2003 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Pauillac Bordeaux France Wine Tasting Note

110815 Views

2003
95
Just about, or at full maturity, the wine is lush, opulent, silky, sweet and long, with a core of earthy, spicy, blackberry, black currant and tobacco-tinged fruits. Full-bodied, rich and sensuous, with no touch of heat, or jam, this is a solid vintage for Pichon Lalande. Not decanted, just popped, poured and savored.

Just about, or at full maturity, the wine is lush, opulent, silky, sweet and long, with a core of earthy, spicy, blackberry, black currant and tobacco-tinged fruits. Full-bodied, rich and sensuous, with no touch of heat, or jam, this is a solid vintage for Pichon Lalande. Not decanted, just popped, poured and savored.

4,732 Views   Tasted
This is drinking just great. The wine is soft, silky, lush and filled with ripe red fruits, tobacco, earth, smoke and spice. Richly textured, with no hard edges and zero sensation of overripe notes or heat, 30 minutes of air was al this needed to come around.

This is drinking just great. The wine is soft, silky, lush and filled with ripe red fruits, tobacco, earth, smoke and spice. Richly textured, with no hard edges and zero sensation of overripe notes or heat, 30 minutes of air was al this needed to come around.

5,372 Views   Tasted
This is a beauty. The smoke, tobacco, truffle, cedar, cherry liqueur, mint, thyme and light cocoa dust in the nose if a winner. But the silky, lush, sexy texture, and the sweet, cassis, cherry and bitter chocolate in the end, seals the deal. Decanted about 20 minutes and enjoyed over the subsequent 90 minutes was working tonight.

This is a beauty. The smoke, tobacco, truffle, cedar, cherry liqueur, mint, thyme and light cocoa dust in the nose if a winner. But the silky, lush, sexy texture, and the sweet, cassis, cherry and bitter chocolate in the end, seals the deal. Decanted about 20 minutes and enjoyed over the subsequent 90 minutes was working tonight.

7,470 Views   Tasted
Tobacco, licorice, earth, cedar, roasted dark berries, herbs, black cherry and spice, open to a lush, sexy, plush, opulently textured wine of pleasure, finishing with sensuous, sweet, ripe, milk chocolate covered cherries.

Tobacco, licorice, earth, cedar, roasted dark berries, herbs, black cherry and spice, open to a lush, sexy, plush, opulently textured wine of pleasure, finishing with sensuous, sweet, ripe, milk chocolate covered cherries.

7,282 Views   Tasted
Cedar wood, tobacco, oak, blackberries and truffle scents pop with no effort. Silk and velvet textures and a rich, open, lush, fruit filled finish make this a pleasure to drink, now and in the future. This is a very sexy example of Pauillac.

Cedar wood, tobacco, oak, blackberries and truffle scents pop with no effort. Silk and velvet textures and a rich, open, lush, fruit filled finish make this a pleasure to drink, now and in the future. This is a very sexy example of Pauillac.

8,430 Views   Tasted
Blending 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot created a ruby colored wine that is showing lightening at the edge. Truffle, blackberry, cassis, cocoa, plum, spice, black cherry, tobacco and smoke produce a complex perfume. Plush, rich, sexy and sensuous, this opulent, pure, velvet textured wine is a treat for the senses. Maturing at a rapid pace, you can enjoy a bottle now, or over the next 15-20 years. If this wasn’t tasted in a vertical with numerous other vintages to write about, I would have put this delicious elixir where it belonged instead of the bucket.

Blending 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot created a ruby colored wine that is showing lightening at the edge. Truffle, blackberry, cassis, cocoa, plum, spice, black cherry, tobacco and smoke produce a complex perfume. Plush, rich, sexy and sensuous, this opulent, pure, velvet textured wine is a treat for the senses. Maturing at a rapid pace, you can enjoy a bottle now, or over the next 15-20 years. If this wasn’t tasted in a vertical with numerous other vintages to write about, I would have put this delicious elixir where it belonged instead of the bucket.

8,925 Views   Tasted
Very expressive nose packed with smoke, tobacco, earth, blackberry, spice and truffle scents. In the mouth, this is plush, soft and round. At 9 years of age, this is already a pleasure to enjoy, but it has room to age and develop as its not yet fully mature. The rich finish ends with black cherry, cocoa, earth, olive and spicy sensations.

