Pichon Lalande 2003

Pauillac, Second Growth

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Tasting Notes
Tasted blind at Farr Vintner’s Left Bank tasting. An attractive, classic nose with cedar, sous-bois and pine interlacing the ripe black fruit. Very fragrant. The palate is very supple on the entry, rounded texture with fine tannins, blackberry, sandalwood, cigar box and sous-bois. Quintessential Pauillac, although it is very conservative on the finish. Tasted October 2010. Score: 92 Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 01 March 2011
Rather subtle and delicate and with excellent bottom. Very racy. And sweet. Like a dry port. Rather still-insistent tannins on the end. Drying finish. Racier than Pichon Baron. Score: 16 - 17 Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2009-2016 13 October 2010
Good deep red. Flamboyantly expressive aromas of raspberry, currant, earth, smoked meat, chocolate and pepper. Fat, full and voluptuous yet somehow light on its feet. This has a texture of liquid velvet. Wonderfully opulent wine with considerable inner-palate flavor complexity: raspberry, game, leather, mocha and chocolate. Finishes with very fine-grained tannins that coat the entire palate. A wonderful success for the year, and a wine that can be enjoyed already, even if its sheer material promises 15 to 20 years of life in bottle. Score: 93 Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar 01 May 2006
The brilliant, opulent, fleshy 2003 Pichon Lalande (65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot) possesses a high pH of 3.8 as well as 13% alcohol. Reminiscent of the 1982 Pichon Lalande (which never shut down and continues to go from strength to strength), the dense plum/purple-colored 2003 offers gorgeous aromas of blackberries, plum liqueur, sweet cherries, smoke, and melted licorice. Fleshy, full-bodied, and intense, displaying a seamless integration of wood, acidity, tannin, and alcohol, this beauty can be drunk now or cellared for 20 years or more. Score: 95 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2006-2026 30 April 2006
A beautiful wine that is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot, tipping the scales at 13% alcohol with a pH of 3.8, the wine has put on some weight since I tasted it last year and possesses broad, expressive notes of caramel, black currant liqueur, fig, and blackberries along with a hint of roasted coffee. Opulent, full-bodied, and concentrated with an exceptionally fleshy, expansive mid-palate, this wine has freshness, vigor, and delineation despite its rather plump, opulent, heady style. More and more this looks similar to the 1982 more than any other recent vintage. Score: 93 - 95 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2008-2022 30 April 2005
Fashioned from low yields of 39 hectoliters per hectare, Pichon-Lalande’s harvest began on September 17, and lasted until the end of the month. A powerful effort for this estate (13% alcohol), with a pH of 3.8, and total acidity of 3.15, this blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot possesses an opaque purple color to the rim as well as lovely aromas of spring flowers, creme de cassis, blackberries, and a hint of roasted espresso. Dense, opulent, and medium to full-bodied, with outstanding purity, and no trace of over-ripeness, it should drink well young, and last for 15-20 years. Although it reveals a more classic style than the 1982 did at a similar stage, its similarities with that vintage are unmistakable. Score: 93 - 95 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2008-2020 30 April 2004
Very pretty aromas of plum, blackberry, chocolate, espresso and cherry follow through to a full-bodied palate, with ultrasilky tannins, refined fruit and a long, caressing finish. This is fine and refined with a wonderful texture. Not quite the 2000, but excellent. Best after 2011. Score: 93 James Suckling, Wine Spectator Maturity: 2011+ 31 March 2006

Tasting Notes

Tasted blind at Farr Vintner’s Left Bank tasting. An attractive, classic nose with cedar, sous-bois and pine interlacing the ripe black fruit. Very fragrant. The palate is very supple on the entry, rounded texture with fine tannins, blackberry, sandalwood, cigar box and sous-bois. Quintessential Pauillac, although it is very conservative on the finish. Tasted October 2010.

Score: 92

Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 01 March 2011

Rather subtle and delicate and with excellent bottom. Very racy. And sweet. Like a dry port. Rather still-insistent tannins on the end. Drying finish. Racier than Pichon Baron.

Score: 16 - 17

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2009-2016 13 October 2010

Good deep red. Flamboyantly expressive aromas of raspberry, currant, earth, smoked meat, chocolate and pepper. Fat, full and voluptuous yet somehow light on its feet. This has a texture of liquid velvet. Wonderfully opulent wine with considerable inner-palate flavor complexity: raspberry, game, leather, mocha and chocolate. Finishes with very fine-grained tannins that coat the entire palate. A wonderful success for the year, and a wine that can be enjoyed already, even if its sheer material promises 15 to 20 years of life in bottle.

Score: 93

Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar 01 May 2006

The brilliant, opulent, fleshy 2003 Pichon Lalande (65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot) possesses a high pH of 3.8 as well as 13% alcohol. Reminiscent of the 1982 Pichon Lalande (which never shut down and continues to go from strength to strength), the dense plum/purple-colored 2003 offers gorgeous aromas of blackberries, plum liqueur, sweet cherries, smoke, and melted licorice. Fleshy, full-bodied, and intense, displaying a seamless integration of wood, acidity, tannin, and alcohol, this beauty can be drunk now or cellared for 20 years or more.

Score: 95

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2006-2026 30 April 2006

A beautiful wine that is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot, tipping the scales at 13% alcohol with a pH of 3.8, the wine has put on some weight since I tasted it last year and possesses broad, expressive notes of caramel, black currant liqueur, fig, and blackberries along with a hint of roasted coffee. Opulent, full-bodied, and concentrated with an exceptionally fleshy, expansive mid-palate, this wine has freshness, vigor, and delineation despite its rather plump, opulent, heady style. More and more this looks similar to the 1982 more than any other recent vintage.

Score: 93 - 95

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2008-2022 30 April 2005

Fashioned from low yields of 39 hectoliters per hectare, Pichon-Lalande’s harvest began on September 17, and lasted until the end of the month. A powerful effort for this estate (13% alcohol), with a pH of 3.8, and total acidity of 3.15, this blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot possesses an opaque purple color to the rim as well as lovely aromas of spring flowers, creme de cassis, blackberries, and a hint of roasted espresso. Dense, opulent, and medium to full-bodied, with outstanding purity, and no trace of over-ripeness, it should drink well young, and last for 15-20 years. Although it reveals a more classic style than the 1982 did at a similar stage, its similarities with that vintage are unmistakable.

Score: 93 - 95

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2008-2020 30 April 2004

Very pretty aromas of plum, blackberry, chocolate, espresso and cherry follow through to a full-bodied palate, with ultrasilky tannins, refined fruit and a long, caressing finish. This is fine and refined with a wonderful texture. Not quite the 2000, but excellent. Best after 2011.

Score: 93

James Suckling, Wine Spectator Maturity: 2011+ 31 March 2006

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