Super Second Bordeaux | Elegant, Powerful, and Exceptionally Long-Lived
Region: Pauillac, Bordeaux, France
Classification: Deuxième Cru Classé (Second Growth, 1855 Classification)
Grape Blend: Approximately 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot
Style: Silken, refined, structured, and profoundly age-worthy
Nose:
Deep, beautifully perfumed, and intensely expressive, opening with layers of blackcurrant, cassis, blackberry, violets, rose petals, cedar, cigar box, graphite, tobacco leaf, dark chocolate, and exotic spice. Signature Pichon Comtesse elegance is beautifully present, combining Pauillac power with floral lift and remarkable aromatic finesse. Notes of crushed gravel, incense, and subtle earthy complexity emerge with aeration.
Palate:
Luxuriously textured and impeccably balanced, revealing flavours of blackberry, cassis, dark cherry, plum, licorice, cocoa, graphite, cedar, tobacco, and mineral freshness. Rich and concentrated, yet remarkably seamless, the palate balances power with extraordinary precision and elegance. Compared with the more opulent 2009 vintage, the 2010 is more focused, structured, and classically proportioned.
Structure:
Full-bodied with ultra-fine tannins, vibrant acidity, and exceptional concentration. Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is celebrated for crafting one of Pauillac’s most elegant and sensual wines, historically distinguished by a slightly higher proportion of Merlot, giving the wine extraordinary polish and accessibility without sacrificing longevity. The 2010 vintage delivered immense structure, freshness, and precision, producing one of the château’s greatest modern wines. Frequently described as aristocratic, seamless, and beautifully balanced.
Finish:
Exceptionally long, polished, and beautifully persistent, lingering with cassis, violets, graphite, cigar tobacco, cedar, spice, and mineral freshness. Refined, noble, and unmistakably Pauillac.
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 2010 stands among the finest wines of the legendary 2010 Bordeaux vintage and represents one of the greatest modern expressions of this iconic Pauillac Super Second. Situated close to Château Latour, Pichon Comtesse is renowned for combining Pauillac structure and power with uncommon elegance, perfume, and sensuality, often producing a softer and more refined expression than neighbouring estates.
The 2010 vintage perfectly suited the château’s refined style, delivering a wine of immense concentration, freshness, and remarkable harmony. Compared with the richer and more seductive 2009, the 2010 is often viewed as more classical, precise, and potentially even longer-lived. Critics widely praised the wine, with scores reaching 98–99 points from leading reviewers, cementing its place among the estate’s benchmark modern vintages.
Still youthful and highly structured, Pichon Comtesse 2010 remains in the early stages of its evolution and rewards patience, extended decanting, or long-term cellaring.
The 2010 Bordeaux vintage is regarded as one of the greatest of the modern era, characterised by extraordinary concentration, freshness, and tannic precision. In Pauillac, Cabernet Sauvignon excelled, while cooler conditions preserved freshness and aromatic complexity. Château Pichon Comtesse particularly flourished, crafting a wine of exceptional elegance, purity, and longevity.
Now: Exceptional with 3–4 hours decanting
Peak: 2028–2060+
Cellaring: Extraordinary long-term ageing potential
