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Chateau Pichon-Lalande

The early history of Chateau Pichon-Lalande naturally matches that of its twin sibling, Pichon-Baron, the two having both been created from the great Pichon estate. The estate as a whole dates back to the time of Bernard de Longueville, the son of François de Pichon and Catherine de Bavolier. The family assumed the Barony of Longueville when Bernard married Anne Daffis de Longueville in 1646. Together they had two sons; the first was François, who by marriage took on the Barony of Parempuyre, followed by Jacques, the second son, who married Thérèse de Rauzan, daughter of Pierre de Mazure de Rauzan. It was the line of descendents from Jacques and Thérèse that are most relevant to the history of Pichon-Lalande.

Pichon-Lalande: An Early History

As I describe in my profile of Pichon-Baron, the Rauzan family were not newcomers to viticulture, having already owned vineyards in Margaux, and in 1689 they had purchased several plots in Pauillac which, when they came to the Pichon family, were to be the foundation for the Pichon vineyard. In later years these were augmented by the exchange of plots of vines with neighbouring Latour. The estate quickly developed an excellent reputation, second only, at least within the boundaries of the commune, to its more illustrious neighbour. Jacques died in 1731 and the property was inherited by his son, also Jacques, and it passed through two more generations of the Pichon family, Jean-Pierre and then Joseph. Born in 1755, it was Joseph who held tenure during the French Revolution, an upheaval which saw him incarcerated for a short period of time. He was also the last member of the Pichon family who held sway over all the vines, as upon his death the estate was divided between his children, creating the Pichon faux jumeaux that we know today.

Joseph had five children, two sons and three daughters. Of these five offspring, only one of the sons was still alive; this was Raoul, who therefore assumed the title of Baron, and if the practice of primogeniture were still permitted he would have been the natural heir to the entire estate. Under new Napoleonic laws, however, the estate could not pass intact to a sole recipient, but must be divided between all possible heirs. And so two shares, including that which would have passed to their late son Louis, came to Raoul, and thus the Pichon-Baron die was cast. The remaining three shares passed to the daughters, these vineyards forming the nexus of Chateau Pichon-Lalande.

For some time the estate was still managed as a single entity, although following the death of Raoul in 1860 the portion that came to the sisters became increasingly independent, under the direction of one daughter in particular, Marie-Laure-Virginie. Marie-Laure had married Comte Henri de Lalande in 1818, and had thus taken the title of Comtesse de Lalande. No doubt they resided in the recently constructed chateau (shown above), an attractive design by the celebrated architect Duphot erected in 1840, which comfortably matches that found at Pichon-Baron in terms of beauty and architectural appeal. The property was erected on land purchased from Comte de Beaumont of neighbouring Chateau Latour, and today it affords a fine view across the vines to its illustrious neighbour, and to the Gironde beyond (as shown further down this page). With the death of her two sisters, Sophie (a nun) and Gabrielle (who married Comte de Laveur), both of whom were childless, Marie-Laure gained exclusive tenure over the whole estate, which was classed as a deuxième cru in the 1855 classification. When she died in 1882, also without an heir, Pichon-Lalande was bequeathed to her niece, Elizabeth de Narbonne-Pelet, who was wedded to another Lalande, Comte Charles. From her it passed into the joint ownership of two daughters, Sophie and Henriette, and on Sophie's death her portion was inherited by her own offspring, of which there were five. Henriette and Elizabeth's grandchildren subsequently sold the estate, the new owners being a consortium led by Louis and Eduoard Miailhe.

Miailhe, Lencquesaing & Rouzard

The Miailhe family started out as brokers and négociants, having arrived in the region in the 18th century. In the early 20th century, however, they branched out to purchase properties of their own, starting with Coufran in 1924. Subsequently they acquired Siran, Verdignan, Citran (subsequently sold on to the Merlaut-Villars family) and Soudars, but their greatest acquisition was without doubt Pichon-Lalande. As part of the consortium they owned 55% of the estate. Following the death of Edouard in 1959 these properties were distributed amongst his descendents, the Miailhe section of the Pichon-Lalande vineyard being managed initially by William-Alain Miailhe. He resigned in 1972 following what can only be described as irreconcilable differences with some of the minor shareholders controlling the other 45%, and from 1975 to 1978 the estate was managed by Michel-Delon of Léoville-Las-Cases. It was only in 1978 that the estate passed to Eduoard's youngest daughter, May-Eliane. May-Eliane had been married to the late General Hervé de Lencquesaing, and had as a consequence been away from Bordeaux for many years. As a result she had paid scant attention to the property. Nevertheless, upon taking control, she acted quickly; her first act was to buy out four of the other associates, thus acquiring 84% of the stock in the property. Until very recently May-Eliane de Lencquesaing and her children owned Pichon-Lalande outright, and over the ensuing decades they have worked hard, and the fabulous wines produced at the estate today are testament to her time and efforts here.

