The wines were decanted that morning and Panos fortunately revealed there was only one corked bottle. With glass in hand of lovely full-bodied lemon flavors I chatted with many familiar wine lovers and met several others for the first time. We started the evening in the bar side of Ripple drinking glasses of 2000 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut. Jean-Rene Matignon provided a pamphlet on the history of the estate as well as a tasting booklet describing each of the wines served at our dinner. As the vintages reached back to 1989, he was able to share his comprehensive knowledge. Jean-Rene Matignon has been technical director at the estate since it was purchased by AXA Insurance in 1987. To complement the 13-vintage vertical of wines we were joined by Jean-Rene Matignon. For this year the focus was on the wines of Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron. Wait and see where this goes.Earlier this week I had the privilege to attend the annual Bordeaux dinner hosted by Panos Kakaviatos ( Wine Chronicles) at the restaurant Ripple. Rose petals and citrus fruit on the palate give way to a long and intense finish.
Full-bodied, with bright and lively acidity. Best after 2013.ĩ3 James Suckling What a nose on this, with orchids and currants, this is very perfumed and pretty.
I was expecting a little more from this, but it's still outstanding.
2005 pichon baron full#
This 2005 continues in that tradation, a spicey, fruity wine, which has restraint as well as hidden power.ĩ3 Wine Spectator Beautiful currant, berry and licorice aromas follow through to a full body, with tar and berry character, fine tannins and a long finish. It's heady and confident stuff that I've tasted several times over the past few months and have been hugely impressed by, especially with food.ĩ5 Wine Enthusiast Has developed an elegance all its own, with great style, smoothing out the real intensity of the wine. This is a mouthwatering prospect indeed.ĩ6 Decanter This needs time in the glass, but unfurls to reveal cedar, cinnamon, tobacco, cassis and rose notes. According to the ever-charming Gildas d'Ollone it has better fruit and acidity than in 1996 and even more elegance. This has a similar make-up to the château's 1996, with more Cabernet Sauvignon than usual (64%). Although it is very restrained, its true colours begin to reveal themselves on the incredibly long and aristocratic finish. But if you look closely at the firm cassis fruit and fine tannins you realise everything is perfectly in place. A sappy and silky texture, subtle and fresh red fruits aromas give to this wine a great ageing potential.īlend: 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit VerdotĮxperience has shown us that Pichon-Lalande's decadent, sensual, feminine wines always improve markedly after they are shown en primeur. Now owned by the Champagne house Louis Roederer, the new, recently installed winery is quite magnificent.Īn exceptional vintage characterized by a balance between power and finesse. This is one of the great châteaux of Bordeaux and is rightly one of the most sought after Second Growths, with a reputation for producing wines that are typically Pauillac. Traditional methods and modern technology combine to make the most of the estate's prestigious soil. The unusual choice of grape varieties (there is a much higher percentage of Merlot than average) is a partial explanation for this wine's outstanding personality, marked by elegance, balance and finesse. Bordering on Château Latour, Second Growth Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is located in the southern part of Pauillac, near Saint-Julien. Just two families have been responsible for maintaining this wine's superb reputation for three centuries. In 1978, May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, daughter of Edouard Miailhe, in turn inherited this beautiful property and devoted herself entirely to continuing the tradition of quality wine. This took on the name of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. In 1850, Virginie de Pichon Longueville, Countess de Lalande, and her two sisters inherited three-fifths of the vineyard from their father. The Pichon Longueville estate goes back to 1688-1689.
CHÂTEAU PICHON LONGUEVILLE COMTESSE DE LALANDE 2005 Pauillac, Bordeaux, France (2ème Grand Cru Classé 1855)Ĭhâteau Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande