Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 2025

Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande sits in Pauillac, on the left bank of the Gironde, on the gravel terraces that define the appellation. The deep beds of gravel and sand over clay drain quickly and force the roots down, while the warm stones radiate heat back to the ripening fruit and the river moderates the climate. The 2025 is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the proportion of Merlot here giving the estate its reputation for a softer, more perfumed style than its Pauillac neighbours. The wine is aged eighteen months in oak barrels, where slow oxygen exchange through the staves softens the tannins, fixes colour and adds cedar and cocoa over the fruit. It is deep ruby in the glass. The nose carries blackcurrant and blackberry with violet, tobacco and a graphite minerality. The palate is structured and savoury, the cassis fruit framed by firm but fine tannins and a long, earthy finish. Decant for an hour and serve at 17 degrees in a large glass. It suits roast lamb, rib of beef and hard aged cheese.