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Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2003
The brilliant, opulent, fleshy 2003 Pichon Lalande (65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot) possesses a high pH of 3.8 as well as 13% alcohol. Reminiscent of the 1982 Pichon Lalande (which never shut down and continues to go from strength to strength), the dense plum/purple-colored 2003 offers gorgeous aromas of blackberries, plum liqueur, sweet cherries, smoke, and melted licorice. Fleshy, full-bodied, and intense, displaying a seamless integration of wood, acidity, tannin, and alcohol, this beauty can be drunk now or cellared for 20 years or more. Robert Parker
Ratings on Delectable
David T 
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
Nearly 20 years in bottle. It is still ascending will drink well for another 15 days plus years. From a warm vintage. Beautiful, even toned fruits with elegant earth & amazing lead pencil bloom for days. This is approaching its peak, another 5 years from its peak. Well resolved wine-fruits. The fruits are juicy, blackberries, black raspberries, plum skin, dark cherries & slightly, poached strawberries with a highlight of pomegranate. Mocha, dark chocolate, black tea, sandalwood, sandstone, limestone, some mushroom notes, dark, rich turned earth w/ dry leaves, dry tobacco, dry leather, dry herbs, dry stone, caramel notes, dry, withering, dark, purple & red flowers with excellent acidity, balance, tension, structure and finish for days that lasts 90 seconds.
Nearly 20 years in bottle. It is still ascending will drink well for another 15 days plus years. From a warm vintage. Beautiful, even toned fruits with elegant earth & amazing lead pencil bloom for days. This is approaching its peak, another 5 years from its peak. Well resolved wine-fruits. The fruits are juicy, blackberries, black raspberries, plum skin, dark cherries & slightly, poached strawberries with a highlight of pomegranate. Mocha, dark chocolate, black tea, sandalwood, sandstone, limestone, some mushroom notes, dark, rich turned earth w/ dry leaves, dry tobacco, dry leather, dry herbs, dry stone, caramel notes, dry, withering, dark, purple & red flowers with excellent acidity, balance, tension, structure and finish for days that lasts 90 seconds.
9.5David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
@Delectable can you please add the 2003 vintage. I keep getting error message 2000. It’s a very good night when you have an Allen Brothers Ribcap and an older Pichon Lalande. It is my favorite beef pairing. The 03 is just starting to move into its good phase. I would not open another 03 for at least 5 more years and has another 10 plus years of good drinking ahead. I decanted it for about 2 1/2...could have used another half hour. Once it was fully open, the body was elegant and the tannins like velvet. The ripe black raspberries & raspberries led the rush onto the palate. Followed by; blackberries, dark cherries and a little strawberries on the long set. Gentle earth of; stones, clay & loamy dry soil, fresh tobacco, graphite, suede style leather, some dark spice, understated baking spices of; vanillin, cinnamon, nutmeg and just a dash of clove. Dark, red, purple & some blue florals. The acidity was excellent. The creamy, velvety, elegant, well balanced in fruit and earth was harmonious wire to wire. The pairing causes my eyes to roll and let out an mmmmm. Photos of; Chateau Pichon Lalande, stainless steel tanks, side garden area of the chateau and their barrel room.
@Delectable can you please add the 2003 vintage. I keep getting error message 2000. It’s a very good night when you have an Allen Brothers Ribcap and an older Pichon Lalande. It is my favorite beef pairing. The 03 is just starting to move into its good phase. I would not open another 03 for at least 5 more years and has another 10 plus years of good drinking ahead. I decanted it for about 2 1/2...could have used another half hour. Once it was fully open, the body was elegant and the tannins like velvet. The ripe black raspberries & raspberries led the rush onto the palate. Followed by; blackberries, dark cherries and a little strawberries on the long set. Gentle earth of; stones, clay & loamy dry soil, fresh tobacco, graphite, suede style leather, some dark spice, understated baking spices of; vanillin, cinnamon, nutmeg and just a dash of clove. Dark, red, purple & some blue florals. The acidity was excellent. The creamy, velvety, elegant, well balanced in fruit and earth was harmonious wire to wire. The pairing causes my eyes to roll and let out an mmmmm. Photos of; Chateau Pichon Lalande, stainless steel tanks, side garden area of the chateau and their barrel room.
9.5
Yoon Ha
Master Sommelier/Wine Director Benu
Hot vintage traits of compaction, dried fruit and coarse tannins.
Hot vintage traits of compaction, dried fruit and coarse tannins.
8.6
Rafael Landestoy
Magnum and it was as good as I remember it the last time we had this out of a magnum. Opened for about 12 hours and decanted for 4 and it was just singing. Classic Bordeaux that was even drinking well the following night after being opened and decanted almost 30 hours.
Magnum and it was as good as I remember it the last time we had this out of a magnum. Opened for about 12 hours and decanted for 4 and it was just singing. Classic Bordeaux that was even drinking well the following night after being opened and decanted almost 30 hours.
9.6Todd Alexander
I'm drinking this in the tasting room at Pichon Lalande, and it tastes gooooood.
I'm drinking this in the tasting room at Pichon Lalande, and it tastes gooooood.
