Pichon Lalande 2015

robert_parker96

Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown

A blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot aged for 18 months in barrels, 60% new, the 2015 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande displays a medium to deep garnet-purple color and is elegantly fruited with crushed red currants, black raspberries and cassis with touches of lavender, rose hips, tilled soil, fungi and charcuterie. Medium-bodied, finely crafted, remarkably pure and beautifully poised, it has a firm frame of very fine-grained tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing on a lingering mineral note.

robert_parker97

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

The 2015 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot that was picked from 10 September with the young Merlot, finishing on 9 October. It includes 12.5% vin de presse (which incidentally was included in the blend). It has a very pure bouquet with expressive Merlot imparting black cherries and wild strawberry aromas that are embroidered with a thread of graphite. I noticed how it errs more towards black fruit with extended aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with edgy tannin on the entry, the Cabernet Sauvignon here in the driving seat despite that level of Merlot trying to get in a look. Together they give a sense of completeness to this Pichon Lalande that has semblances towards the great 1996. Whereas this Pauillac has a tendency to be more approachable than others, in fact, the 2015 has the backbone and substance to suggest that it will require a minimum of ten years' ageing, but patience will be amply rewarded. Nicolas Glumineau has overseen a quite brilliant Pichon Lalande here.

robert_parker96

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

The 2015 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has a beautiful bouquet that soars from the glass: blackberry, bilberry, potent graphite scents that lend it an air of Pauillac. I love the precision here and the manner in which it builds and gains momentum with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, good depth and delineation, layers of black fruit infused with graphite. There are certainly semblances to the great 1996 here, the Cabernet Sauvignon remaining in the driver's seat and lending structure and a sense of aristocracy on the finish. This is a serious Pichon Lalande for long-term aging.

robert_parker96

Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown

A blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot aged for 18 months in barrels, 60% new, the 2015 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande displays a medium to deep garnet-purple color and is elegantly fruited with crushed red currants, black raspberries and cassis with touches of lavender, rose hips, tilled soil, fungi and charcuterie. Medium-bodied, finely crafted, remarkably pure and beautifully poised, it has a firm frame of very fine-grained tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing on a lingering mineral note.

vinous98

Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni

The 2015 Pichon Comtesse is a towering wine, as it has always been. Rich, sumptuous and totally hedonistic, the 2015 melds together intense fruit with structure. Far from an easygoing wine, the 2015 is going to need a number of years and will then drink well for several decades. Grilled herbs, smoke, new leather and licorice are some of the many notes that are layered into the dark-fleshed fruit for complexity. As good as the 2015 is today, it also has room to grow. Technical Director Nicolas Glumineau has done a tremendous job with the 2015s at Pichon Comtesse. The blend is 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, aged 18 months in oak, 55% new.

vinous98

Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni

A wild, exotic wine, the 2015 Pichon Lalande is a freak of nature. Even at this early stage in its life, the 2015 is racy and plush to the core, with no hard edges and a level of flamboyance that is out of character for Pichon. No matter, the 2015 is fabulous. Super-ripe, dark and exotic, the 2015 will surely need a bit of time to shed some baby fat, but is utterly magnificent. Wow!

vinous98

Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni

A dazzling, towering wine, the 2015 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has put on considerable weight in just the last few months. Today, the 2015 is vivid and intense, with a huge backbone of tannin and marvelous complexity. In 2015, the Cabernet Sauvignon is pushed higher as the Merlot was less consistent in its ripening. Graphite, charcoal, tobacco, crème de cassis and new leather are some of the signatures in what is shaping up to be a super-classic Pichon-Lalande. Simply put, the 2015 is one of the wines of the vintage. Tasted four times.

vinous96

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

The 2015 Pichon Lalande has a sophisticated bouquet of blackberry, pencil shavings, black pepper and discreet touches of wild mint, all beautifully defined and focused. There is some quality Cabernet here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannin, superb acidity, gentle grip and satisfying tension toward the fresh, vivid finish. One of the best Pauillacs of 2015, this is a magnificent wine from Nicolas Glumineau and his team. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.