Nevertheless time waits for no man (or woman) and with her advancing age, and the lack of an obvious single heir, it was perhaps natural that Madame de Lencquesaing should look for outside investment in Pichon-Lalande. Under current legislation, inheritance taxes - which like the abolition of primogeniture date back to the time of Napoleon - could easily force the family into selling the estate if it were to be divided between the numerous members of the next generation. The frontrunner throughout the negotiations appeared to be the Hermès family, who still owned the Parisian fashion house of the same name. But then in a surprise announcement it was revealed that Pichon-Lalande had been acquired by none other than the Rouzard family of Roederer, the family acquiring a majority share of the estate, as well as in Chateau Bernadotte, another property run by the Lencquesaing family. Despite this change of ownership May-Eliane's legacy lives on at Pichon-Lalande; today the estate is managed by May-Eliane's nephew Gildas d'Ollone. Gildas, who I met in early 2009, is charming and approachable. I feel that Pichon's future, under his guidance and with the financial backing of the Rouzard family, is secure; let us hope that the wines released in the coming vintages bear this out.

The Pichon Vineyard and Wines

Gildas d'Ollone has control over 75 hectares of vines, mostly in the commune of Pauillac although there are also some in St Julien, and as recently as 1959 there were some bottles labelled as AC Pauillac and others AC St Julien (the wine, apparently, was the same regardless). During May-Eliane's tenure the vineyard expanded considerably, from an area of about 40 hectares as she took control to the size it is today. A major acquisition was made in the late 1960s with the purchase of 10 hectares of Pauillac vines situated between Pichon-Baron, Latour, Batailley and Haut-Bages-Libéral. Delon acquired another 5 hectares for Pichon during his relatively brief stewardship. The major part of the vineyard is situated to the west and south of Pichon-Baron, on typical Gunzian gravels over a deeper clay and some very deep limestone and sandstone. The vines are 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, an impressive 12% Cabernet Franc and 8% Petit Verdot. The fruit is harvested by hand usually by a team of workers who travel over from Andalusia every year, before being destemmed and crushed, and then fermented in a selection of 33 temperature-controlled stainless steel vats, with a cuvaison usually lasting between 18 and 24 days during which the cap is submerged by pumping over. As the year draws to a close, the Pichon team including consulting oenologists Jacques Boissenot and Hubert de Boüard (the latter best known for his extended and highly successful tenure of Angélus) earmark the wines for the grand vin, Chateau Pichon-Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande (to give it its full title), or the second wine, Réserve de la Comtesse. The latter may account typically for 20-50% of the entire production, and in addition some wines, particularly those from young vines, are excluded completely. The grand vin goes into Allier and Nievre oak, 50% new each vintage, for a period of up to 18 months, the second wine sees 25% new oak. There is a racking every three months, and a fining with egg white prior to bottling usually during the month of June two years after the harvest.

Now it would not be true to say that I have acquaintances that would sell their a kidney for a case of Pichon-Lalande (although sometimes I have wondered whether they might), but certainly I have met many who hold the wines of this particular Pichon in very high regard. And rightly so. For the last few decades the wines have been some of the most consistent in Bordeaux, with only the occasional blip, although admittedly that can sometimes be in a perfectly adequate vintage when one might have expected better. Equally, however, there are lesser vintages when the team at Pichon-Lalande have turned out an excellent wine against the odds, with the 1991 being a prime example. Certainly the wines are distinctive, sometimes exotic, and very frequently of high quality. They can on occasion be spotted in blind tastings based on these characteristics. More importantly, they are fabulous to savour at home, with food, when they shine. Pichon-Lalande has long held a valid claim for the title of super-second, alongside the likes of Léoville-Las-Cases and Ducru-Beaucaillou. Very recent vintages, tasted en primeur or at two years just after bottling, show that this level of quality has been maintained. The 1996 is wonderful, a majestic example of what is a great vintage for the left bank, despite what some critics opine. This is a property where, if your wallet can take the strain, you may usually buy with confidence. (6/3/07, updated 23/9/09)

