Michael Schuster: Dense, brisk, ripe fruit to smell; firm, elegant middleweight Pauillac; fairly rich and ripe without being 'sweet'; moderately fleshy, long and complex mid-palate, with clear gravelly aromas and a fine, scented, mineral finish. Very good, complete Pichon-Lalande in a slightly sterner style than usual - two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon this year. 16.5/17

Michel Bettane and Thierry Desseauve: Very deep and suave, with super fine-grained tannins, length, ripeness, succulent fruit and not a vegetal characteristic in sight. Long, fresh finish. Harmonious through and through, with a degree of aromatic precision unmatched by any vintage in recent years, and an ultra-polished finish. A real aesthete's wine from Pauillac's second classified growth, back on top form once again. Bravo! 18/19