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| INTERNATIONAL WINE CELLAR – June 2006 |
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90/93. Good red-ruby color. Raspberry, redcurrant, tobacco leaf and flowers on the nose. Red-fruity and refined in the mouth, showing none of the smoke, animal or chocolate qualities I associate with this château. Distinctly delicate and fine, with moderate density and suave, building tannins. A wine of finesse : only time, and elevage will tell if there’s enough strength behind it. If there is, this 2005 will merite a score at the high end of my projected range.
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| Corney & Barrow - June 2006 |
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Score 16 to 17. 64% Cabernet has gone into this blend in 2005 which is a really lustrous, intense, black-ruby and presents sweet, rounded black fruits on the nose and a bright cassis vitality. The palate is both seductive and brightly fruited, but can only hint at the charm which will give great pleasure given time. We often complain that we taste these wines too early and Pichon-Lalande is one which suffers greatly from being presented in an embryonic state. The ingredients are all there though and are beautifully pitched. Richly-structured, there are wonderfully fine tannins, woven imperceptibly throughout. From 2014 to 2025 plus.
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| WINE AND SPIRIT - May 2006 |
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94/97. The 2005 Pichon Lalande is true to form after a run of successful vintages and this is the best since 2000. Dreamy texture, crème de cassis-like fruitand a cloak of soft tannins. 2012-2030.
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| FARR VINTNERS - April 2006 |
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18. One of THE great names of Bordeaux and a true "super-second". Pichon Lalande is one of the most demanded wines of Bordeaux. It is especially popular in the Far East thanks to its slightly exotic, spicy character and plump ripe fruit. After a slight dip in form in the early 1990’s, great wine was made here in 1995, 1996, 2000 and 2003. The 2005 is certainly in the same league. A wonderfully, seductive, generous Pichon in the classic style of this property. A lovely, cherry and vanilla nose with smoky, roasted notes. On the palate there are ripe plums and cream with hints of pepper and Asian spices. The fleshy cassis fruit is long, smooth and silky with hidden depths. This is a beautiful, layered Pichon Lalande that the many fans of this Chateau will adore. ONE OF THE WINES OF THE VINTAGE.
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| DECANTER - Steven Spurrier - April 2006 |
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18.5 points. Deep colour, full and fleshy, really seductive, some leafiness, but full of florality and exotic spices, a superbly smooth wine with more power than is evident now. Drink 2012-2035.
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With the queen of Pauillac, Ch. Pichon-Lalande, experience has shown us that her decadent, sensual, feminine wines always improve markedly after they are shown en primeur. This is true again in 2005 with the wine ressembling a precious flower waiting to open. But if you look closely at the firm cassis fruit and fine tannins you realise everything is perfectly in place. Although it is very restrained, its true colours begin to reveal themselves on its incredibly long and aristocratic finish. This has a similar make up to the château's 1996, with more Cabernet Sauvignon than usual (64%). According to the ever-enthusiastic Gildas d'Ollone - who looks not unlike a younger, albeit slightly more tanned, Mozart - it has better fruit and acidity than in 1996, and even more elegance.
Given how good the 1996 is today, this is a mouthwatering prospect indeed. This is definitely one of the must-buys of the 2005 vintage. Drink 2015-2040
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92/94. Love the aromas here of currants, licorice, exotic fruit, and berries. Complex. Full and silky, with gorgeous tannins. This is really long and reserved. Very close to 95-100. I will see in bottle. —J.S
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| In-house Tasting Note - Thomas DÔ-CHI-NAM - March 2006 |
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This wine, which is difficult to compare, could be a synthesis of the exceptional vintages of
Pichon : 2000, 1996 and 1986. It has the characteristic reticence of the wines of Pichon in their youth, but its intense bouquet is worth waiting for in order to appreciate its nobility and complexity. The aromas, that one finds again in the mouth, are subtly floral : rose petals, violets and hawthorne but with notes of fruit, cherries, wild strawberries and liquorice. The attack in mouth is solid and dense without astringency. The middle of the mouth is remarkable for its fullness and flavour. Its structure is chiselled in rock. The impressions in the mouth continue to evolve with the increase of sensations of power, finesse and subtle perfumes. The harmony of this wine is in the blend of strength, balance, freshness and refinement. Its charm lies in the elegance of this harmony.
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