Contact details:
Address: 33250 Pauillac
Telephone: +33 (0) 5 56 59 19 40
Fax +33 (0) 5 56 59 29 78
Internet: www.pichon-lalande.com

Chateau Pichon-Lalande - Tasting Notes

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Chateau Pichon-Lalande (Pauillac) 2009: A good vibrant hue here, with a bluish tinge at the rim. Dark, concentrated, spicy fruit with a nice, gritty style. There is both purity and depth here, but also fruit complexity. The composition on entry is quite fine, and underneath there is a velvety coat of tannins, big and ripe. Quite harmonious though, elegantly composed, with a good spark of acidity too. Pichon-Lalande is sometimes accused of missing the boat on great vintages - as with 1990 and 2005 - but on the basis of this wine - admittedly nothing more than an early barrel sample - that doesn't appear to be the case in 2009. From my 2009 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 17.5-18.5+/20 (March 2010)

Chateau Pichon-Lalande (Pauillac) 2008: Harvest here began on September 29th, and the wine is 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Dense and perfumed aromas here, evocative, suggestive of dark, almost crystalline cherry fruit. Pure and elegant to start, linear and softly perfumed, clearly very primary but will substance and an elegant, supple composition. An impressive wine with good extract and balance. From my 2008 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 17.5-18.5+/20 (April 2009)

Reserve de la Comtesse (Pauillac) 2008: The second wine of Pichon-Lalande, this is 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Nicely perfumed, this is elegant and open, with warm dark fruit and a little smoke. Cool and reserved on the palate, with good backbone. Rounded, polished, slightly reserved texture, with good, crisp fruit character. Midpalate grip too, and a nice vibrancy. A good second wine. From my 2008 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 16-17+/20 (April 2009)

Chateau Pichon-Lalande (Pauillac) 2007: Quite a pure set of aromas on the nose here, stylishly poised, with a little nutty oak. A moderate texture on the palate, with some substance to it. Moderate extract and acidity, fresh, with black cherry fruit. This certainly has some appeal, and may benefit from a short time in the cellar. From a tasting of 2007 Bordeaux at two years of age. 16+/20 (October 2009)

Chateau Pichon-Lalande (Pauillac) 2006: A reserved, subtle, well judged nose, although with a wealth of fruit hiding within. Plums, blackberries and more to be found here. Very elegant, supple, well composed, with a creamy texture. The tannins build through the palate although it maintains its elegant composition. Lovely forest fruit flavours. An elegant wine. From a tasting of 2006 Bordeaux at two years of age. 17.5+/20 (October 2008)

Chateau Pichon-Lalande (Pauillac) 2005: A slightly sweet, toasty, marshmallow element to the nose here, with an element of cooked fruit here too. Rather leaner than expected on the palate, rather stony too. There is a nice substance, a slightly chewy-juicy feel, although it has rather a confected, sweet fruit character which is certainly less appealing. Quite firmly composed in terms of structure, and very dominated by tannins on the second taste. I find this tasting disappointing - I have previously been impressed by this wine at two years of age. What's happened here? Is this wine just having a bad day, or is it something more than that? In view of these concerns I returned to the wine later in the day, in order to taste from a fresh bottle. My opinion, however, was unchanged. I can only hope that this is an awkward moment for this wine, otherwise Bordeaux savants with cases of Pichon-Lalande in their cellar might well be disappointed. A conservative ranged score here. From a 2005 Bordeaux tasting at four years of age. 15.5-16.5+?/20 (November 2009)

Chateau Pichon-Lalande (Pauillac) 2005: A beautifully pure, dense, summer fruit nose here, elegant, but showing vigour. This is a real delight on the palate; harmonious, elegant and composed, showing a lot of vigour, direction and elegance, There is a slight fleshiness to the texture, with fresh, lifting acidity and beautifully hidden tannins. This is very fine indeed and has superb potential. From my tasting of 2005 Bordeaux at two years of age. 19+/20 (October 2007)

Chateau Pichon-Lalande (Pauillac) 2004: This has a very flash character on the nose, with dense, claretty, damsony fruit very nicely integrated with almost creamy oak. This is exotic and very appealing. The palate is creamy, gently composed, nicely integrated, fine, broad and supple. Notes of spiced oak can be seen beneath the brightly defined fruit. This is a gorgeous and very flattering style of wine, which has a long, fading finish. This is great. From a 2004 Bordeaux tasting at four years of age. 17.5+/20 (November 2008)

