Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 2020

Smooth, seductive and finely textured, this is both sleek and strict, with a savoury, crushed-stone saline tang alongside tobacco, tar, ripe black cherries and soft floral scents; the Cabernet really makes its mark. Sexy and rich, less immediately charming than the 2019 was at this point – it’s more restrained and coiled but more sophisticated, elegant and refreshing – a wine you want to sit and think about while the aromas and flavours open and evolve. Lovely definition, weight and texture overall. A clear stand-out.

77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc. Cask sample. Bright crimson hue. Generous, vineyard‑nuanced fruit on the nose with complex cassis and graphite notes. Fruit equally generous on the palate, backed by an abundance of fine tannin. Lots of drive and persistence. Punchier and more masculine in style than 2019. Definitely one for the cellar. (JL)

A riveting wine in every sense of the word, the perfume grabs you with its array of flowers, spices, tobacco, currants, smoke, cedar and roasted plums. There is intensity, purity, precision and length, which is perfect for allowing you to experience all the layers of silky, sensuous fruits and freshness. The finish crosses the 50 second mark with ease and never looks back. With time in the bottle, this gem could hit triple digits, it is that good! Drink from 2027-2065.

Dark ruby garnet, purple reflections, delicate rim brightening. Fine nuances of cassis, blackberries and licorice, noble wood savoriness in the background, notes of candied orange zest. Juicy, elegant, ripe cherries, harmonious and fresh, fine, ripe tannins, a chocolaty touch on the finish, shows length and has certain ageing potential, great future.

The Grand Vin 2020 Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse De Lalande checks in as 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc that was raised in 60% new French oak. It has classic Pauillac character in its red, blue, and black fruits as well as graphite, cedar pencil, violet, and flower nuances. Seemingly from a cooler vintage with its purity, vibrancy, and focus, it nevertheless is concentrated and has ripe, gorgeous tannins, a great mid-palate, and a finish that keeps you coming back to the glass. A deep, concentrated, flawlessly balanced 2020 that's built for the long haul, it needs a solid decade of cellaring and will be a 50+-year wine. Of the recent trilogy of 2018, 2019, and 2020, director Nicolas Glumineau has been consistent in preferring the 2020, although I think at this point the nudge goes to the 2019. Regardless, these are all truly singular, magical wines that every reader will be thrilled to have in the cellar. It's a good time to be a Bordeaux lover!

Kunz barrel sample 2021: concentrated, profound, complex, fresh bouquet, cassis cream, black cherries, delicate plum fruit, noble woods, nougat. Densely interwoven, multi-layered, finely powerful palate with dense, dark, creamy fruit, concentrated, varied, dark aromatics, plenty of fine tannins, a creamy, subtly muscular structure, and a very long, dense, fresh finish.

92–93

Pure class! This wine unfolds a subtle, silky, and polished texture, with vibrant notes of small berries and absolute delicacy on the palate. Velvety tannins bring supreme refinement to the finish.

A soothing nose, like a vast, calm lake with no horizon in sight. The fruit is sensual, fleshy, yet with all the seriousness of a Pauillac. Dark fruits mingle with saline, meaty notes, saffron, and rosebud. On the palate, the balance is breathtaking. Flavors unfold one after another without end, and the cashmere texture gains density toward the finish, as if the wine were woven from a single silk thread, of interminable length.

Still somewhat shaped by the élevage at this stage, but it has brought more polish; first-class tannins, great length, promising development.

97–99. Barrel Sample. A sumptuous wine, this also has a fine texture, refined and with great perfumed freshness. Black currant fruits and a stylish poise are signs of the class of this impressive wine. It will certainly age for many years.