Chateau Pichon Comtesse de Lalande - Reserve de la Comtesse 2023

JAMES SUCKLING: "I like the freshness and linear character to this second wine of Pichon Lalande. It's medium-bodied with creamy and polished tannins that are fine at the end. It is linked from start to finish. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 5% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot."

WEINWISSER: "60 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 30 % Merlot, 5 % Petit Verdot, 5 % Cabernet Franc. Delikates blaubeeriges Bouquet, Veilchenparfüm und zarte Graphitnote. Am elegant saftigen Gaumen mit seidiger Textur, engmaschigem Tanningerüst, stützender Rasse und vielschichtigem Körper. Im konzentrierten, dichten und langen Finale edle Cassiswürze und feinkörniges Extrakt. Top-Wert aus Pauillac."

DECANTER: "Deep nose - lush, ripe fruit, chocolate, blackcurrants, smells sumptuous and rich but still with an element of graphite and cool minerality on the nose. Streamlined and well defined, lovely energy and focus and all in balance. Fruity with high acidity but not too sharp, not too angular. You can feel the power underneath and the minerality on top but it’s got good movement. Not so long, but it’s finessed and really easy to approach. If anything it’s a bit quiet right now, subtle and elegant, though this has structure and some firmness. Good quality. 12% press wine. Ageing 12 months, 50% new oak and 50% one year. 5% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. 3.67pH."

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Zart floral, ein Hauch von Herzkirschen, Zwetschken, kandierte Orangenzesten. Saftig, elegant, rotbeerige Nuancen, zarte Tannine, frisch und mineralisch, salziger Nachhall, ein leichtfüßiger Speisenbegleiter."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Chocolate, flowers, cherries, mint, and cigar wrapper opens the perfume. The medium-bodied palate is even better with its silky, fresh, soft, expression of Cabernet. The wine finishes with a touch of salt, which only makes you want to take another sip. The wine blends 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. 13% ABV. Drink from 2025-2040."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "A terrific second wine, the 2023 Resèrve de la Comtesse wafts from the glass with a pure bouquet of blackcurrants, dark berries, lilac and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, layered and velvety, it's sensual and vibrant, with melting tannins and a deep core of cool fruit framed by polished but present tannins. This blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc marks the 50th anniversary of this second wine's production."

VINUM: "Cassis, Schwarzkirsche und florale Töne im Duft, straff am Gaumen, zupackend, mit Energie und viel knackiger Frucht, langanhaltend, frisch."

JEB DUNNUCK: "The second wine of this great château is the 2023 Pichon Comtesse Réserve, which is based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% each of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc raised in 50% new oak and the rest in once-used oak. Notes of black cherries, currants, smoky tobacco, and graphite give it a real Cabernet Sauvignon character. Medium-bodied and balanced, with ripe tannins, it's a beautiful second wine that will evolve for 15-20 years."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2023 Pichon Comtesse Reserve rolls out with evocative notes of ripe black cherries, redcurrant jelly, and boysenberries plus underlying hints of wild sage, wet slate, and damp soil. The medium-bodied palate is so fresh and elegant, with gentle powdery tannins supporting the delicate black fruit flavors, finishing on a lingering mineral note. The blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. This is a higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon than is typical, a sign of the future since more of this variety is being planted."