Peter van den Besselaar

9.1

vintage 2020 | Popped and poured the wine gave citrus and freshness. At the dinnertable with asparagus (classic way) the structure stands out, power and spicyness. Very good. — 11 days ago

Jay Kline

9.2

This is, quite obviously, Caillez-Lemair’s Coteaux-Champenois Blanc. Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of lunch at La Briqueterie with Virginie Vanpoperinghe. This is a relatively new offering from Caillez-Lemaire and made in very small quantities. The 2023 pours a straw color with medium viscosity. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of yellow apple, pineapple, lemon curd, honeysuckle, and chalky/clay earth. On the palate the wine is dry with high acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium with lovely minerals. This was an excellent pairing with our lunch. Drink now through 2033. — 7 months ago

Scot Walker

9.0

Some fruit and vanilla ice cream in the nose and palate. Went well with both prosciutto and hard white cheese and a double chocolate brownie. — a year ago

Stefan Dolhain

8.9

2018 vintage. 100% Merlot from this estate in Lalande de Fronsac, named after Valandraud owner Jean-Luc Thunevin's daughter. Another sexy Bordeaux value. Good concentration, ripe fruit, ripe tannin and good acidity. A little alcohol heat in the finish prevents it from a higher score, but very good value at less than 10 euros. — 5 years ago

Blair Campomizzi

9.0

Nice St. Emilion Bordeaux, Blackberry notes drive with more subtle notes of anise and tea. — 6 years ago

with Marilea

Muralee Murugesu

9.1

2015 bad boy is an excellent entry level garage wine. Red berries, back berries with silky smooth tannin. Modern Napa style from the maker of famous Valandraud. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Pichon Lalande is my favorite 2nd growth with a steak. Yup...it's #SteakandClaret night to quote my buddy Gary Westby. Further, it's certainly one of my favorite producers period. I've waited for this wine to be in the bottle for 10 years before finding out definitely how good it was or wasn't. You see, the 05 Bordeaux vintage was exceptional. It's drinking right now better than 00. 00 may turn out to be better, but not for some time. The real issue was the division of scores between RP & NM. Parker had this as low as an 86 and now has it at 89. Neil Martin has been consistently at 95-96. I found it simply inexplicable that Pichon Lalande could have bombed in such a great vintage. Tonight, I know they didn't. This wine is beautiful. Although, I don't believe it will cellar as long as their some of their very best vintages and many others I've enjoyed. On the nose, bramble, ripe blackberries, dark cherries, notes of blueberries, poached strawberries, graphite, baking spices, cedar, lightly perfumed violets and dark, fresh & dry red flowers. The body is medium-medium plus, tannins nicely resolved with 10 years to be completely resolved. Fruits of; ripe blackberries, dark cherries, notes of blueberries, poached strawberries and pomegranate with a whiff of spice. There's notes of dry bramble, soft leather, fresh violets, graphite, cedar, dry stones, dark rich earth, limestone, tobacco, spice-box, vanilla, very light cinnamon & nutmeg. The finish is very long, elegant, ripe, round, smooth, good acidity and beautifully elegant...50-50 earth & fruit. I bought more bottles of this at $85 after it's was first released in futures and I do not regret it. $85 is proving to be a steal for this wine when it normally sells for between $100-$150 a bottle and higher. Might heavy up further after tonight if I find more around the same price. Oh yes...I'm with NM on the scoring. Photos of the Chateau, estate vines, newer tasting room & the Virginie de Pichon-Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande. Forgive my long post, but my passion and love for this producer is profound. Producer history and notes...as I wrote in an earlier post for Pichon Baron, Pichon Baron and Lalande started as one entity. The first mention of what is now called Chateau Pichon Lalande was the creation of Pierre de Mazure de Rauzan. Pierre de Mazure de Rauzan is responsible for forming many of the top Bordeaux estates today. Pichon Lalande was given its name when Therse, the daughter of the founder received the estate as a dowry when she married Jacques de Pichon Longueville. Pichon Lalande was essentially managed by three women, Therese de Rauzan, Germaine de Lajus and Marie Branda de Terrefort. On the eve of his death in 1850, Baron Joseph de Pichon Longueville divided the property between his five children. His three daughters received Pichon Lalande and his sons Pichon Baron. What happened next was Virginie, the wife of the Count of Lalande took over the management of the estate under the name of Comtesse de Lalande. In 1850 she commissioned the popular, architect Duphot to build a residence inspired by the Hotel de Lalande, located in Bordeaux. Without heirs, Pichon Lalande passed down from aunts to nieces. Following World War I, the Miailhe brothers, bought Pichon Lalande in 1925. They were the ones who planted even more Merlot. May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, the daughter of Edouard Miailhe became the new owner and general manager of Chateau Pichon Lalande in 1978. She expand the size of Chateau Pichon Lalande from 40 hectares to it's current 89 hectares. Chateau Pichon Lalande remained in the same family for more than 250 years! In fact, over three centuries, only two families have owned Pichon Lalande. May-Eliane de Lencquesaing sold Pichon Lalande to the owners of Roederer Champagnein in January 2007. This family-run company is managed by Frederic Rouzaud who owned several other wine estates in Bordeaux; Chateau Bernadotte, Chateau de Pez, Haut Beausejour and Chateau Reaut la Graviere. He sold Chateau Bernadotte in December 2012. In February, 2011, Sylvie Cazes was named the director of Chateau Pichon Lalande. She replaced Gildas d’Ollone. Sylvie Cazes was replaced in 2012 by current Director Nicolas Glumineau, who was previously at Chateau Montrose. In 2012, Pichon Lalande renovated the estate with a budget estimated at over 15 Million Euros. The new facilities included; building of a new underground barrel aging cellar and several new buildings...one that houses their new tasting room as shown. This renovation provided numerous improvements in their wine making. Most importantly, in the vinification. They created a new, triple tiered, cellar where everything moves by gravity. They also added numerous new, stainless steel, temperature controlled, double skinned vats. These new vats allow Pichon Lalande to vinify on a parcel by parcel basis as well as get much softer & gentle extractions. The 89 hectare vineyard of Chateau Pichon Lalande is located adjacent to Chateau Latour and and across the road from Pichon Baron. The terroir of Chateau Pichon Lalande is deep gravel with clay and limestone soil and is planted to; 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. — 9 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.4

