Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Pauillac 2e Cru Classé 2008

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This property was created in 1850 by the division of the original Château Pichon Longueville, when the owner established his children's inheritance: his son took over the current Pichon Longueville Baron, while his daughter Virginie, wife of the Count of Lalande, received the other part of the property, hence the ending: "Comtesse de Lalande." A woman of authority and passionate about wine, Virginie spearheaded the development and then the consecration of the estate. It remained within the founding family until 1925, when it was purchased by Edouard and Louis Miailhe. From 1978 to 2007, another great woman held the reins: May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, the daughter of Edouard Miailhe. Grand Chancellor of the Bordeaux Wine Academy, she was nicknamed "the General" in recognition of her husband's military career. The feminine imprint left by the Countess a century earlier could not find a better echo. Moreover, the passionate journey demonstrated by Pichon Lalande is far from unrelated to the tenderness and affection that wine lovers have always felt for the estate's wines. The property was purchased in 2007 by the Rouzaud family, owners of the Roederer Champagne house, among others.

Of the estate's 75 hectares of vines, 11 are located in the commune of Saint-Julien, resulting in wines of an elegance uncommon in Pauillac. In addition to a majority proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon, a guarantee of longevity, the grape varieties include a significant proportion of Merlot, promising the wine greater suppleness, particularly in its youth. The grand vin of Pichon Comtesse thus perfectly combines the concentration of a Pauillac with highly distinguished tannins. Its exceptional terroir, overlooking the Gironde, allows it to better withstand harsh winters and overly hot summers. Among the elite of the finest Bordeaux wines. Best enjoyed after 10 to 30 years of aging.