Coming from the genius winemaker of Nicolas Glumineau, the Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 2016 matches that of 1982 and is a perfect wine and legendary in production. A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc aged in 60% new oak, it is not the most powerful Left Bank but offers perfect balance and exciting intensity, as well as heavenly crème de cassis aromas , leaves. herbs, blackberry jam, tobacco leaves and freshly sharpened lead pencils, as well as more violets and minerality with time in the glass. With a unique, deep and full-bodied character, the purity of the fruit that is the hallmark of the vintage, formative tannins and a feeling of class and elegance that is difficult to describe, it is a 50-year-old wine. While this cuvée has included a good amount of Merlot in the past, giving it a more direct appeal, it is important for readers to know that today it is much more dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon and, while a little more accessible than some of its neighbors, it closes down quite quickly over time in the glass. (I followed this wine for several days). I suspect a solid decade of storage is warranted.