1985 Pichon Comtesse
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Tasting notes
Still incredibly youthful. Exhibits fabulous aromas of fresh fruit, minerals and chocolate with a hint of spice. Full-bodied and concentrated, with loads of fruit and tannins. Better after 2000.--Pichon-Lalande vertical. James Suckling, Wine Spectator 1997
Critic scores
Average Score
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
The fully mature 1985 exhibits a deep ruby color, and a ripe, oaky, curranty bouquet with a trace of herbaceousness. This lovely wine is rich, elegant, supple, and not dissimilar from the style of the 1979 and 1981. Anticipated maturity: Now-2002. Last tasted, 6/93. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate # 88.
Tasted at the property, the 1985 Pichon Lalande is fully matured on the feral, tertiary nose, and like the bottle I tasted a couple of years ago, this has recently become much more diffuse than exemplary showing during the 1990s and 2000s. The palate is fleshy and smooth like many wines of this vintage, but in recent years, the tannins have become and little edgier, the fruit degraded and turning quite mushroom-like and earthy on the finish. I would broach bottles of this over the next five years, because I feel that it is drying out. Tasted March 2016. Jul 2016, www.robertparker.com
About the producer
Ch. Pichon Comtesse is one of the stars of Pauillac, and one of the original "Super Seconds" in Bordeaux. Classed as a Deuxième Cru Classé in the 1855 Bordeaux classification, it is widely recognised that Pichon Comtesse can not only match First Growths, but occasionally outperform them.