Reserve de la Comtesse Set (2010-2011-2012-2013-2014-2015)

Reserve de la Comtesse is the second wine of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. In the Bordeaux region the classified crus have mixed soils, but large enough tracts of land to make very rigorous selections. It is only the quest for excellence during the XVIIIth century that led the owners to elaborate several wines of different quality. Severe selecting is the guarantee of quality of a great wine, but also of a second wine. The archives kept at Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande mention the existence of a second wine as early as the XIXth century.

2010

Wine Advocate 86: Deep garnet colored, the 2010 Reserve de la Comtesse is scented of stewed tea, roasted nuts and dried mulberries with wafts of dusty soil and fried herbs. The medium-bodied palate is drying out slightly with firm, chewy tannins and dried herbs on the finish.

James Suckling 91: Very polished tannins that caress the palate. Full body. It's fruity, pretty and refined. The mineral and berry character comes through in a subtle way. Second wine of Pichon Lalande. Better in 2016.

2011

Wine Advocate 87: Pichon Lalande's second wine, the 2011 Reserve de la Comtesse offers juicy, cherry, red and black currant notes as well as a medium-bodied, elegant, finesse style. It is already drinking well and should continue to evolve nicely for another decade.

James Suckling 88: A wine with chewy tannins that are polished and refined but intense. Medium body with good fruit and a medium-fruity finish. Second wine of Pichon Lalande. Better in 2016.

2012

Wine Advocate 88: The 2012 Réserve de la Comtesse (64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot) has a surprisingly dense ruby/purple color, some chocolaty blackcurrant fruit, soft tannins and a nice, medium-bodied mouthfeel. It is an ideal second wine for drinking over the next 12-15 years.

James Suckling 90: Beautiful aromas of blueberries, currants and blackberries follow through to a full body, fine tannins and refined finish. Already so drinkable. Second wine of Pichon Lalande. But even better in a year or two.

2013

Wine Advocate 86: The 2013 Reserve de la Comtesse has a rather surly bouquet, a seaweed note that infuses the black fruit, perhaps just missing a little intensity. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, a tad sour on the entry and just needing more depth in the "shallow" middle. This is a wine I would drink in the next 4-5 years while waiting for superior vintages to reach their drinking windows.

James Suckling 87: A pleasant second wine from Pichon Lalande with currant and plum character, medium body and a fresh finish. Drink now.

2014

Wine Advocate 91: The 2014 Reserve de Comtesse de Lalande has a very fresh and vibrant bouquet with lovely cedar-infused black fruit that sings of Pauillac-ness (apologies for the made-up word!). The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, crisp and elegant with a keen line of acidity. This feels quite linear at the moment and perhaps the finish could have dealt more complexity commensurate with the aromatics. Yet there is bundles of freshness infused into this Deuxième Vin and there is a palpable salinity on the aftertaste.

James Suckling 92: Rose-petal, cassis-bush and berry aromas. Medium to full body, tangy acidity and a soft and velvety mouthfeel. Round and friendly. Second wine of Pichon Lalande. Drink in 2019.

Vinous 92: The 2014 Reserve de La Comtesse is a delicious second wine. Soft, open-knit and caressing, the 2014 offers striking textural depth to balance its dark red/purplish fruit. Spice, tobacco, menthol and licorice wrap around the juicy, super-expressive finish. A burst of aromatic freshness gives the wine its sense of proportion. The Reserve de La Comtesse is one of Bordeaux's most polished second wines, which, among other things, makes it an ideal red to drink over the next decade or so. The blend is 59% Cabernet Sauvignon and 41% Merlot.

2015

Wine Advocate 88: The medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Reserve de la Comtesse is a little tarry to begin, with red and black fruits, herbs and damp soil scents. Medium-bodied, firm, fresh and chewy in the mouth, it finishes a little green and herbal.

James Suckling 93: This is an impressive second wine. It shows a lot of vibrant red berries, blackberries and darker plum fruits. The palate is impressive for the vibrant and lively acidity cast amid sturdy but supple tannins. Second wine from Pichon-Lalande. Try from 2021.

Vinous 92: The 2015 Réserve de la Comtesse is a superb second wine. Time in barrel and egg white fining have softened some of the tannins the 2015 showed as a barrel sample, but the fruit intensity, pedigree and class of the estate are all in the glass. Black cherry graphite, smoke and licorice are some of the many notes that infuse this potent, almost shockingly virile Comtesse. Quite simply, in 2015 Comtesse is equal to, or greater than, many Grand Vins. Don't miss it. The 2015 spent 12 months in oak, 25% new.