Pichon Lalande 2008

Pauillac, Second Growth

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Tasting Notes
The bilberry and cassis fruit is tinged with smoked toffee edging, a lovely gourmet touch balanced by black chocolate, crushed earth and fresh mint uplift on the finish. 2008 saw a cool August followed by a dry sunny September, and you feel this is the fruit character, which is dark and autumnal with blackberries, bilberries, hawthorn, enticing and very Pauillac yet a little surly still at this stage. Oak not perfectly integrated, with a good few years ahead of it before you can say for sure that all elements have slotted into place. Could be drunk but will show its terroir character more over the next decade. 3.7ph, harvest September 29 to October 14. Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2021-2035 17 September 2021
The 2008 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has an expressive, open bouquet that is more forward than I would have expected (indeed, there was more degradation on the rim than you would expect.) The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red berry fruit laced with cedar and sea salt. I like the harmony and the fleshiness imparted by the Merlot towards the finish, although I expect Pichon Baron represents the longer-term prospect. This is more enjoyable than cerebral. (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirit’s annual 10-Year On tasting.) Score: 92 Neal Martin, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2018-2035 01 February 2018
This has a deep garnet/purple colour. The nose is tightly-wound, ripe blackberry, plum, pencil shavings and a touch of green leaves. Moderate definition. This is quintessential Pichon-Lalande on the nose, lovely silky mouthfeel, very fine tannins, beautifully balanced, certainly not a powerful Pauillac, but very refined and elegant with blueberry, cassis and crushed stones. It just leaves the mouth lacquered in Cabernet. Wonderful - Pichon is on a roll! Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 01 April 2009
Super-ripe black cherry, plum, smoke, licorice make a strong opening statement in the 2008 Pichon Lalande. The late harvest that year yielded a decidedly super-ripe, exotic Pichon Lalande with captivating inner sweetness and gorgeous textural finesse. Naturally, the 2008 is young. Very young. Even so, it is stunning. Readers looking for an under-the-radar vintage to cellar of Pichon Lalande will find tremendous satisfaction and pure pleasure in the 2008. An Indian summer saved what had up until that time been a rainy and not especially promising vintage. Score: 97 Antonio Galloni, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2017-2037 01 October 2017
Deep red. Lively aromas of cherry, redcurrant, flowers, chocolate and tobacco. Intensely flavored, suave and sweet, with ripe acidity framing the flavors of bitter cherry, licorice and loam. Finishes with broad, building tannins and lingering smoky oak. This vibrant Pichon Lalande is built to age. Score: 92 Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar 01 July 2011
The 2008 is a beauty in the style of the 1988. Although not performing as well as I predicted last year, it is unquestionably an outstanding effort as well as one of the better values from Pichon Lalande in many years. Its dense plum/purple hue is accompanied by sweet aromas of red and black currants, charcoal, herbs, underbrush and a hint of truffles. This medium-bodied, rich, concentrated blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc is an elegant, supple Pichon Lalande that can be drunk now or cellared for 15-20 years. Score: 92 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 03 May 2011
The 2008 Pichon Lalande’s final blend was 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Only 38% of the crop made it into the grand vin, and the result is a wine that blows away the 2005. Terrific texture and opulence, forward fruit, sweet tannin, and a lush personality are found in this dense purple-colored 2008 along with copious quantities of sweet berries, roasted coffee, underbrush, black currant, and black cherry fruit. Sensationally pure, textured, and full-bodied, this will be a flamboyant, showy offering in its youth, but it is capable of lasting 20-30 years. This is another top estate with very low yields (42 hectoliters per hectare) that achieved an atypically high alcohol level of 13%. Score: 94 - 96 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2009-2039 30 April 2009
(63% cabernet sauvignon, 29% merlot, 3% cabernet franc, 5% petit verdot; 13% alcohol; 42 hl/ha; 50% new oak) Opaque ruby-purple. Lovely violety nose offers hints of orange peel, minerals and dried herbs. Somewhat more fleshy and dense than recent vintages, with moderate depth to the raspberry and redcurrant flavors, but turns a little austere on the long finish. Will this develop the generosity to merit an outstanding rating? Score: 88 - 91 Ian D'Agata, Inside Bordeaux 01 May 2009
Currant, mint and prune, with hints of wet earth. Full and velvety, with lots of fruit and silky, firm tannins. Long finish. Very pretty. Score: 89 - 92 James Suckling, Wine Spectator 01 April 2009
Dense crimson with a slightly weak rim. Scented, aromatic. Just 29% Merlot but this seems very fleshy and seductive. Not the firmest 2008 though there were dry tannins on the finish. A little lighter than some - a rather different, less dense wine than some more ambitious 2008 Pauillacs - but should give lots of pleasure. Very rich and round and flattering. There is ripeness and real charm here too. Impressive length. Score: 17 - 18 Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2015-2025 01 April 2009

Tasting Notes

The bilberry and cassis fruit is tinged with smoked toffee edging, a lovely gourmet touch balanced by black chocolate, crushed earth and fresh mint uplift on the finish. 2008 saw a cool August followed by a dry sunny September, and you feel this is the fruit character, which is dark and autumnal with blackberries, bilberries, hawthorn, enticing and very Pauillac yet a little surly still at this stage. Oak not perfectly integrated, with a good few years ahead of it before you can say for sure that all elements have slotted into place. Could be drunk but will show its terroir character more over the next decade. 3.7ph, harvest September 29 to October 14.

