Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse De Lalande 2018 (750ml)

JebDunnuck.com, 2018 Bordeaux From The Bottle (3/11/2021)
(Chateau Pichon-Longueville Comtesse De Lalande) The 2018 Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse De Lalande is a monster of a wine with an almost Château Latour-like stature and structure, offering deep, backward, slightly reductive notes of blackcurrants, crushed stone, scorched earth, lead pencil shavings, and tobacco leaf. Based largely on Cabernet Sauvignon mixed with 23% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, it's full-bodied, concentrated, and powerful on the palate, with masses of tannins, beautiful mid-palate density, and a great finish. As I've commented previously, the up-front, sexy style of the past (due to the larger Merlot content, I believe) has been replaced by a more regal, at times austere profile. Nevertheless, it's still its own wine and very Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande in style. This 2018 is going to need 5-7 years of bottle age and will evolve for 40+ years. (Drink between 2026-2066)  98+ points
By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, Bordeaux 2018: Not Back in Black (Mar 2021) (3/1/2021)
(Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Red) The 2018 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande dazzles from the very first taste. A heady concoction of inky dark fruit, graphite, new leather, licorice, lavender, spice and grilled herbs soars out of the glass. The 2018 is rich and expansive yet retains a super-classic vertical feel. Plush, silky tannins add to its immeasurable pedigree. I would cellar the 2018 for a decade or so, if patience permits. It's a stellar wine in the making. (Drink between 2028-2058)  97+ points
By Neal Martin
Vinous, The Future’s Definitely Not What It Was: Bordeaux 2018 (Mar 2021) (3/1/2021)
(Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Red) The 2018 Pichon-Lalande was given an hour’s decant and then observed over the next 24 hours. It has clearly retained the showstopping nose that I encountered from barrel, those same “gentle waves" of black cherries and blueberry, incense and violets lending it a Margaux-like allure. The palate is vibrant and full of tension from the start, the acidity slicing through the layers of quite plush black fruit, judiciously laced with tobacco and mint. There is a beguiling sense of harmony conveyed by this Pichon-Lalande and although there is clearly plenty of structure, the tannins are so pixelated and pliant that it might well be broachable in 4–5 years’ time. Personally, however, I would prefer to cellar it for 8–10 years (by which time I hope that the new Cure album is finally released). However long you decide to keep it tucked away, this is a quite brilliant Pauillac. (Drink between 2025-2055)  97 points
 
By Jane Anson
Decanter, Bordeaux in bottle 2018 (11/10/2020)
(Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France, Red) Lovely grilled and graphite notes right off the bat; this is big and muscular, and extremely Pauillac. There is grace here too, with raspberry purée, cassis, fig and blackberry fruits set against charcoal and fine tannins that quickly build up to suggest how well this will age. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 60% new oak used. 13% press wine. 3.75pH, 88IPT – higher even than the 80IPT in 2016. (Drink between 2026-2038)  98 points