I have always enjoyed this wine & decided to open one of my last few btls out of an owc. This had a perfumed nose of red & black fruits, mocha, graphite, menthol & tobacco notes. One of the wines of the vintage. — 2 months ago

Joe Fischer

9.1

A nice rose champagne that has strawberry flavors and a bit of lush! Very nice for the price! — 8 months ago

Dave

8.9

Got some teeth on it. Very pleasant fruit, red and blue. Chalky tannins. Inexpensive and just fine to drink now.
Listening to myself tracking acoustic guitar in the basement. — 9 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Are there many/any better Pauillac second growths?

2003 a ripe, warm vintage.

Soften medium plus tannins. It’s Bordeaux lush, ruby; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum that leans into pudding, dark cherries, ripe strawberries, hues of purple & blue fruits. Dark spice w/ palate heat, nutmeg, clove , cinnamon notes, mid berry cola, some black licorice, vanillin, dark, rich forest floor with a touch of dry leaves, lead pencil shavings, dry tobacco, sandalwood to cedar, 1/2 used leather, limestone, dry, crushed rocks, dry river stone, dry herbs, dry to moist, grey, volcanic clay, fresh & withering dark, red flowers, framed in lavender & liquid violets, excellent acidity with excellent; tension, structure, balance and elegant finish that goes on and on.

First wine w/ an Allen Brothers Ribcap.

Photos of; Chateau Pichon Lalande, Virginie de Pichon Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande, library cellar and estate vineyard. — 2 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

I like to thank @Severn Goodwin for his kindness & generosity for sending this beautiful bottle of Champagne.

We shared this with friends and paired this with apple walnut vinaigrette salad last night. Complimented the salad nicely. It was a nice yin and yang balanced tug of war of food & wine.

The body is beautiful in the mouth with nice acidity. Bruised apple & pear, some apple cider, pineapple juice, lime zest & candy, white peach, easy, soft chalkiness, soft, fine, grey volcanic minerals, sea spray, brioche with spring flowers and yellow lilies. Finishes softly, elegant, nicely balanced and persists nicely.

Photos of; the house of Caillez Lemaire, bottles waiting to sold, Current 18th century family Owners - Virginie and Laurent Van Poperinghe and one of their vineyards. — 7 years ago

Jeffrey Long

9.5

Spectacularly complex white Bordeaux. Most huffable. — 8 years ago

with Hongkun and Chris

Randy Fillingim

9.0

Still drinking quite decently after 25 years. May have faded a titch- but still bringing it well balanced. — 2 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.6

2009 vintage. Opened with a Durand and decanted. Perfect fill and cork. Some sed but slightly less than expected. Throwing out color more purple than any royalty could ever dream of. Tasted after 15 minutes and 2.5 hours. Seductive, come hither nose and accompanying medium/medium-heavy curvaceous body. Took as much restraint as I could muster not to crush this instantly. Ridiculously excellent. Second impressions after 2.5 hours…wine had dropped the seductive pretensions and was downright dirty. Earth, mushrooms, chalk, tobacco all without the initial, devilish richness. Still didn’t suck. This was phenomenal and the Dickens Tale Of Two Cities “age of light, age of darkness.” Essential. 2.6.26. — 5 months ago

Michael Viner

9.5

Lidl wine - £7.99. Absolutely mega rose! — a year ago

Meghan C

9.0

Purchased at Ballston Total Wine. Enjoyed on 4/20/24 with Matt & Bridget while visiting them for her birthday weekend. — 2 years ago

Jordan Yu

9.3

Unpretentious champagne that has deep late summer apricot taste with ever lasting after taste. Well partnered with Singapore‘a white pepper crab and little deep fried squids. Where are you?? — 5 years ago

Stephane

9.1

Belle surprise. Dîner à la maison avec Virginie et Philippe. — 7 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Pichon Longueville estate goes back to 1688. In 1850, Virginie de Pichon Longueville, Countess de Lalande, and her two sisters inherited three-fifths of the vineyard from their father. In 1978, May-Eliane de Lencquesaing inherited the property. Nice aromas of fruit, herb & spice on this blend of of 53% Cab Sauv & 40% Merlot, adding Cab Franc & Petit Verdot. Black fruit flavors, ripe soft tannins, impressive acidity, good balance drinks well now and will cellar nicely for a few years! — 8 years ago