Bob McDonald

8.9

See previous notes 30 weeks ago. Very similar. Mid Lemon in colour. Citrus on the nose with grapefruit predominant. The palate is overall a little more lean than I would like - a little austere for a 7 year old Chardonnay - perhaps the grapes were picked a little too early? Still lively with that acid but could do with a little more mid palate fruit. Made by Brian Croser who used to be at Petaluma some years ago before he started Tapanappa in 2002 in conjunction with Bollinger and the Cazes Family of Lynch Bages in Pauillac. Brian was Decanters Man of the Year in 2004. — 5 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.6

The 1990 Lynch-Bages remains the towering Pauillac it has always been, even if Jean-Michel Cazes personally prefers the 1989. It has a riveting, graphite-infused bouquet that is brilliantly defined, very focused and sharp as a razor-blade. Poured directly against the 1990 Lafite-Rothschild, this Fifth Growth beats it hands down. The palate is very well structured; this is an aristocratic Lynch-Bages with impressive grip after 28 years. There is a symmetry underpinning this wine, a sense of energy undiminished by the passing years, that makes this 1990 Lynch-Bages so compelling. Just awesome. Tasted during the Christmas Dinner at Noble Rot restaurant. (Neal Martin, Vinous, December 2019)
— 6 years ago

Pip Davie

9.0

Smooth first taste.
From Collioure in Rossillion region
Made from mix of Syrah, Grenache & Mourvedre grapes. — 7 years ago

Alex Hirst

9.0

Dried cherry, leather and cedar. Very dry extract, good balance of acidity and tannin. Wears its high alcohol lightly, with a beguiling savoury, liquorice and cola finish. — 7 years ago

Okamura Seisho

8.9

OKストアでリーズナブルに提供。
普段呑みには丁度良い感じの濃さ。
リピありなワインでした。 — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I have to say this is my favorite Chateau to stand in front of and gaze. On the nose, spice, wild blackberries, dark cherries, blueberries, black plum, plum, leather, cedar, dark moist soil, wet stones, mint, tobacco leaf and dark fresh & dry flowers. It's drinking nicely with silty medium-medium + tannins & full bodied. Ruby, ripe wild blackberries, dark cherries, blueberries, black plum, plum, leather, cedar, dark moist soil, wet stones, crushed dry minerals, mint, tobacco leaf and violets, dark fresh & dry flowers. The acidity is round and mouthwatering. The long finish has great elegance, beauty, length, tension & balance. It's just starting to hit it's stride and has plenty of life ahead of it. Another 15-20 years. Who said 04 was a difficult vintage? This will continue to improve and will stun with another 10 years in bottle. Photos of the the exterior Chateau front & side, tasting room and Christian Seely Managing Director. Chateau Pichon Baron and Chateau Pichon Lalande were originally part of the same estate. Pichon Baron got it's name when Therese, daughter of the founder, received the estate as a dowry when she married Jacques de Pichon Longueville the first President of the Bordeaux Parliament. Chateau Pichon Baron changed because of the Baron Joseph de Pichon Longueville. He took over managing Pichon Baron when he was only 19 years old! When the Baron passed away at 90 in 1850, he divided his Pauillac estate. The sons were awarded what became Chateau Pichon Baron and the daughters were given what later became Chateau Pichon Lalande. Pichon Baron went through three rough decades in the 60's, 70's and 80's. Part of the issues were, lack of investment and they machine harvested. The first really great vintages for them were 89 & 90 after Jean Rene Matignon, Jean-Michel Cazes join them and AXA Insurance Company purchased them adding capital. The 73 hectare vineyard of Chateau Pichon Baron are planted to 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. However, the Cabernet Franc and the Petit Verdot are reserved exclusively for the second wine. The terroir is mostly deep gravel, sand clay soils. Pichon Baron uses 80% new French oak and rests in barrel 18 months. @ FogoDeChao

