Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA Pauillac Second Growth estate celebrated for refined, age-worthy red wines led by Cabernet Sauvignon.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a historic wine estate and wine brand in the Pauillac appellation of Bordeaux, France. Commonly known as Pichon Lalande or Pichon Comtesse, it is one of the fifteen estates classified as a Deuxième Cru, or Second Growth, in the 1855 Bordeaux Wine Official Classification. The classification remains central to the estate’s identity and places its grand vin among the internationally recognized benchmark wines of the Médoc. The property’s origins reach back to the end of the seventeenth century, when Pierre de Mazur de Rauzan established a large landholding extending across what are now associated with Pauillac and Saint-Julien. In 1694, his daughter married the Bordeaux politician Jacques Pichon Longueville, after which the estate became associated with the Pichon name. A later generation included the Comtesse de Lalande, whose inheritance and ownership helped give the property the name it bears today. The original estate was divided in 1850, creating the two distinct Pichon properties: Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande and Château Pichon Longueville Baron. Pichon Lalande’s reputation has traditionally rested on a style that combines Pauillac structure with notable elegance and aromatic finesse. Historically, its blends contained a relatively high proportion of Merlot compared with many neighboring Pauillac wines, contributing to a softer and more supple profile. In more recent vintages, the estate has moved toward blends more typical of the appellation, with Cabernet Sauvignon generally accounting for approximately 70–75 percent of the blend. The finished wines are red Bordeaux blends designed for extended bottle aging, with the grand vin occupying the estate’s flagship position. The estate’s principal wine is Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. Its second wine, Pichon Comtesse-Réserve, provides a more accessible expression of the property’s vineyards and winemaking approach. The estate’s commercial positioning is firmly within the high-end fine-wine segment, where provenance, vintage variation, classification, cellarability, and limited production are important elements of value. Its wines are distributed through Bordeaux’s traditional fine-wine networks and international specialist markets. In 1925, the property was acquired by Edouard Miailhe and Louis Miailhe. Edouard Miailhe’s daughter, May Eliane de Lencquesaing, later became the estate’s owner and manager and was an important figure in its modern history. In 2006, she sold a majority interest to the Rouzaud family, owners of Champagne Louis Roederer. Following the transaction, the Roederer Group supported a substantial modernization program, including a reported replanting initiative and construction of a new cellar. The investment was intended to strengthen vineyard management and improve the technical infrastructure of the estate, including its move toward biodynamic farming practices. Today, Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande remains an active Bordeaux estate within the Roederer Group. Its brand is built around the historic Pauillac terroir, the 1855 Second Growth designation, a Cabernet-led red-wine style, and the prestige associated with collectible Bordeaux. The property should be understood as a winery and estate brand rather than as a broad consumer-goods company.
History
The history of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is intertwined with the development of the Médoc’s great estates and with the inheritance patterns of Bordeaux’s merchant and political families. The property was created at the end of the seventeenth century by Pierre de Mazur de Rauzan. At that time, the landholding was considerably larger than the present estate and extended across territory associated with both Pauillac and Saint-Julien. In 1694, de Rauzan’s daughter married Jacques Pichon Longueville, a Bordeaux politician, and the estate subsequently became known as Pichon. The Pichon family’s ownership continued through later generations. One of the notable heirs was the Comtesse de Lalande, whose association with the property gave rise to the name Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. The estate was formally divided in 1850, resulting in the two Pichon properties now recognized separately: Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande and Pichon Longueville Baron. The division established the separate institutional and viticultural identities of the two estates while preserving their shared historical origin. The wine from Pichon Lalande was included among the fifteen Deuxièmes Crus in the 1855 Bordeaux classification. This classification, created for the Paris Exposition, ranked leading Médoc and Graves estates according to contemporary reputation and market value. Pichon Lalande’s Second Growth status has remained a defining part of its brand, even as individual vintages and ownership structures have changed. In 1925, Edouard Miailhe and Louis Miailhe purchased the estate. It later passed to Edouard Miailhe’s daughter, May Eliane de Lencquesaing, who became owner and manager. Her tenure was closely associated with the estate’s modern identity and international reputation. During this period, Pichon Lalande became particularly known for a blend style that used more Merlot and less Cabernet Sauvignon than was typical of many Pauillac neighbors. This approach contributed to a reputation for richness, suppleness, polish, and elegance alongside the structure expected from the appellation. A change in ownership took place in 2006, when de Lencquesaing sold a majority interest to the Rouzaud family. The family’s holdings include Louis Roederer, the Champagne house, and the estate became part of the broader Roederer Group. In 2009, the group invested substantially in the property, including a major replanting plan and construction of a new wine cellar. These projects were intended to renew vineyard capacity, improve winemaking infrastructure, and support a more biodynamic approach to estate management. The vineyard and blending philosophy have developed over time. Whereas historical Pichon Lalande blends were distinguished by a relatively generous Merlot component, recent vintages have generally moved toward a Cabernet Sauvignon proportion of roughly 70–75 percent, making the profile more conventionally Pauillac in composition. The estate’s grand vin is complemented by Pichon Comtesse-Réserve, its second wine. Together, the wines express the property’s position as a prestigious, limited-production Bordeaux estate whose principal value lies in terroir, vintage character, classification, and long-term aging potential. The estate remains active under Rouzaud family ownership and Roederer Group control. Its identity continues to combine a long aristocratic and family history, the prestige of the 1855 classification, modern investment in vineyard and cellar facilities, and a stylistic balance between Pauillac power and the elegance for which Pichon Lalande is widely recognized.
