2011 Château Pichon Lalande
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Tasting notes
The 2011 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has an intriguing bouquet with blackberry, briary, mint, juniper and a touch of cassis that lends it a Margaux-like allure. The palate is medium-bodied with a very tobacco-driven entry. Impressive depth, fleshier than expected, probably a Pauillac that will drink sooner than others. The shortcoming is just a slight lack of precision and persistency on the finish. Tasted blind at the annual 10-Year-On tasting.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Tasted blind. Dark shaded garnet. Meaty nose, with some toasty oak elements. Then long and layered and rewarding. Very clean finish. But just a little soft. (JR)
Essence of Pauillac on the nose. Graphite, cassis, slate, pencil lead, liqourice, the full gamut of the appellation's signatures, now opening up after years of being a little subdued. This is just about ready to drink even if there are still some austere tannins in evidence and although it's a vintage where I find many wines are a little disappinting in Pauillac (and St Estèphe, due to a hail storm in early September pushed some estates to a hasty harvest) here Comtesse shows itself, as it does in 2007 and 2013, as above average in its success. First year with Sylvie Cazes as director, 3.73ph, harvest September 13 to 28.
The 2011 Pichon-Lalande has a very strict, graphite-scented bouquet, poised and defined and gaining intensity all the time in the glass. You want it to give you more, though that would spoil the effect. The graphite tincture continues on the medium-bodied palate, and fine tannins lend a sense of airiness. This fans out nicely toward the finish to complete a finely made if rather conservative Pauillac. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting.