Chateau Pichon Comtesse de Lalande 1979

ANTONIO GALLONI: "The 1979 Pichon-Lalande was born in an era when Michel Delon of Léoville Las-Cases assisted at the property and lent his magic touch. It has a lovely, leafy and autumnal bouquet plus touches of meat juices. Like the 1976, it seems founded on the Merlot rather than the Cabernet Sauvignon. It has a smooth texture, a gentle spiciness evolving with aeration and just missing a little length. I would not leave this too much longer, and it will not improve, but well-kept bottles should still give pleasure."

THE WINEADVOCATE: "Undoubtedly a top success for the vintage, Pichon-Lalande's 1979 exhibits a dark garnet color with some amber at the edge. It offers a fragrant, cedary, roasted herb, and cassis-scented nose. Rich, with medium body, well-integrated tannin, and some acidity, this is the quintessentially elegant style of Bordeaux that is found nowhere else in the world."