Reserve de la Comtesse

Reserve de la Comtesse is the second wine of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. In the Bordeaux region the classified crus have mixed soils, but large enough tracts of land to make very rigorous selections. It is only the quest for excellence during the XVIIIth century that led the owners to elaborate several wines of different quality. Severe selecting is the guarantee of quality of a great wine, but also of a second wine. The archives kept at Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande mention the existence of a second wine as early as the XIXth century.

Winemaker notes

Complex; on the nose, notes of gunflint, cedar and violet. The palate is pronounced, full and floral, backed by well-structured tannins, long in the mouth finishing on a tasty note of ripe apricot.

2014

Wine Advocate 91: The 2014 Reserve de Comtesse de Lalande has a very fresh and vibrant bouquet with lovely cedar-infused black fruit that sings of Pauillac-ness (apologies for the made-up word!). The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, crisp and elegant with a keen line of acidity. This feels quite linear at the moment and perhaps the finish could have dealt more complexity commensurate with the aromatics. Yet there is bundles of freshness infused into this Deuxième Vin and there is a palpable salinity on the aftertaste.

James Suckling 92: Rose-petal, cassis-bush and berry aromas. Medium to full body, tangy acidity and a soft and velvety mouthfeel. Round and friendly. Second wine of Pichon Lalande. Drink in 2019.

Vinous 92: The 2014 Reserve de La Comtesse is a delicious second wine. Soft, open-knit and caressing, the 2014 offers striking textural depth to balance its dark red/purplish fruit. Spice, tobacco, menthol and licorice wrap around the juicy, super-expressive finish. A burst of aromatic freshness gives the wine its sense of proportion. The Reserve de La Comtesse is one of Bordeaux's most polished second wines, which, among other things, makes it an ideal red to drink over the next decade or so. The blend is 59% Cabernet Sauvignon and 41% Merlot.

2015

Wine Advocate 88: The medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Reserve de la Comtesse is a little tarry to begin, with red and black fruits, herbs and damp soil scents. Medium-bodied, firm, fresh and chewy in the mouth, it finishes a little green and herbal.

James Suckling 93: This is an impressive second wine. It shows a lot of vibrant red berries, blackberries and darker plum fruits. The palate is impressive for the vibrant and lively acidity cast amid sturdy but supple tannins. Second wine from Pichon-Lalande. Try from 2021.

Wine Enthusiast 93: There are plenty of tannins here along with fresh black currant fruits. This wine is structured and firm in the style of a Pauillac. But it also has a softer side, with elegance and light.

2016

Wine Advocate 90: The 2016 Reserve de la Comtesse is a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it leaps from the glass with beautiful kirsch, cassis and redcurrants with hints of red roses, black tea, black pepper, chocolate box and cloves. The palate is medium-bodied, very elegant and fresh with gorgeous silken tannins and loads of bright fruit, finishing spicy.

James Suckling 94: The stunning, ripe dark berries and plums on the nose are attractively dressed and deliver a wealth of assertively rich and juicy dark-fruit flavors on the palate, in balanced and elegant yet powerful style. The best Réserve de la Comtesse for some time. Second wine of Château Pichon-Lalande.

Vinous 92: The 2016 Réserve de la Comtesse has a delightful bouquet of black fruit infused with sous-bois and pencil shavings – classic Claret through and through. The medium-bodied palate delivers crunchy black fruit laced with tobacco and cedar. This is a correct, quite “linear” wine, but one that I find well balanced, with a welcome pepperiness that emerges toward the grippy finish. It might not warrant superlatives, but it is clearly well crafted and endowed with understated nobility.

Decanter 92: An incredibly luscious, gorgeously balanced and rich Réserve de la Comtesse. They picked right up until the light October rain, waiting until it had passed before continuing. Those extra few days have contributed to the particularly soft and silky quality of the tannins in the Cabernet Sauvignon, which have a gorgeous density to them. This is a serious wine that could stand up against many Médoc grand vins. The blend here is 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot.

2019 Pichon Comtesse Reserve

Wine Advocate 91: The 2019 Resèrve de la Comtesse is striking, soaring from the glass with scents of violets and rose petals mingled with cassis and dark berries. Medium to full-bodied, polished and succulent, it’s lively and seamless, with impressive concentration and a long, penetrating finish.

James Suckling 93: A pretty red with blackberry, cherry and currant. Some chocolate and walnut, too. It’s medium-bodied with integrated tannins and a polished finish. Hazelnut at the end.

Wine Enthusiast 94: The wine's richness is paralleled by its generous character and ripe blackberry flavors. Its texture is delicious, balancing structure and vibrant black fruits. Drink from 2025.

2020 Pichon Comtesse Reserve

Wine Advocate 91: Much like the grand vin, the 2020 Resèrve de la Comtesse is charming and polished, bursting with aromas of dark berries, plums, rose petals and mint. Medium to full-bodied, suave and enveloping, it will drink well on release.

Vinous 91-93: The 2020 Réserve de la Comtesse is absolutely gorgeous. Far more expressive than the Grand Vin today, the Réserve is everything a second wine should be. Ripe dark cherry, plum, spice, menthol, licorice and tobacco all flesh out in a sumptuous, racy Pauillac that impresses with its alluring personality. This is an especially fine vintage for the Réserve. The 2020 is 47% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot – in other words, a high percentage of PV that undoubtedly marks the blend.

Decanter 92: Dark bramble berries with lots of perfumed aromas; purple flowers, iris and violets with blueberries and pomegranates as well as some earthy notes. Rich, and seductive, this has an immediate weight in the mouth - opulent with structure and thickness to the tannins even though they are fine, this has weight and density. Lots of liquorice and blackcurrant but well integrated. It’s smooth, with a soft juicy core, and slow expansion of the elements. Definitely concentrated, intense and powerful but poised and driven. Generous and friendly. 3.8pH. Ageing 12 months, 50% new, 50% one-year-old barrels.