Chateau Pichon-Lalande (Pauillac) 2004: A delightfully seductive nose, enticing with a sensual fruit quality. Textured, silkily composed, seamless in style, this is lovely. It shows more substance and grip through the midpalate. Fine depth on the whole. This is beautifully composed and it holds plenty of potential. This could be excellent with time. 17.5+/20 (February 2008)

Chateau Pichon-Lalande (Pauillac) 2004: A dark, youthful claret hue with a vibrant pink rim. The nose is dripping with fruit, fruit and fruit. Certainly just as appealing as in October, although with more cherry and less raspberry. Very pure, with a good presence. Not over fleshy or flashy. Vigorous, with a good tannic backbone. Flavoursome, grippy, classically composed. An under-rated vintage, this wine needs ten years, perhaps fifteen, in order to show its best. 17.5+/20 (February 2007)

Chateau Pichon-Lalande (Pauillac) 2004: Oh my - this has a wonderfully expressive nose, full of perfumed fruit, highly spiced raspberry and blackberry aromas presented in a sexy, seductive fashion. Beautifully balanced, with a firm presence of nicely poised tannins, well coated with fruit and an elegant, gliding texture. Fresh and flavoursome, this is a wine with a very admirable style. From a Bordeaux 2004 UGC tasting. 17.5+/20 (October 2006)

Chateau Pichon-Lalande (Pauillac) 2003: A great nose here, of intense, dark fruits swirled with raspberry compote, tinged with cashew nuts. But it is seductive and restrained rather than slutty. Lovely, creamy, raspberry scented fruit, fine elegance and texture. Beautifully structured, supple and well put together. Nut and toffee influenced finish. In parts, quite gorgeous. A success! From a Bordeaux 2003 UGC tasting. 18+/20 (October 2005)

Réserve de la Comtesse (Pauillac) 2003: A little glossy, not so deeply coloured as you might expect. It still shows rather a lot of oak, and it has a slightly meaty spice, but with a nice, plummy, confit cherry fruit complexity. On the palate it is moderately rich, a touch flashy, but not over the top. It has a quite supple and soft texture, although it is fairly well defined. A well composed, ripe, peppery style with a creamy midpalate. This is well knit together with a nice little grip on the finish. Approachable now, but will improve. 16.5+/20 (February 2007)

St Julien de Chateau Pichon-Lalande (St Julien) 2003: A wine made from the 11 hectares of vines which stray over the communal boundary into St Julien. The wine has a very dark colour, with a glossy concentration right out to the rim, showing the deep, matt shades of a wine in very early maturity, but without any real move away from its red-black hue. The nose is very seductive, a theme which can be found running throughout this wine, with plenty of dark and toasty black cherry fruit along with elements of fresh coffee grounds. Despite its warm and ripe character (reflecting the vintage) there is still a fine, green peppercorn edge to it as well. On the palate a very welcoming texture, plush and svelte although still with an elegant poise. The tannins are ripe and fine-grained, and provide a subtle backbone, well-hidden behind the plush fruit. There is depth and complexity of flavour laid on top, an element of roasted fruit in keeping with the vintage, but also more savoury elements, spiced and grilled meats. The finish is caressing, the character slightly sweet but still well poised, and it is very long. Approachable now with a decant, although it is very primary at present, and it is certainly still on the way up. The only truly negative element - accepting that some will find the fruit character and texture displeasing, although I don't - is the low level of soft acidity, giving this a very fleshy, flashy rather than direct or defined style. That's just 2003, of course. Still delicious though! For label images and more see my Wine of the Week write-up. 17/20 (June 2010)

Réserve de la Comtesse (Pauillac) 2001: A fairly deep hue for a 'lesser' vintage. The fruit has subsided here, this wine now being six years old. There are emerging secondary characteristics, with some gentle sandalwood and a little tobacco, edging towards a little green peppercorn. It starts off lean on the palate, but develops a nice flesh through the midpalate, and there is a little grip behind it. Nice, fading fruit. Balanced and elegant, and attractive with it. Perhaps missing a little concentration, but still eminently drinkable. 16+/20 (February 2007)

Chateau Pichon-Lalande (Pauillac) 1996: A fine concentration of colour here, right out to the rim. A very fine nose. The fine, pure Cabernet fruit that makes this such a great vintage for the left bank is still showing a little primary character, but less so now, with more secondary elements coming through. It is still pure, though, and vigorous with some smoky, iron and cedar notes. Slightly aloof at first on the palate, showing a lot of structure through the midpalate, although it does flesh out. A touch creamy, with grip aplenty. This is very stylish, and brimming with great promise. Right now it can be appreciated for this, but it will be an immensely greater wine in ten years time. 18.5+/20 (February 2007)