9.3David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
Last night, my second favorite pairing. Tonight, my favorite! An older Pichon Lalande and a ribeye. Counting it down. While this 03 is delicious tonight, I won’t touch another bottle until 2028 for the way I’ve learned to enjoy em. However, a good time for a check in given I have several more bottles. The nose reveals; thick, rich, dark currants, creamy fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, hints of cooked rhubarb, black plum with heavy skin & strawberries on the glass edges as it opens. Anise, Indian & Asian spices, soft leather, older tobacco, dark & milk chocolate, caramel, some black licorice, steeped fruit tea, limestone minerals, dry, river stone, moist clay, dark, rich, turned earth, dry crushed rocks with candied, fresh & withering, red, dark flowers. The body is creamy, lush and full. The structure, tension, length and balance are knitting themselves together nicely. The tannins are round, dark and only 45-50% resolved. She’s an elegant beauty that will deliver so much more at 25 years and later. Rich, dark currants, creamy fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, hints of cooked rhubarb, black plum with heavy skin & strawberries on the glass edges as it opens. Anise, Indian & Asian spices, soft leather, cigar box with ash, dark & milk chocolate, caramel, coco powder, some black licorice, steeped fruit tea, limestone minerals, dry, river stone, moist clay, dark, rich, turned earth, dry top soil, dry crushed rocks with candied, fresh & withering, red, dark flowers & violets on the long set. The acidity is round and beautiful. The creamy, elegant finish is balanced fruit & earth and persists nicely for minutes. Photos of; Chateau Pichon Lalande, General Manager-Nicolas Glumineau, Pichon Lalande’s tasting room and their Estate vineyard at twilight and is adjacent to Chateau Latour.
Last night, my second favorite pairing. Tonight, my favorite! An older Pichon Lalande and a ribeye. Counting it down. While this 03 is delicious tonight, I won’t touch another bottle until 2028 for the way I’ve learned to enjoy em. However, a good time for a check in given I have several more bottles. The nose reveals; thick, rich, dark currants, creamy fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, hints of cooked rhubarb, black plum with heavy skin & strawberries on the glass edges as it opens. Anise, Indian & Asian spices, soft leather, older tobacco, dark & milk chocolate, caramel, some black licorice, steeped fruit tea, limestone minerals, dry, river stone, moist clay, dark, rich, turned earth, dry crushed rocks with candied, fresh & withering, red, dark flowers. The body is creamy, lush and full. The structure, tension, length and balance are knitting themselves together nicely. The tannins are round, dark and only 45-50% resolved. She’s an elegant beauty that will deliver so much more at 25 years and later. Rich, dark currants, creamy fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, hints of cooked rhubarb, black plum with heavy skin & strawberries on the glass edges as it opens. Anise, Indian & Asian spices, soft leather, cigar box with ash, dark & milk chocolate, caramel, coco powder, some black licorice, steeped fruit tea, limestone minerals, dry, river stone, moist clay, dark, rich, turned earth, dry top soil, dry crushed rocks with candied, fresh & withering, red, dark flowers & violets on the long set. The acidity is round and beautiful. The creamy, elegant finish is balanced fruit & earth and persists nicely for minutes. Photos of; Chateau Pichon Lalande, General Manager-Nicolas Glumineau, Pichon Lalande’s tasting room and their Estate vineyard at twilight and is adjacent to Chateau Latour.
9.5David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
This wine has all the makings of being great one day. It’s just about 8-10 years more years away. The wine is just staring to round out, integrate and show its elegance. Ruby, creamy currants, earth, graphite, tobacco leaf, stones, dark most soil, round acidity and a very well polished finished. This is my favorite Ribeye wine and it didn’t disappoint...only that is still too young. 95-96 in another decade. Photos of, the Chateau & grounds, newer tasting room & barrel room and Estate vines that are adjacent to Chateau Latour.
This wine has all the makings of being great one day. It’s just about 8-10 years more years away. The wine is just staring to round out, integrate and show its elegance. Ruby, creamy currants, earth, graphite, tobacco leaf, stones, dark most soil, round acidity and a very well polished finished. This is my favorite Ribeye wine and it didn’t disappoint...only that is still too young. 95-96 in another decade. Photos of, the Chateau & grounds, newer tasting room & barrel room and Estate vines that are adjacent to Chateau Latour.
9.3Philippe Thibault
Classic Comtesse de Lalande. Nose of blackberries, cassis, graphite and pen ink. Full-bodied with velvety tannins that have resolved themselves beautifully, this wine is still young but it exhibits admirable purity, texture, mouthfeel and power combined with elegance.
Classic Comtesse de Lalande. Nose of blackberries, cassis, graphite and pen ink. Full-bodied with velvety tannins that have resolved themselves beautifully, this wine is still young but it exhibits admirable purity, texture, mouthfeel and power combined with elegance.
9.0Rafael Landestoy
Also preferred the 2010 Lalande to this one but we're splitting hairs because they were all awesome.
Also preferred the 2010 Lalande to this one but we're splitting hairs because they were all awesome.
9.3Rafael Landestoy
Hard to follow the Cheval Blanc but Pichon Lalande never disappoints. Another beauty!
Hard to follow the Cheval Blanc but Pichon Lalande never disappoints. Another beauty!
9.4
See all reviews and ratings on Delectable WARNING: DRINKING DISTILLED SPIRITS, BEER, COOLERS, WINE AND OTHER ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES MAY INCREASE CANCER RISK, AND, DURING PREGNANCY, CAN CAUSE BIRTH DEFECTS.