Learn everything about Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron, Pauillac Second Growth with wine tasting notes, and wine with food pairing tips. Learn about the best vintages, the history of the property, information on the vineyards, and winemaking. If you want to read about other important, Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles
Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron History, Overview
Chateau Pichon Baron and Chateau Pichon Lalande started out life together. At their inception, they were originally part of the same Pauillac vineyard. The chateau and vineyard of Pichon Baron acquired its name like many properties of the day, through marriage.
This happened when Therese, daughter of the founder, received the estate as a dowry when she married Jacques de Pichon Longueville, the first President of the Bordeaux Parliament. This began the creation of what we now know of as Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron.
Chateau Pichon Baron as we know it today changed because of Baron Joseph de Pichon Longueville. He took over managing Pichon Baron when he was only 19 years old! When the Baron was 90, on the night of his death in 1850, he divided his Pauillac estate between his five children.
Trying to be fair to everyone, his two sons received two-fifths of the vineyard and the wine-making facilities; his three daughters received the other three-fifths of the vineyards. The men were awarded what became Chateau Pichon Baron. The women were given what was to become Chateau Pichon Lalande.
It’s interesting to note, that Pichon Lalande, perhaps in part ended up producing the more sensuous style of Pauillac because it was managed by women, while Pichon Baron, which was run by men creates a more masculine-styled Bordeaux.
For a few years, both properties were overseen by Baron Raoul de Pichon Longueville before the estate was finally divided in two forever.
Pichon Baron remained in the Pichon-Longueville family until 1933. At that point, it was acquired by the Bouteiller family who claimed they were direct descendants of the official wine steward to the King. The Bouteiller family was already established in Bordeaux as they owned a part of Chateau Lanessan in the Haut Medoc appellation.
Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron The Modern Age
Pichon Baron went through a difficult period in the 1960′s and 1970′s, due to a lack of investment. That changed when Pichon Baron was purchased by the AXA insurance group, which began the modern era for Pichon Baron.
Jean-Michel Cazes of Chateau Lynch Bages was brought in to help run the estate. At the time of the purchase, the chateau, vineyards, and Bordeaux wine-making facilities were all in need of a major facelift. The vineyards were in need of replanting as only 33 hectares of vines were cultivated at the time of the purchase.
Jean-Rene Matignon started with the Left Bank Bordeaux property in 1985. In three short years, Pichon Baron once again began producing wines of world-class quality. The first vintage that brought this historic estate back to prominence was the sublime 1989 followed by the potentially even better 1990.
When Jean-Michel Cazes retired from Pichon-Baron in 2000, Christian Seely was asked to take over the management of¨Pichon Baron as well as the other seven properties of the wine group including Chateau Suduiraut in Sauternes, Chateau Pibran in Pauillac, and Quinta Noval in Portugal.
AXA also maintains an interest in Burgundy with Domaine de l’Arlot. Christian Seely has managed many of these estates since 1993. AXA also owns one of the larger Bordeaux negociant companies, Compagnie Medocaine.
Much of the wine made at Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron during the decades of the 1960′s, the 1970s, and 1980s, was lackluster. Part of the problem could be due to the estate’s use of machine harvesting during much of those years. That practice stopped shortly after Jean Rene Matignon joined the team, in 1987.
The first two great vintages of Pichon Baron produced in the modern era remain their 1989 and 1990. However, that was once again followed up by another decade of moderate wines.
That all changed with the release of the 2000 Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron which was quickly followed by 2003 and 2005. The level of quality has continued to improve. Starting with 2009, the wines have consistently been among the best wines of the Medoc in almost every vintage!
Pichon Baron produces rich, full-bodied, spicy, concentrated, tannic, and elegant Bordeaux wines. You find a balance between power and refinement. The wines offer unique character and style.
As they mature, they take the complexities of cassis, cedar, tobacco, wet earth, and spice. In the top vintages the wines age and improve for decades. While prices have risen, so has the quality.
Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking
The 73-hectare vineyard of Chateau Pichon Baron is planted to 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.
This marks a change in the makeup of the vineyard with the addition of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot and an increase in the amount of Cabernet Sauvignon planted in the vineyard since the mid-1990s. However, the Cabernet Franc and the Petit Verdot are reserved exclusively for the second wine. They are not used in the Grand Vin.
The 40 hectares used to produce the grapes for the Grand Vin are located on the plateau of Pauillac, which touches the vineyard of Chateau Pichon Lalande and overlooks the vineyard of Chateau Latour, across the street from the chateau and close to the St. Julien border.
On the far south, the vineyard connects with Chateau Leoville Las Cases and Chateau Leoville Poyferre, in Saint Julien. The terroir is mostly deep gravel soil. The vineyard is planted to a vine density of 9,000 vines per hectare. The vines here are old, averaging close to 65 years of age.
The size of the Pichon Baron vineyard has increased over the years. As a point of comparison, during the early 1980s, only 35 hectares were under vine. That is a far cry from what they have planted today. But clearly, this has not been a detriment to the quality of the wines as you can easily see.
The vineyard is divided into 4 main blocks. Those 4 main blocks can be further subdivided into 70 different parcels. The terroir is mostly deep gravel, sand, and clay soils. They have slopes and elevations, which at their peak rise to an elevation of 13 meters.
Their best terroir is a 20-hectare parcel of old vines, located directly in front of the chateau. The oldest vines are Cabernet Sauvignon which were planted in 1943. However, they also have vines placed to the north, as well as vines placed in the far western corner of the Pauillac appellation.
Today, a greater emphasis is placed on sorting in the vineyards and at the chais, using optical sorting technology, which came into use with the 2010 vintage. A good part of the reason for the dramatic increase in quality at Pichon Baron today is the amount of selection that that takes place, which increases the number of cases for the second wine, Les Tourelles de Longueville while decreasing the Grand Vin.
As an example, for the 2000 vintage, close to 30,000 cases of Pichon Baron were produced, with only a small amount of wine going into the second wine. Today, the production of Pichon Baron has been cut almost in half!
Chateau Pichon Baron strives to remain on top of the technology curve. They were on the first estates to embrace the use of satellite imagery for their vineyards.
Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron Winemaking
To produce and vinify the wine of Chateau Pichon Baron, they have 44 tanks in total. 44 vats are stainless steel vats of varying sizes. The vats range in size from 64 hectoliters all the way up to 220 hectoliters.
They also have 8 oak tanks which range in size from 80 to 135 hectoliters. The oak vats are always reserved for the Merlot. The size of each fermentation vat corresponds to the specific size and needs of each parcel, allowing for very precise winemaking on a plot-by-plot basis at Chateau Pichon Baron. Starting with the 2022 vintage, Pichon Baron began using 21 750-liter amphora vats to vinify the Petit Verdot.
This allows for not only parcel-by-parcel selection, but by grape variety as well. At times, with all the available vats, selections can be conducted inside individual parcels as well.
The new cellars were designed by the noted Architect Alain Triaud, who is the brother of Jean Louis Triaud, the owner of Chateau St. Pierre, and Chateau Gloria in St. Julien.
Malolactic fermentation takes place in the tank. The wine of Chateau Pichon Baron is aged in an average of 80% new, French oak barrels for 18 months. Of course, the percentage of new oak and the time in barrel varies, depending on the character of the vintage.
