Pichon Lalande, Thoughts?

[Gerry M.]

With some of the recent notes it reminded me that Pichon Lalande is one of the few Brdx that I actually have a few different vintages of yet I have very little experience with the exception of the 83' courtesy of Michael M.

The years I have are 79', 83', 86', 96', and 03'. Any thoughts or comments and drinking windows would be welcome.

Thanks!

[Ramon_NYC]

We had the '79 Pichon Lalande in NYC during the 70s Bodeaux-a-thon back in October. It was aliitle more austere than its flight-mates ('78 PL and '57 PL), but I like it for that and tied with '78 as my WOTF with a high personal score on the wine. I'm no expert on predicting drinking windows, but based on the tasting, I'd go with drink in next 5 years.

I've been drinking the '83 Pichon Lalande, a PL vintage that I really like, over the last 6 years, and right now, I'd say drink soon. I'll be bringing a bottle to a Bdx '83 dinner this weekend and I suspect/hopoe that some attendees would post their notes.

I last had the '86 during the Bdx '86 horizontal in NYC about 2 years ago and this wine was very impressive then, albeit still austere and quite backward. I have a bottle that I'm willing to let sit in storage for the next 10 years.

[William P]

I am a Pichon fan. I suspect I like the feminine nature of the wine when mature. I cut my bordeaux teeth on case of 1972 for the princely sum of $2.75 a bottle. My singularly best bottle of bordeaux was the 1982. I've tried 1986, 1989, 1994, 1996, 2001, 2002, and 2004. I am sitting multiple bottles of 2001, 2002 and 2004 the "off years" but good values.

According to our favorite critic, it has been up and down in recent years but more annoying to me is the price. So count me and my wife as fans.

[Winona Chief]

The 1979, 1983, 1986 and 1996 Pichon Lalande are all fine examples of their respective vintages - I like each of them a lot. Probably drank about a dozen bottles of the 1979 PLL and they have all been very good (I agree with Ramon's take on this wine). No experience with the 2003.

Chris Bublitz

[Gerry M.]

Thanks for the feedback!. It sounds like I should not wait too long on the 79' or 83'.

My only fear is I've read some notes regarding a strong herbacious character to PLL sometimes as it matures and I connect that with green bell pepper. That's not really my preferred flavor profile so I hope that's not what I run into.

[Comte Flaneur]

I have had all barring the '03 and all of them are oustanding - especially in the context of the vintage for the 79 and 83.

Pichon lalande went through a purple patch between 1978 and 1989; the 1982 stands out as clearly the best ever, but the 78, 79, 81, 83, 85, 86, 88 and 89 all vie equally for second place. Outside this era the 1996 is brilliant - second best Pichon have tried - and has the habit of trouncing opponents in blind tastings as other BWErs will attest.

[stefan]

The aromatics on the '78 Pichon Lalande can be great. I love the '86, which will long outlive me. It is still improving. The '79 and '83 have been mature for quite some time; there is nothing to be gained by storing them further. Hang onto the '96 and '03 unless you have quite a few and want to follow the evolution.

Pichon Lalande, in years when it is good, is my second favorite Pauillac (after Lafite).

[Gerry M.]

Stefan, thanks for the advice.

[JimHow]

Gerry, Pichon Lalande is one of the epic Pauillacs of the past thirty years. I wouldn't get hung up on the so-called "green" element. My encounters with Pichon Lalande have been generally breathtaking, it is probably one of my top five Bordeauxs. I've LOVED the 1978. 1979, 1981 (very underrated), 1982, 1983 (a BWE favorite), 1985, 1986 (my favorite), 1988 (my second or third favorite), 1989, 1990 (the legendary disappointment), 1991 (along with Lynch, LLC, and Latour, excellent wines in that vintage), 1993 (spicy, excellent), 1994 (excellent, drinking beautifully now), 1995 (a James Suckling kind of wine, but nonetheless tremendous), 1996 (my second or third favorite PL ever), 2000 ( a legend in the making, don't get alarmed by all the self-important Parker-wannabe talk about bellpepper ,<rolls eyes>, etc.).

[Claudius2]

Guys
PL has indeed been one of the best Medocs for decades.
Yet I can;t seem to get a decent bottle of the 96.
I bought a case of this on indent and the wine was professionally stored since arrival.
Whenever I open a bottle it turns out to be really Bretty. Ugh.

A few other notes:

Drink the wines from the 70s and 80s soon.
75 is passed it in my mind, 78 and 79 I thiink are in decline.
81 is very good in an earthy style. Bought a few cases of this cheap many years ago..... When good Brodeaux was about $20
Must be getting old.
83 is a very good year for PL and it is a top wine for medium term consumption.
The 88 and 89 are now showing well.
86 is a top year for PL - darker fruit, very powerful, though this wine will live a long time.
I love 86.

88 is an underrated vintage and the PL is one of the best.
89 is riper and softer than 88 and last time I tried it it was open for business but no need to drink in a hurry.

[Michael Malinoski]

Gerry, I thought that the 1979 you shared with us over the weekend was just great--I know some (and perhaps you, as well) think it may need drinking soon, but for my palate, I don't think I'd have a problem keeping it a while longer still!

Personally, I've now had the 79, 80, 82 (twice), 83 (perhaps 4 times, and I have two left in the cellar), 86, 93, 95, 96 (two or three times), 98, 00 and 03 over the past four or five years and the only one that I was really underwhelmed by was the 03. Other than that, I've got a very solid track record with this estate. I am really positive on the 96's and 93's I'm still cellaring...

-Michael