2013 Pichon Lalande
By Chateau Pichon Lalande
2013 Pichon Lalande from Chateau Pichon Lalande, Pauillac, Bordeaux
In the ever-evolving narrative of Bordeaux, the 2013 vintage from Chateau Pichon Lalande recounts a chapter marked by a climatically challenged season, yet concludes with a tale of triumph over adversity. With their seasoned savoir-faire, the vintners crafted a wine indicative of both the estate's heritage and the year’s unique testament.
A Vintage Speaks: The Season’s Tale
The 2013 vintage surfaced amidst daunting conditions, where a wet start to the year and a cool summer imperilled many. Nevertheless, the meticulous rigour employed at Chateau Pichon Lalande turned potential shortfall into a vintage of surprising finesse. With handpicked selection and careful vinification, the 2013 Pichon Lalande emerged as a sincere expression of balance and elegance, despite the odds.
An Oenophile's Reflection: Tasting Notes
The tasting yields an initial bouquet garnished with subtle dark berries and a whisper of spice – hallmarks of this wine's signature complexity. It is eminently approachable in its youth with supple tannins and a harmonious acidity that suggests a prompt but gratifying drinking window. The palate is serenaded with layers of blackcurrant and cedar, complemented by an undercurrent of earthy undertones – a mosaic intricately pieced together by the hands of weather and winemaker alike.
Investment-worthy Elegance
For investors seeking to diversify with articulate vintages that speak to their times whilst steadfastly upholding their brand’s prestige, the 2013 Pichon Lalande stands out as an astute addition. Its resilience on the market mirrors its resilient creation, attesting to its potential for favourable prospects within any curated collection.
To conclude, one finds in the 2013 Pichon Lalande from Chateau Pichon Lalande a rendition accented by the idiosyncrasies of its year – an embodiment justly framed within an investment context. Soled but not overshadowed by its provenance, this vintage assures connoisseurs and financiers alike that even in less heralded years, excellence endures at Pauillac's storied chais.
Current market price
£1,070.00
12x75cl
Highest score
89
POP score
118.89
Scores and tasting notes
The 2013 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, which as noted at the time of release is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, has a fragrant bouquet that, like the deuxième vin, has a pungent marine influence: seaweed and touches of cockle shell, nicely defined with blackberry and briary emerging more strongly with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, crisp acidity with grainy tannin. There is a slight rawness towards the finish that would have been addressed by the addition of Merlot, but there is respectable substance. It falls away quickly towards the finish but otherwise it is balanced and quite a distinctive Pichon Lalande. Drink over the next decade.
Neal Martin - The Wine Advocate, 28 October 2016
A rarity in terms of the final blend for a Pichon Lalande, the 2013 is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, which is an historic first at this estate. Only 33% of the crop made it into the final blend. New manager Nicolas Glumineau worked at Montrose until hired away by the owners, the Roederer Champagne house. Yields were absurdly low at 13 hectoliters per hectare. This hasn't translated into a blockbuster, massive wine by any means. The vintage wouldn't permit that. However, the 2013 Pichon Lalande shows attractive red and black currant fruit, hints of bay leaf and underbrush, soft tannins, medium body and a supple, charming, seductive character. I'd be hard-pressed to guess that this is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon based on how it smells and tastes, but it is. Drink it over the next 10-12 years.
Robert Parker Jr - Wine Advocate #214 Aug 2014