The blend for Chateau Pichon Baron can also vary from vintage to vintage. However, the trend since at least 2000, has been to add more Cabernet Sauvignon to the blend. Production of Pichon Baron averages 18,000 cases per year.
The best vintages of Chateau Pichon Baron are: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2005, 2003, 2000, 1996, 1990, 1989 and 1961. I’ve had some older vintages from the 1950s, 1940s and 1930s that have been outstanding. If you see an older bottle, it is definitely worth trying.
With so many great vintages starting with the 1989 and 1990 vintage, it’s hard to pick a favorite. Is it the 2000, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2015, or 2016? My vote is on 2010, but 2016 and 2018 are also in the running. We’ll have to wait a decade or two before we know for sure.
There is a second wine that made its debut with the 1983 vintage. At the time, it was called Baronet de Pichon. Due to a copyright issue with the name, which was already held by Mouton Rothschild, the name was changed in 1986 to Les Tourelles de Longueville. Les Tourelles de Longueville. takes its name from the distinctive turrets that adorn the chateau.
Starting with the 2012 vintage, Pichon Baron added a new, higher-end second wine to their portfolio; Les Griffons de Pichon Baron. Les Griffons de Pichon Baron is produced from some of the estate’s oldest vines that are also used to create the Grand Vin. Starting with the 2020 vintage, for 6 months of the aging, Les Griffons de Pichon Baron is aged in amphora.
The blend is on average, 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. The wine is aged in 60% new, French oak barrels for up to 18 months. The production is close to 3,000 cases per vintage. The same team also owns and produces Chateau Pibran, a fairly priced, Pauillac wine.
When to Drink Chateau Pichon Baron, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time
Chateau Pichon Baron is not a wine to drink on the young side. The wine is usually far too tannic, powerful, and backward during its youth. Young vintages can be decanted for an average of 3-6 hours, give or take. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment.
Chateau Pichon Baron is usually better with at least 15 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage character. Chateau Pichon Baron offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 15 and 50 years of age after the vintage.
Serving Chateau Pichon Baron with Wine and Food Pairings
Chateau Pichon Baron is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.
Chateau Pichon Baron is best paired with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes. Chateau Pichon Baron is also good when matched with Asian dishes, and rich fish courses like tuna, salmon, mushrooms and pasta.
The estate made two changes starting with the 2012 vintage. Consumers are now able to go to the website for the chateau and use the visual recognition system that is now placed on the bottles on both on the capsule and back label.
Each capsule and back label has a unique code they can enter into the website to show if their bottle is authentic and the consumer can also know where the wine was initially sold, as a way to guarantee its authenticity. It’s a step in the right direction that helps fight wine fraud and counterfeiting.
Additionally, the same technical team that is responsible for Chateau Pichon Baron produces Cap Royal. A quick glance at the label will remind you of the relationship. Cap Royal is available as a Merlot-dominated wine from Bordeaux Superieur.
Cap Royal is also available as a white Bordeaux wine made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Cap Royal is a true value Bordeaux wine. Interestingly, Cap Royal is a certified vegan wine.
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron Wine Tasting Notes
79 Vintages 1,487,901 Views Sort by Vintage-Rating
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2023
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
If you like a great cigar, you came to the right place as the first thing you notice is the cigar box, and tobacco wrapper nuances before moving to the smoke, leafy herb, creme de cassis, blackberries, spice, flowers, and forest floor in the perfume. The palate is even better with its multiple layers of black, with red fruits, mouthfuls of fresh, ripe, chewy, red berries, Indian spice, and a lingering finish that holds your focus for at least 50 seconds. The key to the vintage was patience during harvesting to achieve phenolic ripeness. This is the quintessential example of a classic, modern Bordeaux. The wine blends 80% Cabernet Sauvignon with 20% Merlot. 13.2% ABV, 3.7 pH. The harvest took place September 17 for the Merlot, ending October 4 with the Cabernet. 44% of the harvest went into the Grand Vin. Drink from 2030-2065. 96-98 Pts. 2,345 Views Tasted May 4, 2024 |
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2023
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron Les Griffons de Pichon Baron (Pauillac)
On the floral side, with accents of espresso, mint, chocolate, cassis, and blackberries for the core of the perfume. On the medium-bodied palate, the wine is elegant, fresh, and chewy, The red berries are soft, refined, bright, crisp, and chewy. This is a perfect example of a modern, styled classic Pauillac, focused on its vibrancy, length, and freshness. The wine was created from a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot. This is the highest percentage of Cabernet ever used in the blend.13.2% ABV, 3.8 pH. Drink from 2028-2042. 92-94 Pts. 2,004 Views Tasted May 4, 2024 |
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2023
Les Tourelles de Longueville (Pauillac)
Dark chocolate-covered cherries, currants, cigar box, and spearmint aromas fill the aromatic profile. On the palate, the wine is lifted, energetic, fresh, sweet, and round, with a supple, cherry, and plum finish. While you can enjoy this on release, it promises to be better with age. The wine blends 72% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 8% Cabernet Franc. 13.5% ABV, 3.7 pH. Drink from 2028-2040. 90-92 Pts. 1,902 Views Tasted May 4, 2024 |
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2022
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
With a solid depth of color, the wine jumps from the glass with its show display of licorice, black fruits, lead pencil, currants, lavender, cocoa, and spice in the aromatics. The show-stopping palate is rich, intense, long, concentrated, spicy, and most importantly, concentrated and pure. While your palate bathes in the wine, the sensation is all about its freshness, purity and length. The first vintage produced with the efforts of the estates new Technical Director, Pierre Montegut is a resounding success. This is clearly one of the best vintages in the history of Pichon Baron! The wine blends 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot. 14.3% ABV, 3.63 pH. The harvest took place September 8 - October 3. Yields were 34 hectoliters per hectare. 48% of the harvest went into the Grand Vin. Drink from 2028-2065. 97-99 Pts. 4,658 Views Tasted May 8, 2023 |
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2022
Les Griffons de Pichon Baron (Pauillac)
This elegant expression of Pauillac displays its wealth of cassis, blackberries, chocolate, and flowers easily in the perfume. The palate, however, is where this shines. The layers of ripe, sweet, crème de cassis, peppery, currants, licorice, dark cocoa, and a touch of citrus meld together perfectly. The wine is refined, clean, packed with fruit, reasonably forward, and filled with character. The wine was created from a blend of 50% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4% Petit Verdot. 14.5% ABV, 3.57 pH. Drink from 2027-2045. 93-95 Pts. 4,070 Views Tasted May 8, 2023 |
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2022
Les Tourelles de Longueville (Pauillac)
Crème de cassis, flowers, blackberries, tobacco leaf, and peppery spice are found in the nose. Sweet, fresh, and lively on the medium-bodied palate, the wine provides elegance, lift, and layers of sweet, ripe berries on the mid-palate, and in the finish. While you can enjoy this on release, it promises to be better with age. The wine is a blend of 65% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Cabernet Franc. 14.4% ABV, 3.58 pH. Drink from 2026-2040. 89-91 Pts. 3,736 Views Tasted May 8, 2023 |
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2021
