Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 2022

Noble aroma, finest roasted notes, dark fruit, cassis, blackberry jam, blond tobacco, eucalyptus, a wine to sniff; on the palate creamy, round, building intensity, showing structure, freshness, delicate fruit, outstanding tannin quality, exalted, noble, saline, almost endlessly long finish. It leaves you speechless.

The 2022 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has turned out even better in bottle than I anticipated, bursting from the glass with aromas of cassis and blackberries mingled with scents of licorice, violets and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, layered and enveloping, it's suave, seamless and complete, with faultless precision, pristine integration of tannin, controlled sweetness and a long, expansive finish. The 2022 manages to unite the sensuality that's the estate's calling card and the ripeness of the vintage on the one hand, with a sense of Pauillac classicism on the other, threading the needle to deliver one of the finest wines of the vintage and a benchmark Pichon Comtesse. It's a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc that spent 18 months in barriques (three months more than was formerly the case), two-thirds of which were new. As I wrote en primeur, there's more than a hint of the 1982 about this wine, and like the 1982, the 2022 will offer an exceptionally wide drinking window.

The 2022 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has an intense, concentrated bouquet with luscious ripe black plum and blueberry fruit, becoming more floral as it opens in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent ripe tannins, plush and polished, though the warmth of the summer shapes the finish with hints of hoisin and liquorice. I am intrigued to see how this ages in bottle. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting in London.

Inky in hue, the wine is equally dark and deep on the palate. There is so much going on here that it takes some effort to discover everything the wine offers, but it’s worth it. On the palate—truly the star of the show thanks to its silky tannins, incredible depth of flavor, length, intensity, and gorgeous purity—this will be one of the great vintages of Pichon Comtesse. However, it will take patience before the wine opens and fully expresses itself. The blend is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2030–2065.

Deep, dark ruby in colour with an almost inky, opaque core, purple highlights, and subtle brightening at the rim. On the nose, a highly inviting bouquet of cassis and clove, dark wild berries, ripe cherry, and fine nougat. The full-bodied, elegant palate is fresh and complex, with a sweet, chocolatey texture, great length and harmony, tremendous drive, and a never-ending saline finish. The successor to the legendary 1982 is born, the most delicate Pauillac in a long time.

Looking at the flagship 2022 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse De Lalande, it's based on 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc that spent 19 months in two-thirds new oak and one-third in once-used barrels. Its similarly deep purple hue is followed by a magical, heavenly 2022 that has a layered, full-bodied profile that brings an incredibly floral character as well as a huge core of darker currant fruits, ripe, polished, velvety tannins, no hard edges, and a thrilling finish. It’s a quintessential Comtesse that brings the forward, supple elegance of the château while still offering plenty of classic Pauillac depth, structure, and character. Give bottles 5-7 years and enjoy over the following 40+.

Black color. Intense, delicate, fruity, pure, suave and complex nose. It becomes more floral and more subtle with swirling. Precise on entry, rich in aromas at mid-palate, with clear nuances of black fruit and brightness in the flavor, the wine melts, powerful, juicy, noble and savory. It finishes deep, complex and long with a fine grain. Blend: 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc. Alcohol: 13.65% - pH: 3.8. Yield: 30 hl/ha.

78% Cabernet, Merlots over thirty years old, a hint of Cabernet Franc—here one must highlight the breed, depth, and silky weave of Pichon Comtesse. Frankly floral, with a gentle attack on ripe grape, its airy, integrated tannins carry full-bodied flavors of bramble, early hints of truffle, and a Havana wrapper. Clean and grounded—a great Pauillac.

Shiny and striking, this delights from the first sip giving a burst of strawberry and citrus acidity before salty minerality comes in the form of chalky tannins, graphite, pencil lead and slate. Really quite mineral. It's sleek and classically styled, no overt ripeness of fruit although there's concentration in the frame and power that thrusts the flavours forward. Detailed and joyous, it's pent up with muscles and tension but where other wines are showcasing that brawn now, this also delivers a ton of juicy acidity and lift which makes this so joyful. I love it. 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc.

A true gift. This wine rises from the glass like a pure, crystalline tenor voice—both assured and trembling—in perfect balance. Garden fruit and flower aromas mingle with subtle pencil-lead and cocoa bean notes. On the palate, it’s an explosion of finesse: fruit and flowers intertwine in an enchanting dance. The delightful finish leaves a gourmand, delicately chocolatey imprint.

Tannins dominate the ripe fruits of this powerful wine. That gives it a firm character, organized with its layers of black currant fruits and juicy acidity. The wine is set for long-term aging, ready to drink from 2029.