Pichon-Longueville Lalande Pauillac 2018

100 points Jeff Leve (The Wine Cellar Insider): "Absolutely compelling from the initial swirl, sniff and sip. It takes no time to recognize this as being an incredible, future legendary Bordeaux ! The perfume is mesmerizing with its display of flowers, spices, tobacco leaf, cassis, plum and blackberries. But it is the texture, with its layers of silky, perfectly, ripe, sweet fruits that steals the show. Rich, full-bodied and concentrated, the decadent finish, with all its multiple layers sticks with you for at least sixty seconds! Drink from 2029-2055. (Mar 2022)"

100 points International Wine Report: "[$220 list] The 2018 Château Pichon Comtesse de Lalande is one of the finest wines have ever tasted from the Chateau. This immediately begins to impress with its incredibly perfumed aromatics of ripe dark currants and black cherries, which are woven together with fresh violets, pencil shavings, exotic spices, florals, herbs, tobacco and earthy minerals that all come together and burst from the glass. On the palate this is full-bodied and remarkably polished, with absolutely incredible overall balance and structure. This stunning wine goes on to impress with its wonderful concentration, precision and beautifully pure ripe dark fruits that continue to captivate the senses as they build up to the gorgeous finish. This beautifully combines power, elegance and sheer class to make it one of the most impressive wines from the entire vintage. Drink: 2026-2050. (Jan 2022)"

98+ points Jeb Dunnuck: "The 2018 Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse De Lalande is a monster of a wine with an almost Château Latour-like stature and structure, offering deep, backward, slightly reductive notes of blackcurrants, crushed stone, scorched earth, lead pencil shavings, and tobacco leaf. Based largely on Cabernet Sauvignon mixed with 23% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, it's full-bodied, concentrated, and powerful on the palate, with masses of tannins, beautiful mid-palate density, and a great finish. As I've commented previously, the up-front, sexy style of the past (due to the larger Merlot content, I believe) has been replaced by a more regal, at times austere profile. Nevertheless, it's still its own wine and very Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande in style. This 2018 is going to need 5-7 years of bottle age and will evolve for 40+ years. Drinking Window: 2026-2066. (3/11/21)"

98 points Jane Anson (Decanter): "Lovely grilled and graphite notes right off the bat; this is big and muscular, and extremely Pauillac. There is grace here too, with raspberry purée, cassis, fig and blackberry fruits set against charcoal and fine tannins that quickly build up to suggest how well this will age. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 60% new oak used. 13% press wine. 3.75pH, 88IPT – higher even than the 80IPT in 2016. Drinking Window: 2026-2038. (11/10/20)"

98 points/'#2 Top Wine of 2021,' Wine Spectator: "Offers a deep well of dark currant, blackberry paste and plum preserves fruit that needs time to unwind fully, as it’s shrouded in warm earth, tobacco, singed cedar, sweet bay leaf and savory notes. A ramrod of graphite adds to the racy, structured feel. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2030 through 2050. (3/31/21)"

98 points Chris Kissack (Winedoctor): "The talented Nicolas Glumineau is doing his best to push this estate to the very limits of its capability, and as a consequence we have wines like this to attend to. The nose opens with a very confident assault of fruit, layer upon layer of cassis, black cherry and damson, threaded with pencil lead, dry earth and smouldering oak. It feels full of intent, a wine with something to say, full of energy, and indeed the palate only serves to reinforce this aromatic impression, with its structure built of rippling and sinewy tannins, cut through with a fresh and bright acidity, along with some wonderful fruit substance, all sooty berries and brooding black cherries. The tannins and fruit hang together so well despite their drive, while the palate as a whole feels so balanced and fresh. This will surely age well in any cellar. A great wine which I look forward to retasting in ten or twenty years time. (Feb 2021)"

98 points Wine Enthusiast: "This famous estate at the southern end of Pauillac has produced a powerful wine. Packed blackberry fruits, laced with acidity, are just starting out on a long journey along with the tannins. The wine's elegance is beautifully preserved within the structure. With considerable potential, the wine should not be drunk before 2027. Alcohol 14.5%. (May 2021)"

97+ points Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate): "The 2018 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot with a pH of 3.85, an IPT (total polyphenol index) of 87 and 14% alcohol. The grand vin represents 50% of the crop this year. Deep garnet-purple colored, it charges out of the gate with bold scents of baked plums, ripe blackcurrants and wild blueberries, followed by hints of cedar chest, pencil lead, bouquet garni and charcuterie, plus a waft of lilacs. The medium-bodied palate is beautifully crafted with its seamless freshness and firm, grainy tannins supporting the compelling, finely knit black fruits and savory nuances, finishing on a lingering fragrant-earth note. This will need a good 5 years to come around and should easily cellar for another 30 years or more. Drink: 2026-2056. (Mar 2021)"

97+ points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2018 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande dazzles from the very first taste. A heady concoction of inky dark fruit, graphite, new leather, licorice, lavender, spice and grilled herbs soars out of the glass. The 2018 is rich and expansive yet retains a super-classic vertical feel. Plush, silky tannins add to its immeasurable pedigree. I would cellar the 2018 for a decade or so, if patience permits. It's a stellar wine in the making. Drink: 2028-2058. (Mar 2021)"

97 points Peter Moser (Falstaff): "Very dark ruby with an opaque core and purple reflections, brightening at the rim. Inviting black cherry and berry nuances are interwoven with fine oak, delicate candied orange zest, mineral notes, and some liquorice. Complex with pronounced fruit, it has ripe cherry flavours and ripe supporting tannins, with fine sweetness continuing through to the finish. A harmonious and elegant food wine, it has great length and development. Good ageing potential. (2/14/21)"

97 points James Suckling: "Aromas of blackberry, dried blueberry, gravel, mocha and cigar box. Light fresh-herb undertone. It’s full-bodied with firm, ultra fine tannins and fresh acidity. Focused and minerally with a long finish. Great length. Very tight and restrained at the moment. Wait until at least 2026 to take a look. (1/18/21)"