2005 Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 2eme Cru Classe, Pauillac

Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 2eme Cru Classe, Pauillac

Colour: Red

Vintage: 2005

Region: Bordeaux, Pauillac

Pichon Lalande is often judged on its relationship to its namesake and opposite neighbour, Pichon Baron, and understandably so; what this overlooks (and we use the term carefully) is that Pichon Lalande adjoins the venerable terroir of Chateau Latour, arguably the finest piece of vineyard real estate on the Left Bank. From their stunning new glass-and-steel winery one is afforded a vista that is virtually unmatched in Bordeaux – across several hectares of Cabernet and Merlot vines, straight onto the Gironde, via the hallowed house of Latour and its famous squat stone tower. This is no uneasy neighbour; at its best, Lalande stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the First Growths. If Pichon Baron boasts the power and masculinity of Latour, then Pichon Lalande sports its elegance, perfume, clarity of vineyard and sensual texture. Since Nicolas Glumineau took over the reins the estate has delivered a string of exceptional wines with the run from 2015 to 2019 as good as anything the estate has produced.

Tasting Notes and Scores

96 DR

Love the colour of this, deep damson, generous and enticing. The tannins are just astonishingly finessed and generous, chocolate, cedar, cocoa bean, so well constructed, combining depth to the fruit with feather-pillow tannins. Clearly young, decades ahead of it, but this is already confident and enjoyable, effortlessly standing out from this lineup of exceptional wines. It lacks the weight and concentration of the 2009 or 2010 of Comtesse, but it's showing extremely well, and seems to be gaining in power. 50% new oak.
Tasted June 2022 - Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux

Decanter

95 NM

The Château Pichon-Lalande 2005 that was so divisive at birth but as I expected right from the beginning, this is maturing into a lovely Pauillac. It offers compelling tobacco and graphite scents on the nose, belying the Merlot content of this blend, reserved at first but opening gloriously in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannin and well-judged acidity. There is an effortlessness quality about this Pichon-Lalande. ‘tis not the most powerful or decadent Pauillac but its is very sophisticated and refined.

– eRobertParker.com, Feb 2015

Neal Martin

94 WS

Juicy and sleek in feel, with a gloss of singed vanilla and alder over the core of lively blackberry, fig and black currant paste flavors. Singed charcoal and sweet tobacco notes score the finish and leave a mouthwatering feel. A tough decision whether to drink now or wait, as both choices will be rewarded.—Blind '01/'03/'05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). JM

Wine Spectator

93 JS

What a nose on this, with orchids and currants, this is very perfumed and pretty. Full-bodied, with bright and lively acidity. Rose petals and citrus fruit on the palate give way to a long and intense finish. Wait and see where this goes.

James Suckling

93 MS

Dark, brick-edged red; softly sweet, ripe and oaky to smell; rich, fleshy, vivid, concentrated medium full Pauillac, finely tannic; an abundance of freshly ripe fruit, generous, ample, gently mouthfilling, complex and spicy and with fine aromatic length. Excellent long term Pichon Lalande, fleshy-rich yes, refined, but with sinew too; accessible now, but which will really blossom with a few years more. 2018 – 35

Michael Schuster

93 JL

The past 5 years have been good for this wine. Much better than previous bottles, now you find more of everything expected from Pichon Lalande. The wine is medium-bodied, lush, round, soft and loaded with ripe, fresh, sweet, dark red fruits, plums, tobacco, spice and earth. The plummy, red berry finish offers alternating notes of sweet red fruits and bright, crisp cranberries coupled with sensual textures. Give this a few more years, or 90 minutes in the decanter. Tasted May 2020

Jeff Leve

921 WL

Quality 862 | Brand 992 | Economics 931 | investment staple
Quality: Above the average quality score of its peer group for the 2005 vintage, 791 Brand: Strong restaurant presence, featuring on 36 of the world's top wine lists, including Amber - Mandarin Oriental Economics: Below its peer group average price of £110 for the 2005 vintage Production: Lower production than its peer group average of 151,058 bottles

- www.wine-lister.com June 2017

Wine Lister

89 RP

The 2005 Pichon Lalande, with its aromatics of cassis, forest floor and earth are followed by a medium-bodied wine that doesn’t have quite the length and richness the aromatics suggest. Nevertheless, it is medium-bodied, elegant, and pure, and a classic example for this château. Drink it now as well as over the next 15 or so years. It is showing better than my earlier notes suggest. Drink: 2015 - 2030.

Robert Parker (Wine Advocate #219, Jun 2015)

Wine Advocate

89 AG

The 2005 Pichon Lalande is not an inspiring wine, particularly within the context of the year and also the vintages that follow in this tasting. Despite its pretty, expressive bouquet, the 2005 is dark, powerful and excessively heavy, with drying tannin that suggests either overextraction or the effects of a growing season marked by severe drought. Time in the glass does seem to help the release of some freshness in the cherry, floral and mint flavors, but the coarse tannins are ultimately impossible to get past. I imagine the 2005 will last for several decades given its concentration, but I don’t expect it to ever be a wine of finesse or nuance. During this era, Pichon Lalande was a wine made by committee. Perhaps for that reason, it does not seem to have an especially well-defined personality. Hubert de Boüard, Eric Boissenot and Denis Dubourdieu all had a hand in the 2005. I am reminded of the classic expression “too many cooks in the kitchen….”

Antonio Galloni

Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 2eme Cru Classe, Pauillac