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

Tom Riley

9.0

I prefer my Pinot on the leaner and lighter side, but this is too delicious to snub. Deep, brambly, almost inky, with well integrated acid and alcohol (14.1), concentration and structure. These are things that 15 years ago I would not have said about a Fess Parker pinot noir. A serious, well made wine. — 10 years ago

Julia Kozitsyna

9.0

Need a lot more cellaring time — 11 years ago

Ruan Vosloo

9.7

Amazing Pinot. — 12 years ago

John Van Trijp

10

100/100 Parker tasting @ Librije — 8 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.0

Rich maroon with purple tinges. Notes of ripe plummy fruit with spicy creamy oak but not overdone on the latter. Medium to full bodied. A quality quaffer and good QPR at $24. — 9 years ago

Jim Lindsay

8.9

Hard acid closed nose 95pts Parker 100 year vines. — 9 years ago

Michael Mcdermott

9.4

1997 vintage was rated 87 by Parker and I drank this over 5 days closing with vacuvin between dinners. Best day? The last one really! The first day was better than expected for this vintage earthy, leather, touch of vegetal notes but last day was allspice, lavender like notes, dark cherries. No tannin, smooth, medium body. A pleasure. Best thing is there two more in cellar! Enjoy! — 9 years ago

with Adam, Mike and 1 other

Ian Abraham

9.5

Heavy blackberry nose and flavor subtle creme de cassis finish medium to light tannin. Heavy alcohol upfront. Semi- complex but could not justify the price for the quality. Very Bitter at first starts to get better after opening up a little. Robert Parker 96+ pts The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Bone Ash Vineyard Estate, which comes from their estate in Calistoga, shows great blackberry and cassis fruit, nice minerality, a floral component, subtle new oak and a full-bodied, expansive mouthfeel. This wine should drink well for 30 years and be approachable within 5-6 [years].” $97.99 a bottle. — 10 years ago

Julie

9.2

Mom's favorite is now one of my favorites! — 10 years ago

Jill Hill

9.6

Parker gave this 100 points today! Hooray Jason delicious!Kevin insisted on drinking it tonight — 10 years ago

Ryan Coseboom

9.4

100 pts Parker. I can see why. Smooth like silk. CdPerfect. — 12 years ago

Jerry Ouellette

9.0

Really not bad, but not my favorite Pinot — 12 years ago

Paul T HB

9.8

Parker 98 point taste off today,
Cult takes it at P&P lets see after a couple hours decant,
The nose on this has caught our attention now, not as full bodied as the cult but still delicious. Can't go wrong either way.
Maybach has taken over as it opens, winner! I think Amoenus is the top 2104 I've had, has lingering layers as it opens up, — 8 years ago

Carl Fischer

9.9

To quote my two friends @Martin G Rivard and @Mike Rowe this is a bad ass wine eliciting smiles all around (and a great way to start 2017). Parker gave this a perfect score and it is a beauty. Decanting is a must at this point. It's been opening up over the last 4 hours and think it will continue to improve if I can sip more slowly lol. Slightly cloudy, and a bright purple in the glass. On the nose, cassis, vanilla and toast dominate. The sips are long and driven by fruit (blue and blackberries and cassis). Liquid silk in the mouth with sweet tannins and a surprisingly strong acidity. The finish is long. This is a total baby but I had to try it. Happy New Year to all my Delectable friends and especially to my fellow Wine Nerd Herd. I've always believed that sharing wine with friends is the greatest gift and this app has enabled me to do that with friends near and far and connect with some great people. May 2017 be a year of great health and happiness and may all our glasses be full! — 9 years ago

Chris Bensick

9.2

Consolation for last night's petite sirah. Drying out a bit but very savory nonetheless. 12% abv. Up yours, Parker! — 9 years ago

Ian Abraham

10

Love it as much as Kathryn Hall 2010 cab. Gently sweet with subtle tannin, rich complex layered with a floral scent sensational nose, and incredibly smooth. Slight bit of tart cherry on the flavor. 97-100
Points by Robert Parker
More approachable, but no less impressive, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) looks gorgeous, and is probably the most complete wine in the lineup. Layered and rich, yet ultra-pure and elegant, it gives up classic creme de cassis, lead pencil shavings, licorice and liquid flower-like qualities to go with full-bodied richness and depth on the palate. Relatively civilized, yet with building tannin and richness, it should benefit from short-term cellaring and have two decades of longevity."- Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate (Issue #213, June 2014), 97 - 100 pt — 10 years ago

James Webb

9.0

This wine was at its peak at a warmer temperature than most. Really pretty tropical notes and hay. Under-ripe mango, kiwi, very direct nose and alcohol comes through (14.5) The palette is all about the malo and new oak, soft, buttery, nice acid, lingering finish. I can't help but believe that this wine lacks soul (or typicity?) but it's damn good. Maybe if this were the benchmark of Santa Barbara County wines? Regardless this is great with spicy Indian. Good job FP. — 10 years ago

with Megan

Zainal Abdul Kadir

9.0

Big, rich, full, tight. Nuances of red spice. An beautifully made wine — 11 years ago

Jason

Winemaker Futo Wines

9.8

Ethereal genius from the old stalwart — 12 years ago