1985 Pichon Lalande - 750ml

Wine by Bok - 9.5/10 points

Pichon Lalande normally represents the feminine character of Pauillac appellation, has a very different interpretation for this oddly exceptional vintage. 1985 was a really stunning vintage for Bordeaux, personally, I prefer the vintage of 1985 over 1982, as 85 Bordeaux are full of surprises, and in general, they are much more even in quality with a lot of amazements, unlike 82 which is really a roller coaster vintage with the good representing the pinnacle while the bad can perform at the bottom of the valley. Starting with the bouquet of Lalande 85, it was with plum, smoky tobacco and leathery characters. Content was a vast deviation from a feminine character compared to other vintages; surprisingly green with heavy capsicum notes, which was not quite Lalande’s character, but the greenery was actually very much liked by me as it also integrated well with the dense ripe fruits of blackcurrant and the leathery texture. The combination was quite magical to me, and I certainly enjoy every sip of the wine. I highly recommend a vertical tasting (different vintages) of Lalande if you are not persuaded that 85 was the odd but great vintage.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - 94 points
This is a great Pichon-Lalande wallowing in its maturity. Here it retains that enticing tobacco-infused nose with leather and a touch of thyme, the palate beautifully balanced with tarry black fruit, vibrant acidity, mellow and supple with a touch of game coming through. Supple with firm tannins marrying naturally on the finish that has the texture (though not alcohol!) of a tawny port. I suspect this has no intention of ameliorating further and alongside the 1983, these are the Pichon Lalande’s to start depleting in your cellar. (9/2010)

John Gilman - 93 points
While I have been a big fan of the 1985 vintage in Bordeaux for many years and have written quite a bit about these wines in recent times, I had not tasted a bottle of the 1985 Pichon-Lalande since I cannot remember when. I sold this wine right out of the blocks in my merchant days and always liked it well enough, but in my formative years, I found it a bit too “weedy” and did not end up cellaring it for my own collection. I think this was the only vintage of Pichon-Lalande I did not buy for my cellar in that era, as I started laying in the wines with the 1981 vintage and bought them every year (even the 1984 and 1987) up through the 1989, before my buying habits (and my more limited cellar budget in those days) turned towards Burgundy. But, I skipped the 1985 and that was too bad, as the wine has aged quite beautifully and is now drinking with great style and grace. The bouquet is a superb blend of cassis, dark berries, coffee, cigar wrapper, a dollop of fresh herbs, gravel, black tea and toasty oak. On the palate the wine is pure, fullish and beautifully complex, with a good core of fruit, lovely soil signature, melted tannins and fine length and grip on the very classy finish. This is not a powerful vintage of Pichon, but it is an utterly complete one! (10/2019)