2021 Pichon Comtesse Reserve - Zweitwein von Pichon Comtesse - Pauillac AC

Decanter.com - 90 pts - GH: *Perfumed blackcurrants on the nose and palate - juicy and succulent, the tannins are mouthfilling and have a cool blue fruit flavour, almost blueberry and plum, fresh with a softly fleshy texture. Lovely depth on the mid-palate, it doesn't let up - going from start to finish with gusto. You also get liquorice, clove tones – dark spiced aspects but they’re integrated and don't cause angles just nuances in terms of flavour. You've definitely got the Pauillac power and concentration but also an energy that is so captivating. A confident second wine that has direction. Drinking Window 2024 - 2034.* - 04/2022

Falstaff Magazin – 92 pts – PM: *Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Zart floral, schwarze Kirschen, ein Hauch von Lakritze, zarte Kräuterwürze. Saftig, frisch strukturiert, dezente Fruchtsüße, etwas Pflaumen, gut integrierte Tannine, straff und anhaftend, gute Frisch und Länge im Abgang.* - 05/2022

The Wine Advocate – (89-91+) pts – WK: *The 2021 Reserve de la Comtesse offers up aromas of sweet berry fruit, blackcurrants, petals and classy new oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and impressively concentrated palate that's framed by lively acids and beautifully refined tannins. It's a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 11% Petit Verdot, and Nicolas Glumineau tells me that some wine was sold off in bulk this year to guarantee the quality of the Reserve. It's certainly among the best second wines of the vintage.* - 04/2022

Vinum Magazin – 16/20 pts: *Ungemein fruchtiger, grosszügiger, saftiger Wein, echt trinkig schon jetzt.* - 08/2022

WeinWisser – 17,5+/20pts - GL, TW: *56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot. Verspieltes Bouquet, frischgepflückte schwarze Johannisbeere, zarter Iris-Duft, schwarzer Pfeffer und Schattenmorellengelée. Am feingliedrig straffen Gaumen mit weicher Textur, balancierter Rasse, engmaschigem Tanningerüst und drahtigem Körper. Im gebündelten mittleren Finale schwarzbeerige Konturen, Estragon und feinkörnige Adstringenz. Gehört zu den besten Zweitweinen dieses Jahrgangs, kann noch zulegen. 2026 – 2040.* – 05/2022

quarin.com – 90 pts - JMQ: *Belle Couleur sombre et intense. Nez moyennement aromatique, au fruité mûr. Tendre tout le long de la dégustation, avec de la présence et une trame tannique élaborée, ce vin présente beaucoup de goût. Finale très légèrement austère, qui se fondra à l'élevage. Assemblage : 56% cabernet sauvignon, 36% merlot, 8% petit verdot. Degré d'alcool : 12°9 - pH : 3,76.* - 04/2022

JamesSuckling.com – (91-92) pts - JS: *Very beautiful wine with blackcurrants, blueberries, ink and iodine. Medium body, fresh center-palate and a firm, fresh finish.* - 05/2022

Vinous.com – 93 pts – AG: *The 2021 Réserve de la Comtesse has developed into an elegant, polished Pauillac. Silky, aromatic and racy, the 2021 is seriously impressive. Graphite, lavender, spice, menthol and licorice meld into a core of dark blue/purplish fruit. In some recent years, the Réserve has been a big wine, maybe too big. In 2021, it’s a wine of unbelievable elegance. The winemaking team gave this a bit more new oak (70%) at the beginning of élevage—an unusual choice—then dialed it back to 60% for 12 months.* - 12/2023

Vinous.com – 89+ pts – NM: *The 2021 Réserve de la Comtesse is still tight-lipped on the nose despite rigorous coaxing, notes of graphite percolating through the black fruit. I feel that in another vintage it would give me more. The palate is medium-bodied and more expressive than the aromatics at the moment, quite concentrated in terms of its black fruit, with touches of graphite and black pepper that fan out succinctly toward the finish. It will get another point…if the nose just opens out with bottle age.* - 11/2023

Thewinecellarinsider.com – (89-91) pts – JL: *Medium-bodied, with a nice polish to the spicy, olive-tinged, red fruits. The wine should be easy to drink on release, yet age for almost a decade as well. This was made by blending 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, and 8% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2023-2033. - 05/2022