Chateau Pichon Lalande 1988
- Vintage
- 1988
- Country
- France
- Region
- Bordeaux,Pauillac
- Size
- 750ml
- Rating
- WS92, WA90
- Grape
- Cabernet Sauvignon,Merlot
Aromas of black olive, blackberry and currant. Complex and fascinating. Full-bodied, with soft and velvety tannins and a long, caressing finish. Pretty and satisfying. - WS92
Somewhat austere but very successful for the vintage, Pichon-Lalande’s 1988 has a dark garnet color and an intriguing nose of compost, earth, black currants, licorice, and weedy tobacco. The wine is medium-bodied with a sweet, relatively expansive mid-palate and slightly rugged tannins in the increasingly attenuated finish. This wine has reached full maturity and should be drunk over the next 5-10 years. Anticipated maturity: Now-2008. - WA90
The Pichon Longueville estate goes back to 1688-1689. In 1850, Virginie de Pichon Longueville, Countess de Lalande, and her two sisters inherited three-fifths of the vineyard from their father. This took on the name of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. In 1978, May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, daughter of Edouard Miailhe, in turn inherited this beautiful property and devoted herself entirely to continuing the tradition of quality wine.
Just two families have been responsible for maintaining this wine's superb reputation for three centuries. Bordering on Château Latour, Second Growth Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is located in the southern part of Pauillac, near Saint-Julien. The unusual choice of grape varieties (there is a much higher percentage of Merlot than average) is a partial explanation for this wine's outstanding personality, marked by elegance, balance and finesse. Traditional methods and modern technology combine to make the most of the estate's prestigious soil. The international reputation of this "Super Second" Growth can be attributed to unfailing quality and dynamic owners.