Why it matters
The producer
In 1686, Pierre de Mazure Rauzan was responsible for forming many Bordeaux estates. Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande later became a Second Grand Cru Classé in the 1855 Official Bordeaux Classification.
Louis Roederer has owned the château since 2007. Nicolas Glumineau has served as director since 2012. The estate combines classified Pauillac with a Cabernet Sauvignon led wine in which Merlot brings roundness and suppleness.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Deep gravel lies over clay in Pauillac, on the banks of the Gironde Estuary. The gravel drains rainwater quickly, while the clay beneath retains more moisture for the roots. Pauillac therefore gives the estate a freely draining surface with a deeper water holding layer beneath it.
Wines to know
The range in view
The château makes a Cabernet Sauvignon led red with Merlot. The Merlot contributes roundness and suppleness, while French oak ageing adds time and oxygen through 18 to 20 months in barrels, with 50% new oak.
The second wine, Réserve de la Comtesse, offers a more accessible and fruitier expression. The main wine has a long, fresh finish that typically extends beyond 50 seconds and usually needs 10 to 12 years of bottle age to fully develop.