Chateau Pichon Comtesse de Lalande 2006

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Still young, fresh, vibrant and holding on to much of its youth, the nose gets you off and running with its floral, tobacco, cedar, wet earth and dark red berry character. Concentrated, lushly textured, with firm, but softening tannins, the wine leaves you with soft, polished, ripe fruits that make you thirsty for another sip. Structured to long aging, you can drink this young, but it's going to be so much better with another 5-8 years of age, due to its strong tannins. The wine was made from blending Cabernet Sauvignon at 64% and 36% Merlot. The harvest took place from September 20 to October 1."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Tasted at the property, the 2006 Château Pichon-Lalande has a voluminous bouquet with outgoing blackberry, cassis and violets scents, a touch of boysenberry jam tucked just underneath, although it does not quite have the delineation of the Lynch Bages. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin. This feels very composed in the mouth, quite fresh with well-judged acidity, harmonious and tensile on the finish. This deserves a higher score than I awarded out of barrel and it continues to improve year by year. Tasted April 2016."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "The success of this wine owes as much to Merlot as to Cabernet. The Merlot has created the ripeness and smoothness of the wine. While the Cabernet keeps it firm and closed up, there is a base of rich, sweet fruit here that will show over the next two years. The style of the wine is moving away from elegance to power under the new regime of owners, Champagne Roederer."

DECANTER: "Rich and powerful but also restrained, with the characteristic perfume of Pichon Comtesse, this offers enormous potential for pleasure. The silky damson fruit also has a supporting cast of cloves and dark chocolate, with black truffles just starting to appear. Drinking Window 2017 - 2040"

WEINWISSER: "Tiefes Purpur, satt in der Mitte, Granatschimmer am deutlich aufhellenden Rand. Wirkt aber für einen 2006er sehr rotbeerig mit deutlichen Kirschentönen und floralem Schimmer, dezent laktische Anflüge, eigentlich eher wenig Druck zeigend. Im Gaumen mittelgewichtig, recht feine Tannine, mit kernigem Schimmer. Momentan verschlossen."

FALSTAFF: "Feine Röstaromen, zart nach Karamell, süßes Brombeergelee, Kirschen und Veilchen. Am Gaumen rassig, kraftvolle Tannine, die noch recht fordernd sind, feiner zedriger Touch, frische Säurestruktur, etwas Bitterschokolade, braucht Zeit, angenehmes Cassis im Nachhall."