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
One of the wines of the vintage owes its character to having used the highest percentage of Cabernet in the history of the estate in the blend at 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, followed with 12% Merlot. Concentrated, rich, deep, fresh, and complex, the wine is packed with racy, energetic currants, cherries, plums, peppery spices and lift. There is concentration, and purity to the fruits that linger and expand. This is even better in the bottle than it was in the barrel, which is always the mark of a great wine. This is a perfect example of what a top, classically styled Pauillac should taste like. This is the finial vintage produced by the incredibly talented, long-time technical director, Jean-Rene Matignon. With a few more years of age, this could score even higher. Drink from 2028-2060. 1,797 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2024Produced using the highest percentage of Cabernet in the history of the estate, the wine blends 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Merlot. Here you find, espresso, cigar box, cedar, soy=, lead pencil and red with black currants on the nose. On the palate, the wine is fresh, bright, vibrant, spicy and racy. The tannins are soft, the fruit carries a peppery edge, finishing with layers of sweet, chewy red fruits. This is a perfect example of what a good, classically styled Pauillac should taste like. This is also the finial vintage produced by the incredibly talented, long-time technical director, Jean-Rene Matignon. Drink from 2028-2055. 93-95 3,514 Views Tasted May 20, 2022 |
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2021
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron Les Griffons de Pichon Baron (Pauillac)
Flowers, spice box, smoke, tobacco leaf and red berries already cut through in the nose, and on the palate. Soft, spicy, fresh and crisp, there is a crunch to the sweet, ripe, red fruits, which are made even better by their, peppery-edge. The finish really lingers with its spicy, vibrant presence. The wine blends 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot and 11% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2025-2040. 1,231 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2024 |
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2021
Les Tourelles de Longueville (Pauillac)
Black cherries, licorice, flowers, and tobacco leaf are found in the nose and on the medium-bodied, lifted, fresh, bright, red berry palate. This charming Pauillac is ready to go on release, so you can dig into all the sweet, fresh, juicy, spicy currants as soon as the wine hits the store. Drink from 2024-2036. 1,233 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2024Wet earth, cedar, tobacco leaf, cedar and red currants are found in the nose and on the medium-bodied, round, chalky, forward, sweet, fresh, red berry filled palate. The wine is a blend of 66% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2024-2036. 89-91 2,183 Views Tasted May 20, 2022 |
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2021
Les Griffons de Pichon Baron (Pauillac)
With a floral and pepper accented start, the wine moves to its core of black and red currants. Medium-bodied, soft, fresh and polished, the wine is bright, spicy, crisp, chewy and loaded with peppery red berries. The wine was created from a blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot and 11% Petit Verdot. It is interesting to note the large percentage of Petit Verdot in the blend. Drink from 2025-2040. 89-91 2,387 Views Tasted May 20, 2022 |
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2020
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
With an intensity of color that matches the intensity you taste, and feel, here you find a wine that coats your palate with its multiple layers of rich, dark, deep, black, and dark red fruits coupled with smoke, tobacco, Cuban cigars, spice, dark chocolate, and burning oak embers. This incredible wine is perfectly poised on the corner of power, and intensity with an almost, endless, seamless, regal, and refined finish. This is clearly going to be one of the all-time great vintages of Pichon Baron. Drink from 2028-2065. 5,921 Views Tasted Mar 21, 2023Richly colored with purple around the edges the wine struts its creme de cassis, tobacco, cigar box, earthy, forest floor and peppery spice nose with ease. On the palate the wine is round, polished, sweet, fresh, ripe, long and elegant. This is a refined, classic, potentially forward vintage of Pichon Baron that should start showing quite well with just a decade of aging. The wine was made from blending 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot, 13.6% ABV. Yields were only 33 hectoliters per hectare. 97-99 Pts 5,987 Views Tasted May 20, 2021 |
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2020
Les Griffons de Pichon Baron (Pauillac)
Highly perfumed, notes of tobacco, flowers, dark chocolate, blackberries and black currants pop with little effort in the nose. On the palate, the wine is medium/full-earthy, rich, lifted and forward. It's round in the mouth with ripe, polished tannins and a creamy finish. Les Griffons de Pichon Baron is produced from a vat selection made before the final blending. Drink from 2024-2040. 2,399 Views Tasted Mar 21, 2023This is a Richly textured, round, lush, fruit filled, medium/full-bodied, earthy expression of Pauillac. You find tobacco, cedar chest, forest floor, flowers, blackberry, oak and vanilla along with red and black currants. The wine is sweet, juicy, lifted and forward. It's round in the mouth with ripe, polished tannins and a creamy finish. This will be best with 3-5 years of age. Les Griffons de Pichon Baron is produced from a vat selection made before the final blending. 91-93 Pts 3,286 Views Tasted May 20, 2021 |
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2020
Les Tourelles de Longueville (Pauillac)
Flowers, smoke, cedar, black, and red currants, and tobacco with a hint of cocoa from the perfume. The wine is medium-bodied, elegant, soft, sweet, fresh, and loaded with ripe, clean red fruits. The mid-palate and finish serve up sweet, creme de cassis in every sniff, and sip. Les Tourelles de Longueville is always produced from a parcel selection created to offer a baby Pichon Baron experience. This is a fabulous Pauillac that will offer pleasure for 2 decades. Drink from 2024-2040. 2,254 Views Tasted Mar 21, 2023Cedar, tobacco, forest leaf, spearmint and red currants form the perfume. On the palate the wine is medium-bodied, elegant, soft, sweet, fresh and loaded with ripe, clean red fruits. The mid-palate and finish serves up sweet, creme de cassis in every sniff and sip. Les Tourelles de Longueville is always produced from a parcel selection created to offer a baby Pichon Baron experience. 89-91 Pts 3,132 Views Tasted May 20, 2021 |
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2019
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Power and refinement, the hallmarks of all the great vintages of Pichon Baron are what you find here. Almost opaque in color, the wine exudes blackberries, black currants, tobacco leaf, cedar, wet forest, black pepper, and hints of flowers. On the palate, the wine is multi-layered with waves of dark red and black fruits, regal tannins, and a seamless finish that refuses to quit. Rich, luscious, concentrated, and with a remarkable purity of fruit, this is going to age and develop for decades. Yet, as its tannins are so soft and right, for a wine at this level of quality from Pichon Baron, it will drink well relatively early. With Cabernet Sauvignon checking in at 87% of the blend, this is the highest percentage of Cabernet in the blend in the history of the estate. Drink from 2030-2060. 8,168 Views Tasted Mar 29, 2022The dark inky hue makes it impossible to see though the glass! The nose is like walking into a flower market located next to a fruit stand as those two scents permeate the air. Vanilla bean, earth, forest leaf, pepper and cedar come next. Rich, luscious, concentrated and with a remarkable purity of fruit, the wine coats your mouth, palate, teeth and gums with layers of black, red and blue fruit, velvety tannins and a finish that doesn't want to leave. Blended from 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot, representing the highest percentage of Cabernet in the blend in the history of the estate. At 14% ABV with a pH of 3.74, the Grand Vin represents only 45% of the harvest, which took place between September 18 - October 9. 13,732 Views Tasted Jun 8, 2020 |
