Reserve de la Comtesse Pauillac 2nd Wine 2020

Category:
 
Red Wines
Sub-Category:  
 
Red Wines
Producer:
 
Reserve de la Comtesse
Label Name:
 
Pauillac 2nd Wine
Vintage:
 
2020
Country:
 
France
Region:
 
Pauillac (Bordeaux)
Volume:
 
375ml
ABV:
 
14%
Grape(s):
 
Merlot (47%), Cabernet Sauvignon (43%), Petit Verdot (10%).
Acidity:
 
4
Tannins:
 
4
Sweetness:
 
1
Body:
 
4
Length:
 
4
Aroma Intensity:
 
4
Best Temperature:
 
16-18°C

Awards/Ratings
Wine Advocate: 91–93 (Lisa Perrotti‑Brown); Jeb Dunnuck: 92–94; Vinous (A. Galloni / Neal Martin): 90–93; Wine Spectator: 91–93; Decanter: ~92

Tasting Note
Ripe blackcurrant and dark cherry with violets, tobacco, cedar and cocoa; medium–full body, fine-grained yet lively tannins, fresh acidity and a long, spicy, graphite-tinged finish.

Food Pairing
Western: roast lamb, rib‑eye, beef stew, mushroom risotto, aged cheeses. Asian: Peking duck, char siu / Cantonese roasted pork, Korean BBQ (bulgogi/galbi), braised beef short ribs, rich hotpots.

Production Method
Hand-harvested, destemmed; fermented in temperature-controlled vats with ~18–24 day maceration; aged c.12 months in French oak with roughly 25–40% new barrels for the second wine.

Vineyard Info
Second wine of Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande (Pauillac, 2ème Cru Classé); estate known for higher Merlot proportion and elegant, perfumed Pauillac style. Réserve de la Comtesse created to provide earlier, approachable expression of the domaine.