The estate was founded in 1689 by Pierre de Mazure de Rauzan and the vineyard acquired its name a few years later when his daughter Thérèse received it as part of her dowry on her marriage to Jacques de Pichon Longueville, the first President of the Parliament of Bordeaux. It was divided upon the death of Baron Joseph in 1850 between his five children. However, only two of his children finally inherited the vineyards; Raoul and Virginie. Virginie married Count Henri de Lalande, giving her the title, and took over control of the domain. Her passion and the quality of her management made her a strong personality in the Médoc and she very much left her mark on the domain. In the 1855 classification, Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande acquired the status of 2eme Cru Classé.
The 76 hectares of this vineyard border the property of Château Latour and stretch south of Pauillac towards the Commune of Saint Julien, whence it gets its extraordinary charm. The exceptional character of the wines produced here, are distinguished by their elegance and finesse.
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 89 hectares of vineyards, with over 11 hectares fully converted to organic viticulture, and 15 hectares farmed biodynamically.
The temperatures were carefully regulated during the fermentation and the maceration to obtain an aromatic and silky expression of the vintage. Overall, the alcohol-tannin-acid balance was excellent. Malolactic fermentation was minimal due to low temperatures. Maceration: 18 to 24 days.
Another early bud break on the vine began at the end of March. A very dry April with a period of heavy frost managed to spare the early ripening vineyards of Pauillac and St. Estèphe in close proximity to the estuary. An all-round dry and mostly hot spring encouraged an early flowering at the end of May in the healthiest of conditions.Following this, the veraison started at the end of July. Some summer showers prevented water stress and aided the ripening process. The harvest which began on September 7th was halted by a rainy period between the picking of the Merlot and the Cabernet. The weather improvement which followed allowed the Cabernet to ripen fully until the start of October.
A well-balanced wine: notes of liquorice and fruits (blackcurrant, strawberry, black cherry) on the nose. The same in the mouth, very expressive and full of flavor; blackberry, raspberry, also tobacco and cedar. A full-bodied wine, long, intense and velvety tannins. A desirable pleasure to finish.
Lamb, red meats, cheese, truffle and chocolate.
Serve at room temperature.
Wine Spectator
91 POINTS
March 2020, James Molesworth
“The dark currant and blackberry fruit features a gently mulled edge that mixes with sweet tobacco and warm earth accents through the finish. Shows a sense of richness as the flavors linger. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2021 through 2030.”
Vinous Media
92 POINTS
March 2020, Neal Martin
“The 2017 Réserve de la Comtesse came from a barrel that had begun its élevage in a new barrel and then transferred into a used one. It has a well defined bouquet with blackberry, oyster shell and subtle marine scents, a nose that is full of character. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity and impressive density for a Deuxième Vin. A seductive, graphite tinged finish. This is an excellent follow-up to the 2016 and may even surpass it. ”
AOC Pauillac, Bordeaux
60% Cabernet Sauvignon
36% Merlot
2% Petit Verdot
2% Cabernet Franc
Natural Cork
13.4%
3.71
No
No