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2019
Les Griffons de Pichon Baron (Pauillac)
Black currants, blackberries, flowers, espresso, wet forest leaf and cigar box aromatics show up with ease on the nose. Classic Pauillac in style, the wine is fresh, vibrant, sweet, chewy and mildly reserved, finishing with currants, blackberry and touches of espresso, spice, cocoa and a dab of dark chocolate and savory herbs on the backend. Drink from 2025-2040. 2,245 Views Tasted Mar 29, 2022Espresso, roses, cocoa, black plums and currants pop up in the nose. On the palate, the wine is rich, round, lush and silky. Full-bodied, vibrant, juicy and lifted, the endnote repeats all those black currants with a dab of dark chocolate again and again. The wine is a blend of 59% Merlot with 41% Cabernet Sauvignon reaching 14.1% ABV. 92-94 Pts 3,920 Views Tasted Jun 8, 2020 |
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2019
Les Tourelles de Longueville (Pauillac)
Medium/full-bodied, regal and just about ready to go, give it a few years in the cellar to release all of its black currant, tobacco leaf, cedar, forest leaf peppery herb character to shine through. There is ample depth of flavor, body and loads of ripe, sweet, fresh currants to make this interesting and fun to drink while waiting for the Grand Vin to develop. Drink from 2023-2036. 3,171 Views Tasted Mar 29, 2022Deep ruby in hue, floral, tobacco, cedar, spice, and red fruits come through on the nose easily. The medium-bodied, wine is silky, fresh and elegant. The fruits are ripe, sweet, and spicy, with lift and plenty of red berries that last through the finish. Made from a parcel selection and produced from a blend of 68% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot reaching 14.3% ABV. 91-93 Pts 3,739 Views Tasted Jun 8, 2020 |
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2018
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Incredibly dark in color, the wine pops with Cuban cigar, cedar, herbs, tobacco leaf, red and black currants, forest floor and peppery spice box aromas. This could be the most concentrated, powerful vintage of Pichon Baron ever produced. The wine is very concentrated, full and deep. Yet, with all this depth of flavor, everything remains perfectly balanced. The tannins are ripe. Full-bodied and lush on the palate, with layers of sweet, ripe, dark red fruits in the finish, the wine really sticks with you. Jean-Rene Matignon feels this is his best vintage. I am not sure I agree. But if it is not, it is damn close to it! The wine blends 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot. Due to its immense power, this is the only vintage of Pichon Baron aged in 100% new oak, however, the oak is already fully integrated into the wine. 6,895 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2021The color is pure purple and on the nose the level of fruit is enormous. Blackberry, boysenberry, dark cherry, smoke, espresso, black currant and cigar wrappers are the first thing you'll notice. Powerful yet regal, rich, concentrated and multi-layered, the fruit comes at you with non-stop waves of flavor. But more importantly, the fruit is fresh, pure and quite dense. Although quite tannic, the ripe berries coat your palate, teeth and gums and stay with you. The tannins do not intrude. There is no touch of heat, jam or overripe sensations even though the wine reached 14.1% ABV. This stunner will age and develop into one of the great vintages for Pichon Baron. To enjoy this at its best, you'll need to have some patience, at least 10-12 years are needed before popping a cork. The wine will age and evolve for 3-4 decades after that. The wine was made from blending 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot. The Grand Vin was made from 50% of the harvest with the picking taking place September 24-25 for the Merlot and October 3-10 for the Cabernet Sauvignon. 97-99 Pts 6,998 Views Tasted Apr 19, 2019 |
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2018
Les Griffons de Pichon Baron (Pauillac)
Cigar box, dark red and black fruits, hints of bitter chocolate and tobacco leaf fill the perfume. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied with depth and richness, finishing with round textures, soft, ripe tannins, loads of sweet, ripe, dark red fruits, freshness and another nice bite of Cabernet in the endnote. 3,960 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2021With a strong floral character, the wine needs a bit of coaxing to bring out its deep, dark red fruits. Graceful, agile and fresh with the tannic bite of the Cabernet Sauvignon and the roundness from the sweet Merlot, this wine was made from blending 52% Cabernet Sauvignon and 48% Merlot and will age in 60% new, French oak barrels. 92-93 Pts 5,162 Views Tasted Apr 19, 2019 |
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2018
Les Tourelles de Longueville (Pauillac)
This is definitely a mini version of the Grand Vin. With 2018, you find a forward blast of sweet, ripe, juicy currants, freshness, herbs and tobacco leaf on the nose and on the silky palate. Already easy and enjoyable to drink, the sweetness of the fruits in the elegantly textured finish makes you want to take sip after sip. This is an outstanding second wine that bears tasting. 2,880 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2021Juicy, sweet and fresh, the wine is medium bodied, rich, supple, forward and already easy to drink with its blackberry and dark plum profile. The wine was made using 66% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot. 90-92 Pts 3,288 Views Tasted Apr 19, 2019 |
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2017
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Young and reticent as you might expect at the moment, the wine is full-bodied, energetic, ripe, concentrated, and filled with black and red currants, cedar, tobacco leaf, and peppery herbs. It is in your interest to wait a bit before pulling a cork. Drink from 2027-2052. 3,730 Views Tasted Nov 1, 2022One of the stars of the vintage, the wine is deep in color, with layers of dark cherries, cassis, blackberry, tobacco, espresso, smoke and wet earth. Full-bodied, richly textured with ripe tannins and a solid depth of flavor, wait for it to develop and start drinking it after 2027. 5,201 Views Tasted May 14, 2020Extremely dark and almost inky in color, you’ll find wet forest, cedar wood, tobacco, espresso and ripe blackberries from the beginning. Dense, concentrated and full bodied, the wine wraps around your palate with immaculate purity and plush velvety tannins. This is opulence, power, structure, austerity and balance, which lingers in the mouth for nearly 50 seconds. The wine was made from blending 79% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Merlot, reaching 13.1% ABV with a pH of 3.7. The Grand Vin was made from 50% of the harvest and the picking took place September 18 to October 3. 5,256 Views Tasted Apr 26, 2018 |
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2017
Les Griffons de Pichon Baron (Pauillac)
Right from the get-go the wine is polished, soft and fresh. There is backbone with layers of ripe, juicy, dark fruits and briny tannins in the finish. The wine was made from blending 52% Cabernet Sauvignon and 48% Merlot. 3,788 Views Tasted Apr 26, 2018 |
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2017
Les Tourelles de Longueville (Pauillac)
Supple textured, soft, presumptuous and fruity, this wine offers instant gratification for those who cannot wait for the inescapable gush of Cabernet Sauvignon. 3,074 Views Tasted Apr 26, 2018 |
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2016
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