- 2010
Modern technical direction develops
[2]The estate entered a period of renewed technical and vineyard focus under the modern management associated with Nicolas Glumineau.
- 2009
Vineyard and cellar investment program begins
[1]The Roederer Group invested in vineyard replanting and a new cellar as part of a modernization and biodynamic-farming program.
- 2007
Acquired by the Rouzaud family
[2]The Rouzaud family, owners of Louis Roederer, acquired Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande.
- 2006
Majority ownership passes to the Rouzaud family
[1]May Eliane de Lencquesaing sold a majority interest to the Rouzaud family, owners of the Louis Roederer Champagne house.
- 1925
The Miailhe family acquires the estate
[1]Edouard Miailhe and Louis Miailhe purchased Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande.
- 1855
Included among the Médoc Second Growths
[1]The estate was ranked as a Deuxième Cru in the 1855 Classification of the Médoc and Graves, establishing a formal benchmark for its position among Bordeaux’s leading châteaux.
- 1850
The original Pichon estate is divided
[1]The historic landholding was separated into the two Pichon estates now known as Pichon Lalande and Pichon Longueville Baron.
- 1694
The estate takes the Pichon name
[1]Pierre de Mazur de Rauzan’s daughter married Jacques Pichon Longueville, linking the estate to the Pichon family name.
Products and positioning
High-end classified-growth Bordeaux estate producing collectible, age-worthy Pauillac red wines. A prestigious, collectible Pauillac classified growth positioned in the premium and fine-wine segment, emphasizing terroir, château heritage, Cabernet Sauvignon-led blends, vintage character and long-term cellaring.
Grand vin
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
The estate’s flagship red Bordeaux wine from Pauillac. It is a classified Second Growth and is produced as a Cabernet-led blend, with recent vintages generally reported at approximately 70–75 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is positioned for long aging and is associated with a combination of Pauillac structure, aromatic complexity, polish, and elegance. The estate’s flagship Pauillac wine and classified Second Growth. It is generally a Cabernet Sauvignon-led red Bordeaux blend, supplemented by Merlot and smaller amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot according to the vintage. The wine is valued for its balance of black-fruit concentration, tannic structure, freshness and polished texture. Strong vintages can mature for many years in bottle, while younger examples typically benefit from decanting and further cellaring. The estate’s flagship red Bordeaux wine from Pauillac and a classified Second Growth. It is generally a Cabernet Sauvignon-led blend, with recent vintages reported at approximately 70–75 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, supplemented by Merlot and smaller amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot according to the vintage. The wine is positioned for long aging and is associated with a combination of Pauillac structure, aromatic complexity, black-fruit concentration, tannic structure, freshness, polish, and elegance.
Second wine
Pichon Comtesse-Réserve
The estate’s second wine, made to offer a more accessible expression of the property’s vineyards and cellar practices than the grand vin. It shares the estate’s Pauillac identity while generally being intended for earlier drinking than the principal Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. The estate’s second wine, also known as Réserve de la Comtesse, made from selected vineyard lots that are not directed into the grand vin. It offers a more accessible expression of the property’s vineyards and cellar practices than the grand vin, generally with softer early-drinking character while retaining the estate’s Pauillac identity and varietal and regional identity. Its composition and proportion of grape varieties vary with the vintage and the selection decisions made during production.
Second wine
Réserve de la Comtesse
The château’s second wine, made from selected vineyard lots that are not directed into the grand vin. It expresses the Pauillac site in a more approachable style, generally with softer early-drinking character while retaining the estate’s varietal and regional identity. Its composition and proportion of grape varieties vary with the vintage and the selection decisions made during production.
Brand decisions
2009
Modernization and biodynamic-farming investmentStrategyBackground
Following the ownership change, the estate required long-term investment in vineyards and production facilities.
Action taken
The Roederer Group funded a replanting plan and construction of a new cellar, with the broader objective of converting the operation into a biodynamic farm.
Aftermath
The program strengthened the estate’s vineyard and cellar infrastructure and shaped its subsequent sustainability-oriented operating direction.
Reported investment. USD 30 million investment program (2009)
2007
Ownership transferred to the Louis Roederer groupM&ABackground
The classified-growth estate was acquired by the Rouzaud family, owners of Louis Roederer, as part of the group’s expansion in prestigious wine properties.
Action taken
Pichon Comtesse was placed within the privately held Louis Roederer wine portfolio while continuing to operate as a distinct Pauillac château.
Aftermath
The acquisition provided group-level ownership and resources while preserving the château’s established name, appellation identity and classified-growth positioning.
2006
Transfer of majority ownership to the Rouzaud familyM&ABackground
After the Miailhe and de Lencquesaing era, the estate entered a new ownership phase connected to the family behind Louis Roederer.
Action taken
The Rouzaud family acquired a majority interest in Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande.
Aftermath
The estate became part of the Roederer Group’s portfolio of luxury wine properties.
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