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. — 7 years ago

BurgundyFan

8.9

I like it, more earthy, smoked flavor, dry and good acidity — 9 years ago

Vineyard Gate Selections, LLC

10

2011 Sylvie Spielmann Alsace Sylvaner wonderful! — 9 years ago

Brett Pallesen

9.3

Best rose from Sylvie I've had — 10 years ago

Mark Little

9.6

Lucky to have a chance to meet and work with Philipe and Cherie Melka and Sylvie the other day. Enjoyed this wine with hangar steak and onions, mushrooms, and broccoli with garlic. Now the wine. Nose has cocoa, black cherry, tobacco, and hints of orange rind and green bell pepper. The palate confirms the nose with a cherry and dark spice. Green tannins support the fruit without being offensive. Actually, a comfort from some of the fruit bombs in Napa Valley. Most enjoyable with a long finish of dark spice, chocolate, and a hint of green pepper. #melkawines — 10 years ago

Desroches Ben

9.5

8/10 sylvie — 11 years ago

Clark Steele

9.6

Light in texture and taste. Strawberry fragrance. Summer fruits. Mineraly. Dry. Delicious. — 11 years ago

Pooneet K

9.0

Very nice Alsatian white blend. Energetic with great acidity, mouth-filling intensity, and a long finish. Delicious and refreshing. — 7 years ago

Hans Reiser

9.2

Switzerland with its hidden gems of wines. It's about the simple complexity these wines bring joy to a local meal. — 7 years ago

David D

9.1

Tea, berries, a little cocoa, good tannins. Liked it a little more than the 2013. From Shawn's. — 7 years ago

Tannin Wine Bar & Kitchen KC

9.0

Balanced, delicious and expressive. — 8 years ago

Yasmine

9.4

Light wine. Enjoyable if you are not a fan of dense red wine. — 8 years ago

with Racha

Greg Gregory

9.2

Byob and thanks Sylvie. — 8 years ago

with Maayan

Morris Birnbaum

9.0

Really wonderful, if you like the earthy, barnyard style. — 9 years ago

with Barbara

Vineyard Gate Selections, LLC

10

2009 Domaine Sylvie Spielmann Alsace Riesling Bergheim Engelgarten. Superb dry #Riesling #drinkalsace — 9 years ago

Paul Lopez

9.7

Solid, smooth as silk. Crushed rocks, fab fruit with raspberries. Sylvie and P. Cambie are killin' it. — 10 years ago

Paul Spadafora

9.1

I don't normally go in for white wines, but this aligote from burgundy is excellent. — 10 years ago

Daniele Cuzin

9.5

Cadeau de Samira. Bu avec Sylvie et Philippe B. — 10 years ago

Pazzu Zu

9.1

17€ auchan — 11 years ago

Patrick Trovato

9.0

Sylvia Esmonin's 06 Gevry Chambertin- young as ever, tannins softened, but the wine itself doesn't show many signs of age. Bold dark boysenberry or Marionberry is indicative of her late picks that have somewhat of a cola type finish. — 7 years ago

Jed

9.1

Always a pleasure. — 7 years ago

Chris MacLean

9.2

All the ingredients are there, just needs time. Showing spice and plenty of structured fruit already but mostly closed still. — 7 years ago

with Max, Eli and 1 other

Hideyuki Oogami

9.2

Nice aroma( *・ω・)ノ
Look like Roch. — 8 years ago

with Fujimi

Przemek Adolf

9.5

Juicy, slightly funky. Good acidity. — 8 years ago

Michael Piaker

9.1

2 December 2015. Bubbles On The Battery, Pier A Harbor House, New York, NY. — 8 years ago

Omar 'Nacho' Campos

10

On the nose notes of rum soaked raisins, dates, chocolates and figs; the palate echoes the nose plus hints of cinnamon and spiced chocolate, high acidity, great texture and finish — 9 years ago

Amy Navor

9.0

Aromas of strawberries, apricot and honeysuckle. Tastes like it smells, but also has a bit of lilac on the palate, beautifully dry, balanced rosé. #groupnotes by Ohadd, Elise, Amy, Garett and Sylvie — 10 years ago

John Spencer

9.6

Mellow and nice with my sea bass. — 10 years ago

Daniele Cuzin

9.5

Cadeau Mathilde et Curt. Bu avec Sylvie et Phillipe B. — 10 years ago

Angelique Kenney

10

Tried during the world famous Jazz festival "Jazz in Marciac" with my dad and Sylvie on August 2013. Super good. Mono played the contrebass. — 11 years ago