With a tannic, racy edge to all the fresh, ripe, sweet, fleshy, currants on the palate, the wine kicks off with espresso, tobacco leaf, currants, black cherries, cigar box, underbrush, red fruits, and chalk. Simply put, this is fabulous! The tannins are perfectly ripe giving you the structure to show off all the layers of supple, textured, fresh, pure, racy fruits. The seamless finish grabs your palate and keeps it. This is in contention as the finest vintage of Pichon Baron produced by Jean Rene Matignon. Drink from 2022-2060. 11,980 Views Tasted Jul 8, 2022Deep in color, the nose entices you with tobacco, smoke, crème de cassis, forest floor and burnt wood. The wine offers depth, concentration and richness, with length and character. The wine is full bodied, rich, multi-layered and multi faceted. This is a cellar worthy stunner that demands 10-15 years of age before you want to pull a cork, but patience is going to be a virtue here. 8,771 Views Tasted Sep 21, 2019With an incredibly dark hue, the wine is as expected, concentrated, full bodied, rich, multi-layered and multi faceted. Once the wine is in the glass, your met with waves of ripe, dark, red fruits and a wall of tannin. But everything is perfectly ripe and falls exactly into place. The finish sticks with you for close to 60 seconds. This is a cellar worthy stunner that demands 10-15 years of age before you want to pull a cork, but patience is going to be a virtue here. 8,111 Views Tasted Feb 10, 2019Inky black in color, the level of concentration is equally dense. The depth of fruit and flavor impresses and entertains your palate with all its finesse, freshness and purity. There is a definite wall of tannins, but they are so refined and ripe, its easy to enjoy the layers of dark, perfectly, deep red fruits. The finish seems endless. This is so good, even at 9 in the morning, I took a sip! 9,855 Views Tasted May 13, 2018Astounding color, it's impossible to see though the wine in the glass. Rich, concentrated, multi-layered and multi-faceted, this is a powerful attention grabber. But it's also a wine of finesse, freshness and purity. There is a force of flavor and meticulousness that has not been produced in previous vintages. This is one of those wines that coats your palate with precision, fruit and flavor. The tannins are there but they are so ripe and there is such a wealth of fruit, you just do not notice it. The finish, with opulently textured boysenberry, tobacco, dark chocolate, cigar and plum, lasts for a full minute or more! Blended from 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot, this wine reached 13.3% ABV with a pH of 3.8. The Grand Vin represents only 45% of the harvest, which took place between October 3 and October 18. 9,018 Views Tasted Apr 29, 2017 |
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2016
Les Griffons de Pichon Baron (Pauillac)
Just a stunning black-purple color, the wine is superb this year. Concentrated layers of luscious fruits, the structure is forthright and graceful with round, creamy tannins and a long, black currant, spice and licorice-filled finish. Hard to believe this wine this is not a classified growth in this vintage! The wine was created from a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon and 48% Merlot. Les Griffons de Pichon Baron is produced from a vat selection that is tasted before the final blending. 5,647 Views Tasted Apr 29, 2017 |
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2016
Les Tourelles de Longueville (Pauillac)
Spicy with cedar, tobacco and black currants, this is dripping with juice, and with more flesh than usual. There is a freshness to the sweet fruits on the body and in the finish. Les Tourelles de Longueville is produced from a parcel selection blend of 58% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. 4,696 Views Tasted Apr 29, 2017 |
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2015
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Still deeply colored, the wine is loaded with seemingly, endless layers of supple-textured, creamy, vibrant, blackberries, currants, and black plums. All of this is complicated by cigar box, wet earth, cedar, tobacco, herbs, and pepper. Full-bodied, rich, dense, concentrated, lively, and balanced, the wine fills your palate with layers of perfectly ripe, dark red, and black fruits. Drink from 2028-2060. 8,597 Views Tasted Jul 8, 2022Supple textured fruits are the first thing you notice. The dark berries have flesh, fabulous, softness texturally and you find the structure to age. There is length and complexity, which already shows signs of truffle, cigar wrapper, smoke, iron and wet earth. This will age and evolve for at least 3 decades or longer. In fact, you are going to need at least a decade or longer for this to soften, expand and develop additional nuances. 7,085 Views Tasted May 21, 2018Deep and dark in color, the wine combines power, concentration, a wall of ripe, tannins and a wealth of ripe, juicy, ripe, fresh, dark fruits to create its character. On the palate, the wine coats your palate with its wave of dark berries and tannins that stick with you through the long finish. One of the few 2015 wines that require at least a decade of age, if you have the patience, and can wait, this is one for the cellar. 7,255 Views Tasted Mar 12, 2018Dark in color, this is a strong wine. Concentrated, polished refined and with a wealth of flavor, tobacco, cedar chest and smoke, the fruit really comes on strong. Give it at least a decade before popping a bottle. 6,792 Views Tasted Jul 12, 2017Cigar ash, cedar, black and red fruits and tobacco are hard to ignore in this rich, plush, concentrated wine. Dark in color, soft, ripe with its polished tannins and acidity in perfect harmony. Blended from 77% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23% Merlot, this wine reached 13.55% ABV with a pH of 3.65. The Grand Vin represents only 45% of the harvest, which took place between September 18 and October 9. 94 - 96 Pts 7,396 Views Tasted Apr 18, 2016 |
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2015
Les Griffons de Pichon Baron (Pauillac)
Made from a vat selection before the blending of Pichon Baron, this wine offers supple tannins, fresh cassis, blackberries and plums. It is softly textured with a purity of fruit much improved over previous vintages. Even though the blend is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine will be enjoyable on release or it could also age for a few years. 89 - 91 Pts 2,950 Views Tasted Apr 18, 2016 |
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2015
Les Tourelles de Longueville (Pauillac)
Made from a parcel selection and produced from a blend of 55% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, this medium-bodied, fresh, sweet, red fruit- filled wine is an easy tasting charmer -- open, forward and vinified for early drinking pleasure. 85 - 87 Pts 2,904 Views Tasted Apr 18, 2016 |
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2014
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Already delicious! What more needs to be said? The wine is full bodied, concentrated and offers length, persistence and energy, with a long, blast of sweet, juicy cassis, blackberry, earth and tobacco. There is a polish to the tannins and volume that allow this wine to get noticed. This will be even better with 5-10 more years. 8,608 Views Tasted Feb 1, 2017Dark in color, with black, blue and cassis fruit complicated by smoke, earth and tobacco in the bouquet. This wine is rich, dense, long, silky and lush. There is a beautiful purity to the layers of ripe, sweet, fresh fruit and plush tannins. The finish builds and expands pleasantly in the mouth. This wine is probably better than the delightful 2003 and not far from the even more better 2005. Crafted from a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot, the wine reached 13.3% ABV with a pH of 3.7. The Grand Vin represents 45% of the harvest. 95-96 Pts. 7,508 Views Tasted Apr 14, 2015 |
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2014
Les Griffons de Pichon Baron (Pauillac)
Bright, crisp with an early display of wet earth, cedar, cassis and floral characteristics, this forward-styled Pauillac has a refined, easy drinking, fresh-picked berry appeal and it will deliver a classic tasting, cassis-filled experience on release. 88-90 Pts 4,366 Views Tasted Apr 14, 2015 |
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2014
Les Tourelles de Longueville (Pauillac)
Light and forward, produced from 65% Merlot, this supple, fruity, easy drinking wine will be best tasted on release. 85-87 Pts 3,534 Views Tasted Apr 14, 2015 |
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2013
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