— 8 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Had this about 2 years ago. The estate once belonged to the famous Lynch family, of Irish origin, was acquired by Jean-Charles Cazes in 1934. His grandson, Jean-Michel Cazes restructured the estate in 1974. A blend of 73% Cab Sauv & 27% Merlot, deep Ruby (lost purple edges), pronounced berry fruit aromas with cacao and vanilla notes. On the palate blackberry and plum flavors with tobacco and espresso notes. Dusty fine tannins, long ending with an oaky mineral character. Developed well! Tasting Sample! — 5 years ago

Devin Bostick

8.9

Mushy, sorrel, raspberry, smell, dark magenta, acid, full watery, meaty, acid beats tannins — 5 years ago

Lyn Farmer

9.0

This wine is 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 10% Mourvedre. It had plenty of dark and almost smoky plummy fruit yet remains surprisingly elegant. Nice mineral notes, good but not overbearing acidity and a fine hint of garrigue. Lots of class. — 7 years ago

July Glibova

8.9

Red berries, caramek, plum — 7 years ago

Severn Goodwin

9.3

Crazy amount of fruity jam nose hitting the decanter, super dark, extracted color. A blend of 50% Carignan, 30% Syrah and 20% Grenache Noir.
Cherry, blueberry, blackberry, plum on the palate, so much fruit going on, it's just difficult to describe. Medium-light tannins, slight spicy note with cocoa on the medium-long finish.

We picked these bottles up a year ago after a tasting... Just getting to them now, they needed time to settle in. This is a crazy value at the $40 we paid, I will go hunt for more, this is drinking awesome, but 3-4 years could be stellar. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Pichon Lalande is my favorite 2nd growth with a steak. Yup...it's #SteakandClaret night to quote my buddy Gary Westby. Further, it's certainly one of my favorite producers period. I've waited for this wine to be in the bottle for 10 years before finding out definitely how good it was or wasn't. You see, the 05 Bordeaux vintage was exceptional. It's drinking right now better than 00. 00 may turn out to be better, but not for some time. The real issue was the division of scores between RP & NM. Parker had this as low as an 86 and now has it at 89. Neil Martin has been consistently at 95-96. I found it simply inexplicable that Pichon Lalande could have bombed in such a great vintage. Tonight, I know they didn't. This wine is beautiful. Although, I don't believe it will cellar as long as their some of their very best vintages and many others I've enjoyed. On the nose, bramble, ripe blackberries, dark cherries, notes of blueberries, poached strawberries, graphite, baking spices, cedar, lightly perfumed violets and dark, fresh & dry red flowers. The body is medium-medium plus, tannins nicely resolved with 10 years to be completely resolved. Fruits of; ripe blackberries, dark cherries, notes of blueberries, poached strawberries and pomegranate with a whiff of spice. There's notes of dry bramble, soft leather, fresh violets, graphite, cedar, dry stones, dark rich earth, limestone, tobacco, spice-box, vanilla, very light cinnamon & nutmeg. The finish is very long, elegant, ripe, round, smooth, good acidity and beautifully elegant...50-50 earth & fruit. I bought more bottles of this at $85 after it's was first released in futures and I do not regret it. $85 is proving to be a steal for this wine when it normally sells for between $100-$150 a bottle and higher. Might heavy up further after tonight if I find more around the same price. Oh yes...I'm with NM on the scoring. Photos of the Chateau, estate vines, newer tasting room & the Virginie de Pichon-Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande. Forgive my long post, but my passion and love for this producer is profound. Producer history and notes...as I wrote in an earlier post for Pichon Baron, Pichon Baron and Lalande started as one entity. The first mention of what is now called Chateau Pichon Lalande was the creation of Pierre de Mazure de Rauzan. Pierre de Mazure de Rauzan is responsible for forming many of the top Bordeaux estates today. Pichon Lalande was given its name when Therse, the daughter of the founder received the estate as a dowry when she married Jacques de Pichon Longueville. Pichon Lalande was essentially managed by three women, Therese de Rauzan, Germaine de Lajus and Marie Branda de Terrefort. On the eve of his death in 1850, Baron Joseph de Pichon Longueville divided the property between his five children. His three daughters received Pichon Lalande and his sons Pichon Baron. What happened next was Virginie, the wife of the Count of Lalande took over the management of the estate under the name of Comtesse de Lalande. In 1850 she commissioned the popular, architect Duphot to build a residence inspired by the Hotel de Lalande, located in Bordeaux. Without heirs, Pichon Lalande passed down from aunts to nieces. Following World War I, the Miailhe brothers, bought Pichon Lalande in 1925. They were the ones who planted even more Merlot. May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, the daughter of Edouard Miailhe became the new owner and general manager of Chateau Pichon Lalande in 1978. She expand the size of Chateau Pichon Lalande from 40 hectares to it's current 89 hectares. Chateau Pichon Lalande remained in the same family for more than 250 years! In fact, over three centuries, only two families have owned Pichon Lalande. May-Eliane de Lencquesaing sold Pichon Lalande to the owners of Roederer Champagnein in January 2007. This family-run company is managed by Frederic Rouzaud who owned several other wine estates in Bordeaux; Chateau Bernadotte, Chateau de Pez, Haut Beausejour and Chateau Reaut la Graviere. He sold Chateau Bernadotte in December 2012. In February, 2011, Sylvie Cazes was named the director of Chateau Pichon Lalande. She replaced Gildas d’Ollone. Sylvie Cazes was replaced in 2012 by current Director Nicolas Glumineau, who was previously at Chateau Montrose. In 2012, Pichon Lalande renovated the estate with a budget estimated at over 15 Million Euros. The new facilities included; building of a new underground barrel aging cellar and several new buildings...one that houses their new tasting room as shown. This renovation provided numerous improvements in their wine making. Most importantly, in the vinification. They created a new, triple tiered, cellar where everything moves by gravity. They also added numerous new, stainless steel, temperature controlled, double skinned vats. These new vats allow Pichon Lalande to vinify on a parcel by parcel basis as well as get much softer & gentle extractions. The 89 hectare vineyard of Chateau Pichon Lalande is located adjacent to Chateau Latour and and across the road from Pichon Baron. The terroir of Chateau Pichon Lalande is deep gravel with clay and limestone soil and is planted to; 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. — 8 years ago