Score: 94

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2021-2035 17 September 2021

The 2008 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has an expressive, open bouquet that is more forward than I would have expected (indeed, there was more degradation on the rim than you would expect.) The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red berry fruit laced with cedar and sea salt. I like the harmony and the fleshiness imparted by the Merlot towards the finish, although I expect Pichon Baron represents the longer-term prospect. This is more enjoyable than cerebral. (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirit’s annual 10-Year On tasting.)

Score: 92

Neal Martin, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2018-2035 01 February 2018

This has a deep garnet/purple colour. The nose is tightly-wound, ripe blackberry, plum, pencil shavings and a touch of green leaves. Moderate definition. This is quintessential Pichon-Lalande on the nose, lovely silky mouthfeel, very fine tannins, beautifully balanced, certainly not a powerful Pauillac, but very refined and elegant with blueberry, cassis and crushed stones. It just leaves the mouth lacquered in Cabernet. Wonderful - Pichon is on a roll!

Score: 93 - 95

Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 01 April 2009

Super-ripe black cherry, plum, smoke, licorice make a strong opening statement in the 2008 Pichon Lalande. The late harvest that year yielded a decidedly super-ripe, exotic Pichon Lalande with captivating inner sweetness and gorgeous textural finesse. Naturally, the 2008 is young. Very young. Even so, it is stunning. Readers looking for an under-the-radar vintage to cellar of Pichon Lalande will find tremendous satisfaction and pure pleasure in the 2008. An Indian summer saved what had up until that time been a rainy and not especially promising vintage.

Score: 97

Antonio Galloni, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2017-2037 01 October 2017

Deep red. Lively aromas of cherry, redcurrant, flowers, chocolate and tobacco. Intensely flavored, suave and sweet, with ripe acidity framing the flavors of bitter cherry, licorice and loam. Finishes with broad, building tannins and lingering smoky oak. This vibrant Pichon Lalande is built to age.

Score: 92

Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar 01 July 2011

The 2008 is a beauty in the style of the 1988. Although not performing as well as I predicted last year, it is unquestionably an outstanding effort as well as one of the better values from Pichon Lalande in many years. Its dense plum/purple hue is accompanied by sweet aromas of red and black currants, charcoal, herbs, underbrush and a hint of truffles. This medium-bodied, rich, concentrated blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc is an elegant, supple Pichon Lalande that can be drunk now or cellared for 15-20 years.

Score: 92

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 03 May 2011

The 2008 Pichon Lalande’s final blend was 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Only 38% of the crop made it into the grand vin, and the result is a wine that blows away the 2005. Terrific texture and opulence, forward fruit, sweet tannin, and a lush personality are found in this dense purple-colored 2008 along with copious quantities of sweet berries, roasted coffee, underbrush, black currant, and black cherry fruit. Sensationally pure, textured, and full-bodied, this will be a flamboyant, showy offering in its youth, but it is capable of lasting 20-30 years. This is another top estate with very low yields (42 hectoliters per hectare) that achieved an atypically high alcohol level of 13%.

Score: 94 - 96

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2009-2039 30 April 2009

(63% cabernet sauvignon, 29% merlot, 3% cabernet franc, 5% petit verdot; 13% alcohol; 42 hl/ha; 50% new oak) Opaque ruby-purple. Lovely violety nose offers hints of orange peel, minerals and dried herbs. Somewhat more fleshy and dense than recent vintages, with moderate depth to the raspberry and redcurrant flavors, but turns a little austere on the long finish. Will this develop the generosity to merit an outstanding rating?

Score: 88 - 91

Ian D'Agata, Inside Bordeaux 01 May 2009

Currant, mint and prune, with hints of wet earth. Full and velvety, with lots of fruit and silky, firm tannins. Long finish. Very pretty.

Score: 89 - 92

James Suckling, Wine Spectator 01 April 2009

Dense crimson with a slightly weak rim. Scented, aromatic. Just 29% Merlot but this seems very fleshy and seductive. Not the firmest 2008 though there were dry tannins on the finish. A little lighter than some - a rather different, less dense wine than some more ambitious 2008 Pauillacs - but should give lots of pleasure. Very rich and round and flattering. There is ripeness and real charm here too. Impressive length.

Score: 17 - 18

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2015-2025 01 April 2009

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