It's a nice wine indeed. But you need to know, it's soft, short and sweet, as the fresh, soft textured, cherry, cassis, earth and cedar character is gone far too soon. In the old days, this would have been considered a proper lunch Claret by my friends across the pond. 4,900 Views Tasted Feb 10, 2016Blending 82% Cabernet Sauvignon with 18% Merlot, the wine reached 13.2% ABV and will be aged in 70% new French oak. From yields of only 32 hectoliters per hectare, the Grand Vin represents 40% of the crop. This is the lowest level of production for Pichon Baron in close to 50 years. With a developed nose of cassis, tobacco, black cherry and licorice, the wine features oak that’s already integrated into the wine. Soft and round, medium bodied and fresh, this wine has prominent tannins. Give it 5 years or so of bottle age before popping the cork. 89-91 Pts. 4,041 Views Tasted Apr 20, 2014 |
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2013
Les Tourelles de Longueville (Pauillac)
Dominated by Merlot, the wine is light in color and body, ending with cassis and cranberry notes. 83-85 Pts 5,146 Views Tasted Apr 20, 2014 |
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2012
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Full bodied, tannic and tight, this is far too young to drink today. I like the wines cassis character, but it seems like it's always going to a crisp, tannic, classic personality. 5,731 Views Tasted Jul 15, 2016Quite successful for the vintage, the blast of sweet, juicy, fresh, round berries, oak, earth, tobacco and spice leaves an impression, with its long, dark berry filled finish. 4,028 Views Tasted Mar 11, 2015Utilizing 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot, the wine reached 13.1% ABV. With a deep crimson ruby color, it’s easy to find forest, tobacco, earth, cassis and blackberry notes. Once past the aromatics, the wine is fresh and lively with black raspberry, vanilla, soft textures and an inner core of crème de cassis, which will only improve with age. The wine will be aged in 80% new French oak. 92-94 Pts 8,581 Views Tasted Apr 23, 2013 |
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2012
Les Griffons de Pichon Baron (Pauillac)
Soft, medium bodied, easy drinking Pauillac with nice freshness and round textures on the palate. 4,944 Views Tasted Oct 28, 2014 |
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2012
Les Tourelles de Longueville (Pauillac)
a quiet red and dark berry-driven wine with a high Merlot content that will allow it to be enjoyed on release. 86-88 Pts 3,697 Views Tasted Apr 23, 2013 |
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2011
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Forward in style, this allows for early drinking pleasure, while waiting for your 2009 and 2010 to come around. Already open, the soft cassis, blackberry and tobacco notes, with the right amount of freshness and firmness can be enjoyed with little effort. 5,034 Views Tasted Nov 14, 2017Lush, round textured fruits, soft polished tannins and an open, fresh, black cherry, earth, tobacco and spice filled finish that can be enjoyed on the young side while waiting for the 2009 and 2010 to develop. 5,445 Views Tasted May 21, 2015Cassis, coffee bean, tobacco, earth and forest floor notes open to a medium bodied wine filled with spicy blackberries and earth. Give this a few years for the tannins to soften and develop more complexity. This is quite successful for the vintage. 4,456 Views Tasted Feb 16, 2014Utilizing a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Merlot. The wine reached 13.2% ABV. The wine will be aged in 80% new oak. The assemblage features one of the highest concentrations of Cabernet Sauvignon found in modern times. Ruby in color, smoke, truffle, earth, cassis, vanilla and tobacco scents are found in the perfume. Medium bodied, ripe and soft, there is a fresh, vibrant feeling in the wine, ending with crisp cassis flavors. 92-93 Pts 4,938 Views Tasted Apr 10, 2012 |
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2010
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
This continues to develop in the right direction. There is a wealth of concentration to the fruit on the palate, as well as in its tannic structure. But the tannins are as ripe as the fruit, giving you freshness, energy, and a non-stop wave of sweet, ripe, dense fruits that fill your palate. It is impossible not to see the quality of this wine, but patience will be rewarded. Give it a few more years of bottle age and this is going to be a stunning vintage for Pichon Baron. Drink from 2025-2055. 7,787 Views Tasted Jul 8, 2022Rich, full-bodied, mouth-filling, balanced ad long. This is a beautiful Pauillac. The concentration of fruit, ripe tannins, structure to age, and freshness, paired with a gorgeous tobacco laced perfume hits all the right notes. Tasting this at close to 10 years of age is a great time to assess its potential. It might take another decade to reach full maturity, but even now, this is a future rockstar wine. 8,646 Views Tasted Nov 8, 2019Stunning! Yes, it is young and primary. But the fruit really coats your palate hitting you with wave after wave of rich, fat, juicy, pure, ripe, concentrated berries that taste, feel and smell great! This is a future legendary vintage for Pichon Baron. 10,747 Views Tasted Oct 22, 2018Close to being off the charts, everything about this wine is stunning. The layers of fruit are endless. The tannins are lush, silky and refined. The seamless finish really goes on and on. If you have a case and want to see what a stunner this is in its youth, I get it. Else, give it another decade or longer and this will provide thrilling drinking in the years to come. 10,636 Views Tasted Jul 15, 2016Deep ruby, almost inky in color. Woodsy, truffle, smoky aromatics remind me a smoking a Cuban cigar while drinking a glass of plum and blackberry liqueur. The aromatics pop along with the cork. Incredibly rich, the wine takes up a lot of room on the palate, with a wall of ripe tannins and a fine grained finish of ripe cassis that does not want to quit. 10,373 Views Tasted Jul 2, 2015This is starting to close down for a long sleep. There is no denying the high quality fruit, intense purity and ripe, sweet tannins, but it's a lot less fun to taste than when last tasted in April. Drink a bottle quickly if you have to, else, this could take 15-20 years before it really comes into its own. 11,198 Views Tasted Jul 9, 2014Deep, dark ruby in color, cigar box, crème de cassis, licorice, coffee, smoke and dark berries create a compelling set of aromatics. The wine is full bodied, lush, rich, polished, vibrant and powerful, yet there is a beautiful sense of elegance and symmetry that keeps everything in balance. Clearly, this gives the 1990 a run for the money as the best vintage of Pichon Baron ever produced. Based on the development of the 1989 and 1990, this should easily age for decades. 10,471 Views Tasted May 8, 2013Dark ruby with hints of purple in the color, this exciting wine is packed with a cornucopia of fragrance, cocoa, crème de cassis, black raspberry, tobacco and truffle scents open to waves of ripe, chocolate covered blackberries that coat your mouth and palate. Intense, balanced and filled with layers of creamy black and blue fruit with ample freshness, this wine has no hard edges. The wine remains in your mouth and expands with flavor and tactile sensations for almost one full minute. 97-98 Pts 12,409 Views Tasted Aug 5, 2011Pichon Longueville Baron utilized only 45% of the harvest to make a great 2010. The wine reached 13.75% ABV, the same level as in 2009. From an assemblage of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Merlot, this deep, dark, purple colored wine opens with cassis liqueur, oak, truffle, tobacco and walnuts Powerful, concentrated and stuffed with ripe cassis and licorice flavors, this dense, classic style of Pauillac ends with a long generous, round, tannic finish. The best wine from this estate since 2005, it will be aged in 80% new oak. 96-97 Pts 11,756 Views Tasted Apr 20, 2011 |
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2010
Les Tourelles de Longueville (Pauillac)
A strong effort from a second wine. With an easy to like personality, this Merlot dominated wine is packed with fresh dark berries, soft textures and a fresh, fruit filled finish. 6,186 Views Tasted May 8, 2013Cassis, dark berries and hints of sweet jammy plums with chocolate scents lead to a medium bodied, fresh, black cherry and cassis finish. 87-89 Pts 5,148 Views Tasted Jul 30, 2011Cassis, dark berries, sweet jammy plums and hints of cocoa lead to a medium bodied, fresh, black cherry and cassis finish. 86-89 Pts 3,890 Views Tasted Apr 5, 2011 |
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2009
