2021 Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Cru Classé Pauillac

Just as I found from barrel, the 2021 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is stubborn on the nose at first, opening with a few swirls of the glass to reveal blackberry, cassis and light juniper aromas. The oak here is beautifully integrated. The palate is classical in style, the Cabernet patently in the driving seat—as you would expect, given it constitutes 88% of the blend. I really admire the finish on this ’21, as it appears to have gained delineation, mineralité and a little more persistence on the finish. This is an impressive Pauillac, brimming with freshness and character. Whilst it might be predestined to be overshadowed by surrounding vintages, best not to ignore this gem.

The 2021 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a towering wine. Just as it did en primeur, the 2021 dazzles from start to finish. The Cabernets are very high in the blend, and that comes through in a Saint-Julien endowed with ton of explosive vertical lift. Lavender, dried herbs, mint, spice, rose petal and a kick of orange peel are some of the notes that run through this striking Pichon Comtesse. The aromatics alone are compelling, but everything about the 2021 speaks to class personified. Bright saline notes extend the finish. In a word: sublime.

The 2021 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande wafts from the glass with aromas of blackberries and minty cassis mingled with notes of violet, lavender, pencil shavings and rose petals. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and polished, it's beautifully seamless and complete, with a fleshy core of fruit, ripe acids and sweet, powdery tannins that assert themselves on the gently structured finish. This will offer a broad drinking window. It's one of the vintage's real successes, but it also represents only one-quarter of a "normal" production.