Reserve de la Comtesse

Wine information: Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande was founded in 1689 by Pierre de Mazurede 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. In the 1855 classification Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande acquired the status of Second Cru Classé. In 1925 Edouard and Louis Miailhe purchased the estate. May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, the daughter of Edouard, inherited it in 1978. She quickly rekindled the same enthusiasm that had inspired the Comtesse de Lalande, sharing with her a love of the land and its wines. Continuing the tradition of family ownership, Champagne Louis Roederer took over the controlling share of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande in November 2006. The 87 hectares (215 acres) of this vineyard border the property of Château Latour and stretch south of Pauillac towards the commune of St Julien, whence it gets its extraordinary charm. The exceptional character of the wines produced here are distinguished by their elegance and finesse. This is due to a harmonious balance of different grape varietals: 35% Merlot (a very high percentage for this appellation) to give roundness and suppleness; 45% Cabernet Sauvignon to provide longevity; 12% Cabernet Franc for finesse and 8% Petit Verdot to ensure a certain freshness and aromatic complexity. Reserve de la Comtesse is the second wine of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is made from the younger vines of the property and is a blend of 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 49% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot.

"The second wine, the 2008 Reserve de la Comtesse, reveals a gorgeous sensuality as well as a seductive, lush, exuberant style. A blend of 49% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, this pure, fleshy 2008 is ideal for drinking in its first decade or life." 88-90 points, Wine Advocate - Robert Parker - April 2009.

 
     

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