Château Pichon Comtesse de Lalande Pauillac 1855 2ième Cru 2011

Essence of Pauillac on the nose. Graphite, cassis, slate, pencil lead, liqourice, the full gamut of the appellation’s signatures, now opening up after years of being a little subdued. This is just about ready to drink even if there are still some austere tannins in evidence and although it’s a vintage where I find many wines are a little disappinting in Pauillac (and St Estèphe, due to a hail storm in early September pushed some estates to a hasty harvest) here Comtesse shows itself, as it does in 2007 and 2013, as above average in its success. First year with Sylvie Cazes as director, 3.73ph, harvest September 13 to 28.