Chateau Pichon-Lalande (Pauillac) 1994: Dark, deeply coloured, mature. An impressive nose, loaded with a super-sweet depth of smoky, meaty, blackcurrant nose. The palate keeps up appearances, with a wealth of big, sweet, glossy, creamy and textured fruit. Very accessible, voluptuous, although with a tannic backbone. Exotic. Balanced. Absolutely gorgeous wine. Approachable now, but with a little tannin still showing in the finish as well this has room for improvement yet. From a Bordeaux 1994 tasting. 18+/20 (July 2004)

Chateau Pichon-Lalande (Pauillac) 1993: This has much more colour than the last wine. A lovely nose - pencil lead, cedar and spice-edged black fruits. Very dry on the palate, very savoury, a wonderful foil for the food. Aromatic. Full, elegant rather than opulent or creamy, with integrated tannins. Very classic. From a 1993 vintage tasting, ten years on. 16.5/20 (December 2003)

Chateau Pichon-Lalande (Pauillac) 1991: Here's a beautifully coloured dark, mahogany red wine, with a nose redolent of smoke, cedar, pencil-lead - a classic Pauillac nose. The palate is elegant and structured, with wonderful tannins, balanced acidity, and superbly restrained berry fruit. This is brilliant stuff, with great quality and character of fruit. From a 1991 vintage tasting, ten years on. 18/20 (December 2001)

Chateau Pichon-Lalande (Pauillac) 1988: It's stretching a point to list Mme Lencquesaing as winemaker, but do we really need an excuse to drink Pichon? Obviously much more mature than the other wines here. Mature aromas, meaty, inky, slightly vegetal. Seductive. Medium bodied, more vegetal-meaty fruit. Fully integrated, ready now, and very fine balance with it. Gorgeous.  From a Female Winemakers tasting. 17/20 (January 2005)

Chateau Pichon-Lalande (Pauillac) 1987: Just a little sediment despite decanting. This obviously mature wine now displays a fading, mature hue. The nose is not particularly open or expressive despite having been decanted. It has a gentle meatiness, with a stony-seashell crispness and a touch of iron. The palate has some appeal, although it lacks finesse and never really flatters the taster with anything of substance. A touch lean, acidic, almost disappearing on the midpalate, and rather short on the finish. To be honest it is rather short on pleasure too. From the 2007 CIVB tasting. 13.5/20 (October 2007)

Chateau Pichon-Lalande (Pauillac) 1983: Mature hue. Smoky, meaty, coffee-toffee nose. Ripe, intriguing, superb. What a seductive and sexy palate; luscious plumpness, with spice and fruitcake and chocolate-smothered plums. Ripe, full, and so drinkable. This is gorgeous - it has Pichon written all over it. Should drink well for another five or six years at least. From a Bordeaux 1983 tasting. 18/20 (February 2005)

Chateau Pichon-Lalande (Pauillac) 1983: Another darkly coloured wine. A wonderful nose, which is intense and powerful, inviting one to taste. Aromas of dark fruit and minerals, with chocolate, mocha and even a touch of toffee. Powerful, rich and sweetly textured on the palate, but still with fine, crisp, mineral-edged fruit. Again, wonderfully balanced acidity. Fantastic stuff. From a 1983 vintage tasting, twenty years on. 18.5/20 (April 2003)

Chateau Pichon-Lalande (Pauillac) 1983: A moderately intense mahogany-purple hue. A superb, classic, smoky, pencil lead mature claret nose that sings Pichon-Lalande. The palate is fruit-laden, with toffee notes and a superbly textured, creamy body. The tannins are integrating and there is lovely, balanced acidity. Finishes beautifully, with length. Absolutely lovely wine. From a Bordeaux 1983 tasting. 18/20 (November 2000)

Chateau Pichon-Lalande (Pauillac) 1975: An obviously mature hue. Amusingly the Pichon-Lalande website suggests this should have been drunk up by 1998. Mature and macerated fruit, with a slightly meaty character, iron-like notes, but fresh, with some tobacco and garden mint greenness. This is holding up well on the palate, whereas I think many wines of this vintage are now dried out, tannic ghosts of their former selves. This still has some flesh, with an impressive creamy roundness to the midpalate. Delicious, and still with a little lick of tannin on the finish. À pointe. 18/20 (February 2007)