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Showing a bit of lightning to the color, the wine combines power, concentration, supple textures, density, complexity, and opulence. Not a typical vintage for Pichon Baron. But who cares? Typical is overrated. Sensual and showy on the palate, the wine is long, creamy, rich, and shows a real staying power on your palate and in the lingering finish. This is one of the top vintages produced by the departing Jean Rene Matignon. Drink from 2022-2055. 6,917 Views Tasted Jul 8, 2022Smoke, tobacco, cigar box, crème de cassis, black cherry, forest leaf and truffle pop from the glass. Still dark in color, the wine offers volume, depth, precision and strong, ripe, tannins. The blackberry, dark cocoa and plums are sweet, fresh and juicy. The rich finish offers fruit, spice and lift. Still young, the tannins and fruit are so ripe, it is easy to drink today. But hold off if you can, as the wine is only going to better with another 5-10 years of aging, and will offer pleasure for another 20-30 years after that. 8,151 Views Tasted Sep 20, 2019The wine is clearly going to sleep now. It is impossible not to enjoy the weight, density, flesh, and opulence, but the nuances are now resting and will sleep for 6-10 years as a guess. 7,865 Views Tasted Oct 22, 2018Young as you'd expect, but it's impossible not to love the layers of sweet, ripe, lush fruits, silky, opulent tannins and long, mouth filling finish. 10,625 Views Tasted Jul 15, 2016Truffle, licorice, spice, incense and cedar chest aromas with only a bit of fruit poling through today. On the palate, the wine is lush, powerful, sweet and fresh, but clearly, this is starting to close down for several years. It’s obvious from the complexities in the nose, silky mouth feel and volume, this is a stunning wine. But it’s not much fun to drink now. Give this a decade or more and enjoy the fire-works. 12,731 Views Tasted Jul 2, 2015This sexy Pauillac is filled to the brim with ripe, sweet, opulently textured layers of fruit, earth, spice, licorice and espresso beans. Forward in style, with the right blend of freshness coupled with intensity and lush tannins, if you lack patience, this is right wine for you. If you have the willpower to wait for it to develop, this is also the right wine to buy. I'm happy I own it. 11,431 Views Tasted Jul 9, 2013Inky in color, with a blast of smoke, earth, tobacco, cassis, espresso bean, blackberry jam and smoke in the perfume. Powerful, concentrated and deep, with layers of perfectly ripe, silky blackberry, mocha and spicy plums, the wine remains on your palate for close to 50 seconds! There is not a single hair out of place. 13,567 Views Tasted May 7, 2012The packed aromatics are filled with cedar wood, incense, cassis, earth, espresso bean and cigar tobacco. From an assemblage of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, this supple, rich, round Bordeaux ends with fresh cassis, blackberries and black cherries. Very stylish. 12,875 Views Tasted Feb 8, 2012Leading with smoke, tobacco, blackberry liqueur and gravelly scents, this full bodied, soft textured, black cherry and cassis filled wine ends with ripe sensation of fresh, blackberries and espresso bean. While this lacks the power and ripeness of the 2010, it has improved since it was first tasted in April 2010. 12,115 Views Tasted Jul 24, 20112009 Pichon Baron is deep ruby, with notes of black raspberry, flowers, spice, mocha, and coffee in the nose. The round textured wine has a fresh finish of elegant dark plums and spicy chocolate. I like the style of the wine, even if it did not afford the power and concentration found in previous great vintages. 93-95 Pts 10,343 Views Tasted Aug 26, 2010 |
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2009
Les Tourelles de Longueville (Pauillac)
Blending 61% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Cabernet Franc produced a wine packed with fresh crème de cassis, earth, cedar and plum. Round, polished and with the ability to age for a bit, although it's best enjoyed on the young side for its early charms. This is a strong second wine. 7,835 Views Tasted May 7, 2012 |
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2008
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
A perfect example of classic Pauillac. The wine combines regal and stern attributes. There is power, waves of ripe, dark, juicy, deep fruits, and a wealth of tannins, but much of its character is still held in check. It's austere at the moment and while it will flesh out and soften with age, developing nuances and complexities, this is always going to be on the classic, structured, masculine side of the style range. 5,209 Views Tasted Sep 17, 2018Tight at the moment as you would expect. With effort, layers of fresh, juicy cassis, blackberry, earth, oak and cigar box aromas are available. Good concentratin of flavor, balance, ripe tannins and freshness... What more could you ask for? As 2008 still sells for a fair price, this is work seeking out. 8,470 Views Tasted Oct 6, 20142008 Pichon Baron has a cassis filled perfume that’s complicated with hints of tobacco, coca, earth and blackberry jam. Full bodied and loaded with flavor, this elegant, round, polished Pauillac feels great on the palate and ends with a long cassis and dark berry sensation. 93 Pts 13,357 Views Tasted Jul 20, 201008 Château Pichon Baron was deep ruby with purple accents in color. Blackberry, cassis, raspberry, and a touch of oak were easily discernible in the nose. Soft tannins, concentration, and a good depth of flavor are the hallmark of this wine. If it puts on a bit more weight, and it should, this Pichon Baron will be outstanding. 91-94 Pts 12,590 Views Tasted Aug 31, 2009 |
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2007
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Cedar wood, tobacco, lead pencil, red and black currant create the perfume. Medium/full bodied, the wine is drinking great today. There is freshness, sweet, light, red fruits and softness in the finish. OK, the finish is a bit short, but the fruit is clean, lively and pure. There is no need to age this any longer. 4,569 Views Tasted Mar 30, 2017 |
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2006
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Firm, crisp, full-bodied, youthful, tannic, and structured, this classically styled wine offers a classic austere lean to its layers of ripe, dark red, and black fruits. It is a crisp and crunchy Pauillac that could use air, more time, or both. Drink from 2026-2050. 3,939 Views Tasted Nov 1, 2022Cedar wood, lead pencil, tobacco, smoke and forest floor scents on the nose let you know there is more than meets the eye here. But you're not going to find out what this wine has to offer today. Full bodied, tight and tannic, the bright, fresh and concentrated wine demands another decade in the cellar before it's fun to drink. 7,552 Views Tasted May 25, 2016This showed a creamy, black raspberry, spice, tobacco and cassis filled perfume. This is not an early drinker. There is a depth of flavor, but the tanins feel slightly rustic. It reminded of the 86 with better fruit and riper tannins. Wine maker Jean-Rene Matignon says, it is closer in style to their 88. 12,590 Views Tasted Jun 13, 2008 |
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2005
