The 2018 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a Bordeaux blend from the Pauillac region in Bordeaux, France. This red wine, produced by Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, has garnered significant acclaim from various wine critics for its complexity and potential for aging.
The blend consists of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, with an alcohol content of 14.5%. The wine’s deep garnet-purple color hints at its richness and depth.
Wine Enthusiast’s Roger Voss awarded this wine 98 points, praising it as a "powerful wine" packed with blackberry fruits and balanced acidity. He noted the wine's elegance and structure, recommending it not be consumed before 2027.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown of Robert Parker's Wine Advocate gave the wine 97 points, describing it as medium-bodied with "seamless freshness" and firm, grainy tannins. She highlighted its complex aroma profile, including baked plums, ripe blackcurrants, and wild blueberries, and suggested it could age for another 30 years or more.
Jeff Leve from TheWineCellarInsider.com was highly enthusiastic, scoring it 99 points. He described the wine as having a "remarkable depth of color" and a rich, opulent texture with "decadent sex-appeal." He likened it to the legendary 1982 vintage and recommended a cellar time of at least 10 years.
Decanter also rated it highly at 99 points, calling it "one of the most seductive Comtesses on record" with alternating layers of softness and concentration. The nose stood out with rich raspberries, peonies, and woodsmoke, and the palate had notable slate, cedar, and liquorice notes.
Jeb Dunnuck echoed the high praise with a 98-point score, likening its stature and structure to that of Château Latour. He described it as a "monster of a wine" with deep notes of blackcurrants, crushed stone, and tobacco leaf, suggesting a bottle age of 5-7 years.
Neal Martin from Vinous, also scored it 98 points, describing it as having a "voluminous, generous bouquet" and a seductive palate with layers of black fruit, graphite, and mint. He noted its potential to stand shoulder to shoulder with the 2016 vintage.
Wine Spectator’s J.M. awarded it 98 points, highlighting its deep notes of dark currant, blackberry paste, and plum preserves, along with warm earth, tobacco, and cedar. He recommended enjoying it from 2030 through 2050.
James Suckling gave it 97 points, noting aromas of blackberry, dried blueberry, gravel, and mocha, with a full-bodied profile and ultra-fine tannins. He suggested waiting until 2026 to fully appreciate it.
Finally, Jane Anson gave it 96 points, noting its "gourmet vintage" nature with a rich mid-palate and enjoyable fennel and black liquorice notes on the finish. She emphasized that the wine needs time to soften and reveal its full nuances.
Overall, the 2018 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a highly acclaimed wine with significant aging potential, praised for its complexity, structure, and elegant profile.
