What sumptuous pleasures await those who purchase either the 1996 or 1995 Pichon-Lalande. It is hard to choose a favorite, although the 1995 is a smoother, more immediately sexy and accessible wine. It is an exquisite example of Pichon-Lalande with the Merlot component giving the wine a coffee/chocolatey/cherry component to go along with the Cabernet Sauvignon's and Cabernet Franc's complex blackberry/cassis fruit. The wine possesses an opaque black/ruby/purple color, and sexy, flamboyant aromatics of pain grille, black fruits, and cedar. Exquisite on the palate, this full-bodied, layered, multidimensional wine should prove to be one of the vintage's most extraordinary success stories. Anticipated maturity: 2001-2020. Feb 1998

This needs some patience, as at least 2-3 hours of air are needed to help it soften and fill out. Roses, tobacco, scorched earth, cassis, cranberry and peppery herbs open the nose. There is weight and depth, a touch of herbs and crisp, crunchy red berries on the palate. The finish comes with a hint of green olives and a bit of dryness. Classic in style, this is firm, stern version of Pichon, but it manages to avoid some of severity found in most wines from the vintage. It is ready to go, although it could improve with more time. Tasted April 2020

Pichon Lalande 1995 has a deep garnet-brick color. It comes bounding out with ready-to-go notes of prunes, fruitcake, and blueberry compote, followed by suggestions of Indian spices, sandalwood, and espresso. The medium to full-bodied palate is jam-packed with flamboyant, expressive black fruit preserves and exotic spice flavors, supported by velvety tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with impressive length. At its peak right now, this vintage has another 10-12 years of cellaring potential. Lisa Perrotti-Brown Nov 2022 - The Wine Independent

Offers a juicy, lively core of plum, cassis and blackberry, studded with anise, violet and singed vanilla notes. Everything pulls together seamlessly on the finish, with a well-embedded graphite spine. Sneakily long.—Non-blind Pichon Lalande vertical (July 2014). Drink now through 2035. — JM

Deep red-ruby color. Currant, loam, tobacco and smoky oak on the nose. Silky, sweet and tender in the middle palate; leather, game and chocolate notes add complexity to the wine strong currant component. Showing slightly less harmoniously than the '96, perhaps due to the bottling, but this thoroughly seductive wine has all the components for future greatness.

Tasted at the Chapon Fin restaurant in Bordeaux. I have not tasted this for three of four years. Tasted against the 1996, I don’t think it has the breeding or ambition as that vintage, but it is certainly coming into its own. The Cabernet Franc is less pronounced on this bottle, but there remains a savour, dried blood tincture right in the background. The palate is medium-bodied and just a little herbaceous, yet there is undoubtedly sufficient fruit here to render this a very enjoyable Pauillac, armed with that seductive tobacco-tinged finish. Superb – but will last 15-20 years. Tasted September 2011.

Good bouquet of mature claret with all the elements nicely integrated and developed. Fully evolved flavours are spread across the palate, together with the lift and flirtatiousness of this property, but it has now reached such maturity that is provides solid pleasure.
JR - Oct 2021