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Jeb Dunnuck
Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Vinous
2022 Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Pauillac, France chateau pichon longueville
Overview
Founded in 1689, Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has quite a spectacular history. The quality and elegance of the wines have been the maxim of all the château‘s owners since master winemaker Joseph de Pichon Longueville‘s reign in the 18th century.
For over thirty years, owner May Eliane de Lencquesaing modernized the château‘s installations in the truest respect for tradition. Her indefatigable passion elevated Pichon to a level equaled only by its consistency all over the world. In 2007, Maison Louis Roederer began a new chapter in the long and magnificent history of Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande.
The vast majority of the vineyards are Gunzian gravel mounds of the classic Pauillac composition, with the deep bed of gravel placed over a substrata of clay and limestone. The commitment to sustainable farming practices extends throughout the 220 acres of vineyards, with over 27 acres fully converted to organic viticulture, and 37 acres farmed biodynamically.
Analytical Data
Alcohol ABV: 13.5 - 13.8%
Sweetness: Dry
Acidity pH: 3.8
Blend: 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot & 5% Cabernet Franc
Production Attributes
Maturation: Oaked
Oak Type: French
Harvest date: 6 September - 27 September
Closure Type: Cork
Vineyard Notes
The Médoc stretches north of Bordeaux, nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gironde Estuary. A remarkable region with particularly poor soils, consisting of gravel rises on clay subsoil. These light, well-drained soils, resulting from the slow drop in water levels during the Quaternary period, provide ideal conditions for the vines to reveal the outstanding quality of the terroir, under the protective influence of a highly favorable microclimate.
Winemaking
Pichon Comtesse implemented a gravity-flow approach throughout the winemaking process, from the reception of the grapes to the moment the wines are put in barrel. Once fermentation is complete and the “free run juice” is run off, the must (the solid part consisting of the grape skins and seeds) is extracted from the vat and delicately pressed. The “press wines” are obtained using precision technology, under the supervision of an expert team. After rigorous selection, their structure will complement the smoother tannins extracted during fermentation to produce the perfect blend.