The Réserve de la Comtesse is the second wine of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. Today, the second wine represents between 20-50% of the total production of the Chateau. Planted in the same soil, the second wine benefits from the same technology as the first wine, and also its reputation. They are generally excellent wines, though less robust and long lasting than their elders.
The grapes are destemmed and crushed, then fermented in a selection of 33 temperature-controlled stainless steel vats, with a cuvaison usually lasting between 18-24 days during which the cap is submerged by pumping over. As the year draws to a close, the Pichon team earmarks the wines for the Grand Vin, Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, or the second wine, Réserve de la Comtesse. The latter may account typically for 20-50% of the entire production, and in addition some wines, particularly those from young vines, are excluded completely.
The grand vin goes into Allier and Nièvre oak, 50% new each vintage, for a period of up to 18 months, the second wine sees 25% new oak. There is a racking every three months, and a fining with egg white prior to bottling usually during the month of June two years after the harvest.
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