Severn Goodwin

9.3

Nose has raw honey, wilted white daffodils, cold wax, faint green herbs, white peach and limestone pebbles.

Palate has honey drizzle on cut under-ripe peach, (light) grapefruit pith, waxy yellow apple, warm white melon, mild salinity, touch of sweetness and slight tannic grip on the long finish.

A beautiful wine, likely can hold until 2023-25 under proper storage conditions.

We definitely do not drink enough Roussillon blancs, I forget how delicious the region is.

40% Grenache Blanc / 40% Roussane / 20% Macabeu — 5 years ago

R D B

9.2

2016 vintage. Served at dinner party M&S. So perfect with filet mignon. Would buy again. M NOLA — 6 years ago

Wai Min Higa

8.9

Wonderful surprise! Well balanced rich after taste pleasant berry less acidity. — 7 years ago

Dave Montagne

9.2

Muscat/Macabeu/Grenache blanc. 40/40/20. Very aromatic and dry with some snap. Delicious! Importer: The Source, Napa — 8 years ago

Gillett Johnson

9.4

Wow. Respect — 8 years ago

with Dawn

Kevin Mintenko

9.5

Dry, mild fruit, floral. Slate, grapefruit pith, and lavender. — 8 years ago

Frank Partous

8.9

2016 vintage, savored in July 2018. $18.50CAD. Very inviting sweet fruit aroma, toffee. Dry and full bodied. Long finish with sharp, spicy herbs and very slight bitterness at the very end.
Millésimes 2016, déguster en juillet 2017. $18.50CAD. Invitantes arômes de fruits sucrés, toffee. Sec et corsé. Long en bouche, herbes épicés, un peu tranchant et suivît d'une petite amertume à la toute fin.
— 8 years ago

Marlene Ström

9.2

Från båten ⚓️ — 8 years ago