Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

In 1805, Daniel Phelan, an Irish wine broker, acquired le Clos de Garamey, and was followed in 1810 by the acquisition of the Segur de Cabanac estate, creating the domain that remains today. Aromas and flavors of black cherry and blueberry with cacao, gentle oak and herb character. Firm grip on tannins, lingering this big wine to an earthy ending. Tight now give it some time, decanting helps if you must now! — 6 years ago

Matt Beyard

9.2

Delicious Pinot. Not your normal Cali Pinot - like I’ve had in France. Kenny does such a great job with his Pinots. I just love them. — 6 years ago

Kirk F

9.0

Open for 3 hours. Showed well though not as good as I’d hoped. Maybe too young. Classic Evenstad nose and flavor profile. Good Minnesota folk making Oregonian PN! — 6 years ago

Michael Mathews

9.1

Unbelievable beautiful big Pinot. Decadent, bold but not over powering. Hints of cedar, tobacco. The finish is gentle and soft, and does not leave you wanting for anything more.... — 7 years ago

with Brad, Nicholas and 5 others

Jason Somerville

8.9

Very pleasant. Refreshing, crisp, juicy. Excellent value for the price point. — 8 years ago

Graham Jenkins

8.9

This is not bad at all — 8 years ago

with Jasmine

Nick Davis

9.6

Delicate, finessed, lean. A feminine expression of a beautiful vintage, handled with gentle care. A real treat, to enjoy this rarity! — 8 years ago

Alex Mayes

9.4

One of my favorite of the Margaux appellation. In the nose, beautiful bouquet of sweet ripe fruits and gentle french oak. Fruit-forward with mixed berries - raspberry and blueberry - and intense pepper. Medium body, dry on the tongue, with soft tannins. Could age for a few more years. Long lingering finish. — 8 years ago

Martin Davies

9.0

Soft and gentle. Drinking really well now. At peak. — 8 years ago

with Nigel

Benjamin Gaeddert

9.0

Nutty caramel and stone fruit really, really sing in this. Only a very gentle effervescence left now; arguably past prime, but still lovely. — 9 years ago

Brandon Woo

9.6

Oak heavy-ish nose but not over oak ish. Oaky heavy ish tongue but not overly oak ish. Gentle tongue and medium finish. — 11 years ago

Sara G

8.9

Easy drinking red — 6 years ago

Christopher Losa

Owner/Wine Director Bar Bambino

8.9

Central Coast ripeness well balanced with freshness, acidity, and a light hand in the winery. — 6 years ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.2

Big Purple Color! (And teeth stainer!) Aromas and flavors of ripe blueberry, blackberry and vanilla. Hints of herbs, mint and graphite. Medium body, beautifully balanced with soft tannins. Totally ready to drink. Gentle oaky notes. Very long finish. A bit tight out of the bottle so decant it. Great! Thank you Mark Smith. — 6 years ago

with Mark

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

A. K.

9.5

A soft, gentle, elegant wine. Tannins arch palette forward, with a bit of a long tail, but are never bitting. Slight earthy mushroom funk and cassis. This isn't a wine for a heavy meal or a blizzard - light fall air is where she shines. — 9 years ago

Perry Riddle

9.1

Gossamer and airy. Gentle sweetness and lightly ripe apple and stonefruits. — 9 years ago

Michael Petrozzella

9.5

Crisp and refreshing... Fantastic! — 9 years ago

Sarah Wuethrich

8.9

Amazing aromatics! — 6 years ago

Brian Hearty

9.1

2016. Fruity, nice acidity, really went well with a steelhead trout entree. — 6 years ago

with Bryan

April Sutton

9.0

Tastes like a bourbon Christmas — 6 years ago

Francesco Scarrone

9.0

Extremely interesting and juicy — 7 years ago

Ron Yates

9.4

This might be the best Tempranillo I have ever tasted. Soft and gentle with no overbearing oak for a Gran Reserva. Soft tannins and beautiful fruit notes. So good we had two bottles. — 7 years ago

Brash Higgins

9.1

Nice vitality here, touch of zingy acid, musky fruit, lithe and delicate. Green smells...12.6% — 8 years ago

Jason Somerville

9.0

Plump and juicy, easy to drink. Excellent value for the money. — 8 years ago

Ellen Bucher

9.4

perf Spring wine — 8 years ago

John McCarroll

Sales Rowan Imports

9.0

Fragrant af: tropical fruits, great acid and structure. Daddy likes. — 8 years ago

George Chen

9.2

Perfect harmony...seamless poetry of soft gentle dried flowers and warm earth. Need to find more as it was a deal years back! — 8 years ago

Guy Davies

9.1

Much brighter fruit on nose than 2004. Zesty by comparison. Actually a slightly more delicate, gentle texture. Less intensity and a bit shorter on the finish. — 9 years ago

Kai Li

9.0

Bold but gentle tannin, easy to drink. Cherry and a little cigar aroma. — 9 years ago