Very expressive nose packed with smoke, tobacco, earth, blackberry, spice and truffle scents. In the mouth, this is plush, soft and round. At 9 years of age, this is already a pleasure to enjoy, but it has room to age and develop as its not yet fully mature. The rich finish ends with black cherry, cocoa, earth, olive and spicy sensations.

9,654 Views   Tasted
With an expressive nose packed with mocha, cassis, vanilla, forest floor, earth, red and black plum and cigar box aromas, this sensuous, lush, rich, Pichon Lalande is drinking great today. It should age effortlessly for at least another 15-20 years.

With an expressive nose packed with mocha, cassis, vanilla, forest floor, earth, red and black plum and cigar box aromas, this sensuous, lush, rich, Pichon Lalande is drinking great today. It should age effortlessly for at least another 15-20 years.

10,975 Views   Tasted
Earth, tobacco leaf, cassis, blackberry, smoke, forest floor and olive notes open up the nose. Full bodied, with lush, round, silky ripe dark berries, cassis and spice, the wine continues developing well. At 9 years of age, it's already drinking well. Even though it's showing surprisingly well, I expect the wine to continue improving for several more years.

Earth, tobacco leaf, cassis, blackberry, smoke, forest floor and olive notes open up the nose. Full bodied, with lush, round, silky ripe dark berries, cassis and spice, the wine continues developing well. At 9 years of age, it's already drinking well. Even though it's showing surprisingly well, I expect the wine to continue improving for several more years.

12,524 Views   Tasted
This wine opens with dark berries, mushroom, earth, pepper and tobacco notes. Soft, elegant, silky tannins, coupled with velvety dark fruit ends with fresh, ripe blackberries, pepper and hints of green olive tapenade. This sexy wine will only get better with age.

This wine opens with dark berries, mushroom, earth, pepper and tobacco notes. Soft, elegant, silky tannins, coupled with velvety dark fruit ends with fresh, ripe blackberries, pepper and hints of green olive tapenade. This sexy wine will only get better with age.

17,753 Views   Tasted
Spice, cinnamon, black fruit, coffee and oak make up the aromatics. Lots of exotic, black fruit on the palate with plummy accents. The wine clearly shows its trademark richness and soft, elegant style of Bordeaux. Give it 5 more years and let it strut its stuff.

Spice, cinnamon, black fruit, coffee and oak make up the aromatics. Lots of exotic, black fruit on the palate with plummy accents. The wine clearly shows its trademark richness and soft, elegant style of Bordeaux. Give it 5 more years and let it strut its stuff.

10,840 Views   Tasted
This offers an exotic, spicy nose combining ripe, spicy, red and black fruits. The wine hits the palate with a very sexy feel and maintains a lot of complexity through the finish.

This offers an exotic, spicy nose combining ripe, spicy, red and black fruits. The wine hits the palate with a very sexy feel and maintains a lot of complexity through the finish.

6,858 Views   Tasted

When to Drink Chateau Pichon Lalande, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time

Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is not a wine to drink on the young side in most vintages. The wine is soft enough, but you miss out on the sublime secondary characteristics that come with age. Young vintages can be decanted for an average of 2-4 hours, give or take. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume.

Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment. Chateau Pichon Lalande is usually better with at least 10-12 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage character. Chateau Pichon Lalande offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 15 and 40 years of age after the vintage.

Chateau Pichon Comtesse de Lalande is the most voluptuous Bordeaux wine produced in the Medoc. Much of the wine's sensuous qualities come from the large portion of Merlot included in the blend. Pichon Lalande offers dark berry flavors, truffle, cassis, and cedar notes. The wine is pure silk and velvet textures.

Due to the softness of the wine, Pichon Lalande is often approachable earlier than other Medoc properties. But don't let that fool you into thinking the wine will not improve with age. It does! Ass it closes in on 40 years of age, the sublime 1982 Pichon Lalande is still going strong.

Serving Chateau Pichon Lalande with Wine and Food Pairings

Chateau Pichon Lalande is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.

Chateau Pichon Lalande is best paired with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes. Chateau Pichon Lalande is also good when matched with Asian dishes, rich fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, and pasta.

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