalande's vineyards and cellars; as well as the doubling of vineyard area during the 1970s - 90s. Today, Pichon Lalande's feminine expression continues to prevail - whilst the team is placed under the leadership of a former opera singer turned winemaker gentleman named Nicolas Glumineau. Conversion to biodynamic viticulture (fully by year 2021), continuous investments in precision winemaking facilities see Pichon Lalande continue to be revered among leading critics. Pichon Lalande is planted to 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. It is the predominant Cabernet Sauvignon presence in Pichon Lalande's wines that make this wine such a capable representation of Pauillac's deep gravelly terroir.
1928(1)1970(1)1979(1)1981(1)1982(4)1983(2)
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