Reserve de la Comtesse - Pichon Comtesse - Pauillac 2019 (Half Bottle)

Country: France
Region: Bordeaux

This is the second wine of the legendary Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande (often simply called "Pichon Comtesse"), a Second Grand Cru Classé of 1855. While the estate sits in Pauillac—a region known for muscle and power—Pichon Comtesse has always been celebrated for its "feminine" elegance, sensuality, and silky texture. The "Réserve," created in 1973, allows wine lovers to access this prestigious terroir without waiting decades for the wine to mature. The 2019 vintage is widely regarded as a modern classic in Bordeaux; it marries the solar intensity of the summer with a remarkable energy and freshness, resulting in a wine that is both dense and incredibly graceful.

Terroir: Located on the border of the Saint-Julien appellation, the vineyard features deep Garonne gravel over a clay subsoil. This specific geology allows for excellent drainage while maintaining cool moisture for the roots, a key factor in the estate's unusually high percentage of Merlot.

Style: A distinguished and velvety Pauillac that harmonizes the graphite structure and noble aromatics of Cabernet Sauvignon with the lush, fleshy roundness provided by a significant proportion of Merlot, finished with a spicy touch of Petit Verdot.

Vinification: The fruit is treated with the same meticulous care as the Grand Vin. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks to preserve precision. The wine is aged for 12 months in French oak barrels (using about 40% new wood), which is shorter and with less new oak than the first wine to favor fruit purity and earlier drinkability.