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Continuing to edge closer to maturity, this stunner offers everything you want in classic Pauillac. Loaded with tobacco leaf, cigar box, cedar, red and black currants, forest leaf and smoke, the wine is full-bodied, concentrated, tannic and expressive on the nose and palate. It could take 5 years to reach its peak, but with 2 hours in the decanter now, it is already a stunning tasting experience. 7,946 Views Tasted Jun 26, 2021It has been a few years since I lasted th8is gem, but holly molly, this is really upped its game. There is more density, flesh, richness, fruit, length, and complexity. The tannins are present, but they are starting to mellow. There is a gentleness to the backbone and structure here, that was not present before. The palate enjoys the bath of perfectly ripe, powerful, yet silky blackberry and cassis that crosses its path. The finish leaves a long, lasting impression, making you want to taste it again and again. If you have a case or more and want to check in on its progress, pop a cork. Else, wait a decade. This is one of those wines that's worth the wait! 10,369 Views Tasted Jul 24, 2018Young, but not quite primary, there is so much fruit, the tannins are so ripe, the textures have enough silk that if you them on the y9oung side, you can pop a cork today. Else wait until the wine hits 20 and then look out! 8,350 Views Tasted Apr 16, 2016Cedar, truffle, cigar box and lead pencil scents are already coming to the forefront. The wine is powerful, full bodied, concentrated and long, with a richness of character and a seamless, finesse style that make this a delicious treat that will age for decades. Keep your hands of it for another decade, if you can Due to its richness, you can enjoy it young, but there is so much potential here, it's only going to get better and better. 8,487 Views Tasted Jun 28, 2015Popped and poured by a guest at our annual day after Thanksgiving celebration, there was no way anyone could not see the potential in this beautiful Pauillac. Intense concentration of fruit and flavor, soft, ripe, elegant tannins, the structure to age and a long, fresh, ripe, classy finish made me want to grab another glass before it was all gone. Sadly, I was too late. 9,525 Views Tasted Nov 30, 2013Filled with spicy black fruit, espresso, black raspberries, smoke, fudge and cigar box, the aromatics on this young wine was already off the charts! Full bodied and packed with perfectly ripe, blackberries and cassis, this opulently textured and powerful wine is destined for a great future. 19,002 Views Tasted Jun 28, 2012Very spicy nose with gobs of cassis, oak and fresh black pepper. Stunning concentration in the mouth. It is like biting into a cassis, drenched plum and blackberry pie. Great balance and lift. The 45 second finish is a treat. 18,097 Views Tasted Jun 17, 2010This is almost at the level of the stunning 2000. Not quite, but close. Concentrated layers of spicy black fruit, tobacco and cassis fill every nook and cranny of your palate. Concentrated and deep, but the tannins are not as soft or ripe as they were in 1990 or 2000. Regardless, this is an outstanding, age worthy wine. 10,187 Views Tasted Jan 20, 2008This concentrated Bordeaux kicks off with cassis, blackberries, coffee and oak in the perfume. The palate is awash in huge mouthfeel of ripe, blackberry fruit with a touch of black cherry in the finish. Lots of structure. Needs time. Masculine in style. Very classic Bordeaux. 7,388 Views Tasted Jun 25, 2007 |
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2004
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Likable, easy drinking, forward style of Pichon Baron, that while it lacks the weight and depth of the best vintages, there is good Pauillac character and the price is more than fair. 7,037 Views Tasted Apr 16, 2016From a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, this is the last vintage where the estate used any Cabernet Franc in the assemblage. From a developed nose, with bell pepper, cedar wood, leaf, cigar box, vanilla, tobacco and spicy cassis flavors, the wine is medium bodied and on the fresh, crisp, spicy, strict, classic side of the style range. There is a hint of dryness in the cassis and cranberry finish. 6,280 Views Tasted Jan 4, 2015This offers an earthy, sweet, dark fruit and spice filled nose. Lush palate entry. Already open. This is a very pretty style of wine that drinks well today 9,196 Views Tasted Jun 17, 2009This sports a deep color, but lacks the same level of concentration found in 05 or 06. Spicy, jammy black fruit, very stylish. That being said, for the money, it is a good wine to have while waiting for the bigger years to come around. 5,371 Views Tasted Jun 25, 2007 |
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2003
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Blackberries, charcoal, smoke, cigar wrapper, sea salt, currants and tobacco leaf with crushed rock accents firm the nose. The nose is great, and the palate is even better. Loads of creamy blackberries, spicy currants, black cherries, blue fruit, with the perfect hint of chalk and chocolate on the backend. No decanting needed. Pop, pour, and enjoy the night. Drink from 2024-2034. 2,532 Views Tasted Feb 20, 2024If you have been waiting to pull a cork here, there is no reason for further aging. The wine has more gas in the tank, but all of its layers of dark red, lusciously textured, sweet, ripe fruits are ready to go. Drink from 2022-2033. 3,723 Views Tasted Nov 1, 2022Rich, opulent, lush, ripe and dense, the wine serves up its layers of blackberry, dark cocoa, cassis, wet earth and cigar store notes easily. Full-bodied, concentrated and supple, this is really in a great spot for drinking today. 5,210 Views Tasted Mar 29, 2021It is time to be drinking this wine. Slightly flamboyant, the wine offers depth, richness and soft, round tannins. Full-bodied, with tobacco, cassis, scorched earth and ripe berry aromatics, the wine feels great on your palate. Popped and poured, the wine was ready to go with just 15 minutes in the glass. It might not be a text-book example of this cherished house, but so what? It is delicious and ready to go. 5,226 Views Tasted Mar 10, 2020Just showing great, there is a lot to like here. The wine is rich, almost opulent in texture, but it is not over the top ripe, or hot. Instead, there is a wealth of creme de cassis, dark chocolate cigar box, black cherry, tobacco leaf and wet earth. Full-bodied, concentrated and closing in on full maturity, the wine improved in the glass. Not classic in style, still a beautiful Pauillac. This is probably the best showing I recall for this wine. If you have been waiting for the right moment to check it out, there is no time like the present. 6,325 Views Tasted Sep 30, 2019Soft, elegant, charming and for the most part, ready for prime time drinking. The wine is full-bodied, with depth of flavor, but the short finish takes away some of the thunder here. The fruit, tannins, flavor and character are all that you need, it is that shortness in the finish that I wish was just a bit longer. If this was the only bottle on the table, it would be great. But when compared with other vintages, it held up, but did not shine. 10-15 years is probably the remaining window here. 5,789 Views Tasted Jul 24, 2018This bottle seemed a little less fresh than previous examples, most of which came from the same case. The nose was great, with its tobacco, cassis, truffle and cigar box aromas. But it seemed to lack the same level of lift on the palate. Soft, polished and lush, there is no real hurry to drink this. But there is probably no upside to holding it for further evolution either. 5,758 Views Tasted Aug 22, 2017This is a beauty and it is drinking great today. With about an hour of air, the supple textures, sweet, ripe, juicy fruits, tobacco, earth, cherry and cassis come out to get noticed. The wine feels great on your palate. There is freshness and subtlety going on here. You can drink this now, or age it. This is not at the level of the really great vintages, but it's not so far either. 6,135 Views Tasted Oct 2, 2016With a big mouthful of ripe, sweet cassis, the wine has depth, weight and length and avoids any of the trappings found in the wines where overripe flavors are part of the character. The lush, rich, opulent textured finish is exactly what the doctor ordered. Popped and poured, this is already quite nice to drink and I suspect it's going to get better still. 6,854 Views Tasted Feb 28, 2016Tobacco, cigar box, cassis and a faint whiff of espresso bean create the nose. The wine is full bodied, rich, lush, opulent, concentrated and sexy. The finish is round, fruit filled and smoky. This is drinking great with only 15 minutes of air. I cannot wait to see how this develops over dinner. 6,675 Views Tasted Nov 19, 2015Roasted black cherries, pie crust, cedar chest, licorice, spice box and crème de cassis produce an inviting set of aromas. On the palate, the wine is soft, supple, round and plush. The tannins are ripe, the fruit is sweet and rich, finishing with layers of sweet, delicious fruit. Over the past few years, this has started to mature at a slightly more rapid pace. There is no hurry to drink this delicious wine. But I would not hold it for decades. 7,735 Views Tasted Dec 18, 2013A vintage of Pichon Baron that allows tasters to enjoy it, before its 15th birthday! Tobacco leaf, cigar box, truffle, crème de cassis, blackberry and spice, plush textures and a luscious, cassis, blackberry and spice box finish are found in this delicious Pauillac. As good as it is, it will get even better over the next decade. 11,185 Views Tasted May 7, 2012Pops out of the glass like a Jack in the Box! