Chateau Pichon Comtesse de Lalande 2016

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "One of the greatest wines that this estate has produced in the modern era, the 2016 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a brilliant classic that no Bordeaux lover is going to want to do without. Mingling aromas of cassis and plums with notions of licorice, sweet tobacco leaf, rich soil tones, licorice, cigar smoke and violets, it's full-bodied, seamless and complete, with huge concentration, bright acids and a long, penetrating finish. Standing out for its unerring precision, impeccable balance and ineffable sense of completeness, it should prove almost immortal."

JEB DUNNUCK: "Coming from the genius winemaking talent of Nicolas Glumineau, the 2016 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande matches the 1982 and is a perfect, legendary wine in the making. A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc brought up in 60% new oak, it's not the most powerful Left Bank but offers perfect balance and thrilling intensity as well as heavenly aromatics of crème de cassis, leafy herbs, jammy blackberries, tobacco leaf, and freshly sharpened lead pencils as well as more violets and minerality with time in the glass. Possessing a deep, full-bodied, singular character, the purity of fruit that's the hallmark of the vintage, building tannins, and a sense of class and elegance that's hard to describe, it's a 50-year-wine. While this cuvée has included a fair chunk of Merlot in the past that gave it more upfront appeal, it's important for readers to know it's much more Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated today, and while it is slightly more approachable than some of its neighbors, it shuts down rather quickly with time in the glass. (I followed this wine for multiple days.) I suspect a solid decade of cellaring is warranted."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "It takes only a single sniff and sip to know this is one the wines of the vintage. With its velvet drenched textures, silky, elegant tannins, and perfectly ripe red and black fruits, the wine offers a course in sensuality. Opulent, and rich, balanced and long, refined and deep, even at barely 3 years of age, this is stunning. But if you wait at least a decade, you will experience a wine of singular pleasure, guaranteed to evolve into one of the legendary wines of Bordeaux. Bravo to the team of Nicolas Glumineau for producing this incredible wine!"

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "The 2016 Pichon Comtesse has a deep garnet color. It needs a lot of coaxing and swirling to shake loose notes of crushed black and red currants, black raspberries, and mulberries, plus wafts of lilacs, forest floor, and pencil lead, with a hint of smoked meats. Medium-bodied, the palate is packed with bright, perfumed black fruits, supported by plush, super-ripe tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and fragrant. Gorgeous!"

JAMES SUCKLING: "Glorious aromas of blackcurrants, blackberries and flowers, from violets to roses. Iron and rust undertones. Full-bodied, dense and very layered with loads of richness. It goes on for minutes. Reminds me of the 1986. Best in decades? Take a first look at it in 2025."

WEINWISSER: "75 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 21 % Merlot, 4 % Cabernet Franc, 40 hl/ha. Tiefes Purpur mit satter Mitte. Welch ein Parfüm von Cassis und Heidelbeeren! Dahinter Lakritze und Kokos, sowie aufkommende Schokonoten, und trotz dieser Dichte der Aromen niemals die Balance verlierend. Am kräftigen Gaumen zeigt er viel Charme, perfekt ausgereifte Tannine und eine Explosion von blaubeeriger Frucht und Mineralik im Rückaroma. Das Ganze mündet in ein nicht enden wollendes Finale mit Brombeeren und ein Crescendo, das seinesgleichen sucht. Der Pichon-Comtesse reiht sich daher vor Mouton-Rothschild und ganz knapp hinter Lafite und Latour auf Platz 3 ein. Kann in der perfekten Trinkreife noch die Maximalnote erreichen! 19.5/20"

DECANTER: "Champagne house Louis Roederer owns Pichon Lalande and, under winemaker Nicolas Glumineau, quality has been restored to the glory-years of the 80s and early 90s. Less weighty, but more focussed, than neighbour Pichon Baron, the 2016 has an exotic nose with violets, star-anise and lead-pencil notes, whilst the intense, blackcurrant fruit dominated palate has concentration, fine-grained tannins and graphite notes on the lingering finish. Very fine. Drinking Window 2024 - 2050"

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, dezente Randaufhellung, mit einem Hauch von Flieder unterlegte dunkle Beerenfrucht, reife schwarze Kirschen, attraktiver Hauch von Edelholz. Saftig, elegant, süßes dunkles Beerenkonfit, tragende, sehr geschliffene Tannine, extraktsüßer Nachhall, ein stoffiger und zugleich sehr anmutiger Wein, gute Frische und große Länge."

WINE SPECTATOR: "Saturated with dark currant, fig and blackberry compote flavors, this has a fleshy, nearly glycerin feel at first before stretching out to reveal singed cedar, tobacco leaf, dark earth and cassis bush flavors. A terrific tug of cast iron emerges at the very end. Deliciously juicy dark fruit keeps rolling throughout. Best from 2025 through 2040."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "This wine is full of freshness and life as well as serious tannins and structure. The two sides complement each other to give a wine that has power as well as delicious black fruits and acidity. With the tannins it will age well. Drink this balanced wine from 2025."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Tasted blind. Deep smudgy purplish crimson. Sweet mulberries on the nose. Racy and fleshy and fruity. Not very classical Pauillac but an early charmer. Lots of fun! Long. Lovely wine."