Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
A Pauillac Second Growth long prized for its perfumed, Merlot-inflected elegance, owned since the mid-2000s by the Rouzaud family of Champagne Louis Roederer.
About Château
Known affectionately as 'Pichon Comtesse,' this Pauillac estate traces its vineyard origins to the late 17th century, when Pierre de Mazure de Rauzan assembled vines in what is now the commune's heart. The property assumed its present identity in 1850, when the larger Pichon Longueville estate was split between branches of the family, the Comtesse de Lalande share passing to the daughters' line. It was classified a Second Growth in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification. After decades under the Miailhe family and the long stewardship of May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, a majority interest passed in the mid-2000s to the Rouzaud family, proprietors of Champagne Louis Roederer. The wine is celebrated for a relatively high historic Merlot component that lends a perfumed, silky character distinct from the firmer Cabernet style of much of Pauillac. Annual production of the Grand Vin averages around 15,000 cases.
Flagship wines
- Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande (Grand Vin)
- Réserve de la Comtesse
Editorial notes
A benchmark Pauillac Second Growth; the Grand Vin rewards a decade or more of cellaring, while Réserve de la Comtesse offers earlier access to the house style.