"94 Points - Neal Martin, Vinous.com
The 2016 Reserve de la Comtesse has a wonderful typicité on the nose, black fruit laced with pencil box and sous-bois scents, beautifully defined and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit. Good weight, quite dense on the mid-palate, with a vibrant, spicy finish that has a very discreet dark chocolate edge. Give this another two or three years—an absolute corker of a Deuxième Vin. Tasted blind at the Southwold 10-Year-On tasting. 2030-2055 Reviewed February 2026
90/92 Neal Martin, Wine Advocate
The 2016 Reserve de Comtesse de Lalande is a blend of 37% Merlot, 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, with a modest alcohol level of 13.1% and a pH of 3.71. It has a tightly wound bouquet that perhaps needed more coaxing than some of its peers, but it was worth persisting, as it unveils some lovely cedar-infused black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with quite firm tannin on the entry, moderate depth, a light marine influence upon the black fruit with a little creaminess on the finish. This is a fine Reserve de Comtesse that is on par with the excellent 2015 last year. Drink 2022 - 2040. Reviewed April 2017"
The Pichon Longueville estate goes back to 1688-1689. In 1850, Virginie de Pichon Longueville, Countess de Lalande, and her two sisters inherited 3/5ths of the vineyard from their father. This took on the name of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. 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. Just two families have been responsible for maintaining this wine's superb reputation for three centuries. Bordering on Château Latour, second growth Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is located in the southern part of Pauillac, near Saint-Julien. 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. Traditional methods and modern technology combine to make the most of the estate's prestigious soil. In January 2007, Louis Roederer Champagne acquired this great growth. ©ugcb
Reserve de la Comtesse is the estates 2nd label, a cuvée introduced in the 1970's to utilise fruit from young vines and for a parcel of vines lying inland close to Ch Batailley, it is a beautifully balanced wine that drinks well in its youth.
