Château Pichon Comtesse Pauillac 2022 - 2nd Grand Cru Classé

The Louis Roederer champagne house acquired this highly renowned vineyard with the firm intention of restoring it—after a few disappointing vintages—to its status as a model grand cru. Significant efforts have been made in viticulture, increasingly inspired by organic farming; a state-of-the-art winemaking facility has been built; and the blends have emphasized the proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon while retaining the contributions of the three other grape varieties, which give the wine its unique character. The wine has gained in vigor without losing its charm and finesse.

Brilliant and striking, this wine enchants from the very first sip, offering an explosion of strawberry and citrus acidity, before its salty minerality emerges in the form of chalky tannins, graphite, pencil lead, and slate. Truly very mineral. It is elegant and classic in style, without obvious fruit ripeness, but with a concentrated structure and power that bring out the aromas. Precise and lively, it is full of power and tension, but where other wines emphasize their strength, this one also offers juicy acidity and depth that make it so joyful. I love it. 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. 2030–2050

This vintage strikes a masterful balance between tenderness and firmness, truly shining in 2022. Ripe black fruits, fresh red berries, blond tobacco, pepper, rose, and pencil lead—the nose, powerful and of rare complexity, enchants and bears the hallmark of a Cabernet Sauvignon (78%) of exceptional ripeness. The palate is equally impressive: full-bodied, inviting, and creamy, woven with finely chiseled tannins that possess a certain strength yet a bewitching textural charm. The finish, with its admirable purity and persistence, featuring black fruits and freshness, completes this masterpiece. Quite simply exceptional, this Pichon Comtesse will undoubtedly go down in history. 2030–2050

The 2022 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande turned out to be even better in the bottle than I had hoped, bursting with aromas of blackcurrant and blackberry intertwined with notes of licorice, violet, and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, complex, and enveloping, it is smooth, well-balanced, and complete, with impeccable precision, perfectly integrated tannins, controlled softness, and a long, ample finish. The 2022 vintage successfully combines the estate’s signature sensuality and the maturity of the vintage, on the one hand, with Pauillac’s classic style, on the other, thus offering one of the greatest wines of the vintage and a benchmark Pichon Comtesse. A blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc, it spent 18 months in barrels (3 months longer than before), two-thirds of which were new. As I wrote in my en primeur review, this wine strongly evokes the 1982 vintage, and like that vintage, the 2022 will offer an exceptionally long drinking window. 2030–2055

This vintage makes a big splash with this splendid 2022. It combines everything that makes for a legendary bottle: the elegance of the Cabernets, the definition of the fruit, the silky texture, and the refined finish. It bursts onto the scene as a legend.

Part of the Rouzaud family (Louis Roederer champagnes) since 2007, the estate began a new chapter in its history nearly a decade ago. Under the leadership of Nicolas Glumineau, it has since re-entered the race for excellence and aims to reclaim the “super second” status it held in the 1980s, thanks to a series of legendary vintages (1982, 1986, 1989). While the 2000s were less successful, the most recent vintages—delivering a more precise and straightforward wine, with a stronger emphasis on Cabernet—are far more compelling.

What perfect aromas of blackcurrant, pencil lead, violet, blood orange, and blood. A hint of iron. Medium-bodied to full-bodied, this wine boasts incredible tannins—very pronounced yet well-integrated—that blend seamlessly into the wine, creating a magnificent mouthfeel. The finish is long, slightly austere, yet highly sophisticated. Distinctive and meticulously precise. 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Best enjoyed after 2030, but already a new benchmark for this estate.

A true gift. This wine rises from the glass like a pure, crystalline tenor voice—both confident and vibrant—in perfect balance. Aromas of garden fruits and flowers mingle with subtle notes of pencil lead and cocoa beans. On the palate, it’s an explosion of finesse: fruits and flowers intertwine in a spellbinding dance. The delightful finish leaves a rich, delicately chocolatey impression. 2030–2060

The energy, clarity, and power revealed by the bouquet of Pichon Comtesse border on the astonishing. From the very first sip, the wine announces its greatness—without cutting corners, undoubtedly. The nuances of black berries, graphite, peppermint, eucalyptus, fresh greenery, and elderberry—along with the brilliance that accompanies them—are impressive and invite one to rate the wine even before tasting it. The final step, then, is a matter of awareness… and pleasure. And the wine certainly demonstrates its ability to shine without being overpowering, to seduce without being sweet, and to convince without raising its voice. It is elegant, deep, refined, expressive, and endlessly persistent. 2028–2057