2012 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Pauillac, Bordeaux

The 2012 Pichon-Lalande has a rather musky bouquet at first, with juniper and mint infusing the black fruit, not quite translating the essence of Pauillac and others, though still attractive. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fleshy and silky smooth. There is a veneer of high-quality oak here, quite plush on the finish yet, at the same time, nicely controlled. It has good potential, though I would like to see improvement aromatically. Tasted twice at Bordeaux Index’s Ten Year-On tasting and blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting.Drink 2022 - 2038Neil Martin, Vinous.com.com (September 2022)

The 2012 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse De Lalande is a beautiful, elegant wine in this slightly more challenging vintage (at least for the northern Médoc) and is well worth cellaring and drinking. A blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, it has classic Pauillac lead pencil notes as well as plenty of blackcurrants, tobacco leaf, and cedar. Medium-bodied, forward, and seamless on the palate, it shows the classic elegance of this estate, has ripe tannins, and is already impossible to resist. Enjoy this solid 2012 Pauillac over the coming 15-20 years.Drink 2019 - 2034jeb_dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (June 2019)

As it always is, the 2012 Pichon Lalande is a wine of pure and total seduction. The 2012 is neither the biggest nor most complex Pichon Lalande, but it is among the most pleasurable wine in this tasting, especially for near and medium-term drinking. Silky and medium in body, with lovely brightness, the 2012 has so much to offer.Drink 2020 - 2042antonio_galloni, Vinous.com.com (October 2017)

Cabernet Sauvignon 59%, Merlot 28%, Cabernet Franc 8%, Petit Verdot, 5%.Ruby red, with sweet fruit on the nose, both enticing and fragrant. Grilled cedar and smoked caramel; this is expertly judged in its use of oak, balanced but with a richness that runs right through the palate. Grip and flecks of cocoa bean, graphite, cracked pepper, and saline crackers make this welcoming and gourmet. Can begin drinking with a carafe, will not outlive the most concentrated vintages of Comtesse, but absolutely no rush to get going—one of the wines of the tasting. Today's director, Nicolas Glumineau, did the blend of this vintage but didn't follow the vines through the growing season.Drink 2022 - 2042jane_anson_mw, janeanson_com (March 2022)

The grande dame, the 2012 Pichon Lalande represents only 50% of their harvest production. It has soft, round tannins, endearing elegance, and up-front fruit. It is not a blockbuster, but its lush, richly fruity style is charming and seductive, with raspberry, blueberry, mocha and blackcurrant fruit and a deep ruby/purple color. This medium-bodied, supple-textured wine is surprisingly precocious and forward, and therefore best drunk over the next 15 years. The final blend was 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot.Robert M. Parker, Jr. - 30/04/2015

Round, relaxed and easy though without massive concentration. Gentle and not the most ambitious, but fresh and lively and good punch. Attractive finish. Hums along… Very dry on the finish. jancis_robinson_mw MW, JancisRobinson.com, 24 Apr 2013

Slightly meaty and slighty spicy ripe fruit, with Merlot to the fore, good middle sweetness and a succulence that will impress over time.

Juicy and forward in feel, with a core of red currant and cherry paste, backed by notes of savory, plum skin and roasted vanilla bean that steadily emerge through the finish. Gains weight with aeration, displaying a more rounded feel than most of this vintage's Pauillacs. james_molesworth, Wine Spectator, April 8 2013

Coming in at a lofty 13.2% natural alcohol, it offers up scents of black currants, white chocolate, berries, cedar and forest floor. Sweet tannin, a round opulence and medium body result in a classic, supple-textured Pauillac that should drink well young and keep for 12-15 years. It is very much in keeping with what most readers would consider the “house style” of Pichon Lalande, despite the fact that they are moving toward more Cabernet Sauvignon and less Petit Verdot in the final blend. Fifty percent of the crop made it into the final blend of 2012 Pichon Lalande, which includes more and more Cabernet Sauvignon under the new ownership of the Roederer Champagne firm. The 2012 is a blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. robert_parker - Wine Advocate - Apr 2013

Nicolas Glumineau's debut vintage.Looks quite a bit more evolved than the Pichon Baron with a healthy garnet/ruby hue. Sweet biscuity nose. Very appealing already. Less concentrated than the Pichon Baron tasted alongside but very charming.Drink 2020 - 2035jancis_robinson_mw MW, JancisRobinson.com (March 2022)

Lovely creamy texture and supple fruit. It’s a delightful, relatively uncomplicated claret of medium weight and charm that’s probably now at its best.Drink 2022 - 2030Sebastian Payne MW, Decanter.com (March 2022)