2011 Chateau Pichon Lalande, Pauillac, Bottle (750ml)

JA94 "Essence of Pauillac on the nose. Graphite, cassis, slate, pencil lead, liqourice, the full gamut of the appellation's signatures, now opening up after years of being a little subdued. This is just about ready to drink even if there are still some austere tannins in evidence and although it's a vintage where I find many wines are a little disappinting in Pauillac (and St Estèphe, due to a hail storm in early September pushed some estates to a hasty harvest) here Comtesse shows itself, as it does in 2007 and 2013, as above average in its success. First year with Sylvie Cazes as director" JA for IB Jul 2021

DR94 "Closed at the moment, presenting its tannic face rather than its fruit, and I would suggest waiting another three or four years before things soften up, or give it time in a decanter or jug. The emphasis is on the floral, cassis bud feel of Pauillac Cabernet, emphasising its austere but elegant character. As it opens, carefully sculpted blueberry and blackberry fruit appears, as does the evident finesse and juicy finish. This is high quality but without the density and sheer wow factor of the 2010. Sylvie Cazes was heading things up at this point. 2% Cabernet Franc completes the blend." JA for DR Feb 2021

Antonio Galloni for Vinous Media writes, "My impression is that the 2011 Pichon Lalande will have its day, one day. For now, big, burly tannins give the 2011 a decidedly monolithic feel. To be sure, there is plenty of fruit density and power lurking in the glass, but the 2011 needs more time in bottle before it starts showing at its best. Two thousand-eleven was marked by an unusual weather pattern in which spring was quite warm and dry, but then summer was cool.

Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is arguably the single hottest château on Bordeaux’s Left Bank right now. Quality has been steadily on the rise for some time, culminating in a trio of spectacular wines in 2014, 2015 and 2016. This remarkable retrospective, many months in the making, provided a fascinating opportunity to explore the château’s rich lineage. I tasted all of the wines in this article with Glumineau and Charles Fournier, who serves as Pichon Lalande’s Head of Sales and Marketing. Glumineau organized the wines into two groupings. We started with younger wines from 2005 through 2016, tasted in ascending order, that provided a fascinating opportunity to track the evolution of Pichon Lalande, first under the Rouzaud family’s stewardship, and then in the years since Glumineau arrived from Montrose. The second flight started with the 1989 and moved back through series of older vintages culminating with the 1921. I can only describe tasting these vintages as one of the most totally hedonistic experiences of my life." Published: Oct 2017