Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 2023

Characteristics and tasting tips of Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 2023

Tasting

Nose
Elegant and complex, the nose reveals fragrances of liquorice, blackcurrant, red rose and peony. As the wine breathes, the bouquet unveils a freshness supported by earthy, rooty notes as well as blond tobacco.

Palate
With great precision, the attack gives way to a full-bodied palate, whose power equals the balance. Delicious pastry, fruity (black and blue fruits) and cedar flavours stretch to a noble and persistent finish.

A seductive Pauillac red wine of precision and complexity

The estate

Second Grand Cru Classé of Pauillac, the magnificent Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande shines on the Pauillac appellation.

It was in 1925 that the Miailhe family, represented by Édouard and Louis Miailhe, acquired this left bank property of Bordeaux. An emblematic figure of Gironde viticulture, May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, daughter of Edouard Miailhe, ran the Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande from 1978 to 2007, when the estate was acquired by the Rouzaud family, owners of the Champagne House Louis Roederer.

The vineyard

This Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 2023 comes from a 102-hectare vineyard, 92 of which are in production. The soils, composed of gravelly ridges on sandy-clay subsoils, benefit the vines, which are on average 28 years old. This large Pauillac vineyard is managed using reasoned viticulture with biodynamic practices on 32 hectares.

The vintage

The relative mildness of the winter favours an early bud break in early April, a period whose frost risk is managed by the rigour of the teams. This is followed by a high sanitary pressure that does not impact a homogeneous flowering at the end of May and a veraison at the beginning of August. Gloomy, spring and summer are very dry.

Vinification and ageing

Parcel vinification. Gravity-fed vatting. Double-walled, thermo-regulated stainless steel truncated vats. Ageing for 18 months in barrels (60% of which are new) with medium long heating. Traditional racking by candlelight.

Blend

Cabernet Sauvignon (80%)
Merlot (17%)
Cabernet Franc (3%).