Ratings By Robert Parker 96 Tasting Notes I tasted the 1996 Ducru Beaucaillou on four separate occasions from bottle in January. The 1996 is long, with a deep mid-palate. It also reveals tannin in the finish. This wine is remarkable. It is muscular, concentrated, and classic. Bottled in late June, 1998, it exhibits a saturated… Read More »
Ratings By Robert Parker 94 Tasting Notes This wine is of first-growth quality, not only from an intellectual perspective, but in its hedonistic characteristics. More open-knit and accessible than the extraordinary 1996, Ducru’s 1995 exhibits a saturated ruby/purple color, followed by a knock-out nose of blueberry and black raspberry/cassis fruit intertwined with minerals, flowers, and… Read More »
Ratings By Robert Parker 92 Tasting Notes The 2008 is a beauty in the style of the 1988. Although not performing as well as I predicted last year, it is unquestionably an outstanding effort as well as one of the better values from Pichon Lalande in many years. Its dense plum/purple hue is accompanied by… Read More »
Ratings By Robert Parker 89 Tasting Notes Pichon Lalande??s 2007 is a seductive, dark ruby/plum-tinged wine displaying sweet cocoa, white chocolate, black currant, and foresty notes, medium body, a velvety texture, and a delicious style. The final blend is 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Drink it over… Read More »
Ratings By Robert Parker 95 Tasting Notes The 2006 Pichon Lalande, which blows away the 2005, represents a return to the velvety-textured, rich, sexy style most readers would associate with Pichon Lalande. This blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon and 36% Merlot no Petit Verdot was included in the final blend exhibits a dense purple color… Read More »
Ratings By Robert Parker 86 Tasting Notes The disappointing 2005 Pichon Lalande reveals a much lighter style than one expects from this estate. However, the new owners, the Louis Roederer/Deutz champagne firm, have recently brought in Hubert de Bouard (from St.-Emilion) as a consultant, and the 2006 appears to be a dramatic improvement over the… Read More »
Ratings By Robert Parker 92 Tasting Notes The 2004 Pichon Lalande is a strong effort for the vintage (much better than their underwhelming and much more expensive 2005). A blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it exhibits a deep ruby/purple color as well as scents of… Read More »
Ratings By Robert Parker 95 Tasting Notes The brilliant, opulent, fleshy 2003 Pichon Lalande (65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot) possesses a high pH of 3.8 as well as 13% alcohol. Reminiscent of the 1982 Pichon Lalande (which never shut down and continues to go from strength to strength), the dense plum/purple-colored… Read More »
Ratings By Robert Parker 94 Tasting Notes One of the best wines of the vintage, this is a classic Pauillac that is a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Petit Verdot. Dense ruby/purple in color with a glorious nose of melted licorice, lavender, barbecue smoke, black currants, and graphite,… Read More »
Ratings By Robert Parker 93 Tasting Notes A distinctive bouquet of violets, soy, pepper, blackberries, cassis, and tree bark gives this 2001 a singular style. This dense ruby/purple-colored blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, and a whopping 14% Petit Verdot exhibits plenty of structure, wonderful sweetness, a closed style, but a rich, textured, persistent… Read More »