1961 Château Pichon Lalande
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Tasting notes
The 1961 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is drinking brilliantly, bursting with dark, exotic fruit tones and notions of cigar box, licorice and black truffle. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it's a rich, concentrated, enveloping wine that numbers among the more sensual, dramatic Médoc 1961s.
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Neal Martin
Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
More reviews and scores
This is the first time that I tasted the 1961 Pichon-Lalande. It has plenty of fruit and presence on the nose with blackberry, raspberry, brown spices and cedar. For me, it does not possess the complexity of subsequent vintages such as 1982 or 1989, yet there is wonderful purity here. The palate is medium-bodied with svelte tannin, a wonderful line of acidity and a silky smooth texture. This is a harmonious and sensual Pichon-Lalande, maybe not the most profound in terms of complexity that I have tasted, yet a complete joy at 58-years of age. Tasted at the vertical tasting at the château.
One of the most captivating wines in this tasting, the 1961 Pichon Lalande is magnificent. A wine with off the charts intensity, the 1961 proves to be utterly captivating. Specifically, the 1961 manages to be both powerful, yet translucent. Silky tannins, floral overtones and exquisitely layered flavors give the wine its striking purity and finesse. The 1961 is a highlight on an afternoon full of unforgettable wines.