2022 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
I have to admit I am stunned, as I have never tasted before such outstanding youth Bordeaux`s in my life. All were marked by an impressive density, balance, fruit concentration, polished tannins, freshness and drinking pleasure. And thankfully we don’t have to wait 50 years, so we are all still alive to enjoy these beauties. Wonderful to drink right now, maybe best in 5-10 years. In my view I see no real benefit of BIG aging. It doesn’t get any better.
It’s a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc that spent 18 months in barriques (three months more than was formerly the case), two-thirds of which were new.
The bouquet is captivating and voluptous, black velvet all over. What a density and elegance with no end. The velvet texture is such sexy. Fair to say a big (!) wine and for me a touch too modern, I prefer 2022 Montrose instead. Anyway truely a 100/100 wine.
The most famous German Bordeaux importer gave 100+
Of course, also a 100/100 wine, but the stilistic is different. More classic in a certain way, as 2022 Montrose reminded me on the legendary 1990, my first 100pts. wine.
The 2022s already show a great harmony&balance. No harsh tannins, instead the tannins are highly polished. No hard edges, no disturbing acidity and everyting is wonderfully integrated.
„I have to say I agree with you Martin. I thought this was a stunning Pichon-Comtesse from barrel, and tasting it after bottling last December I rated it just as you have here. One of my three top wines in 2022, in what is one of the greatest Bordeaux vintages I have ever tasted. A little less “classic” (a loaded term open to interpretation, I know!) than 2016 and 2019, nevertheless a great vintage which I predict will be regarded as one of the greats in future years. It may be an atypical vintage overall, but then so was 1982 in its youth…“
It’s quite high but they have been shifting the % CS up over time. Some older vintages (2000?) were more like 50%. But recently it’s been more like 75+%.
The Reserve de la Comtesse has more Merlot and seems to echo some of the character of the older wines. Or possibly that’s just my brain.
#globalwarming? Amazing what sunlight and heat does when growing fruit. And possibly a shift to more nouveau winemaking. No wonder so many people like warmer climate new world wines
Most people have always preferred properly ripe grapes. Warming has benefited Bordeaux and Burgundy enormously, while Napa has suffered to some degree (vintages plagued by fires and untimely heat waves).
Back in January, I along with my daughter and son in law tasted 4 vintages (2011/2012/2015/2018) with the US Importer and Aldo Sohm. Interesting in the fact that Sergio Zecca explained what they were doing in the vineyards and this would be a great wine.
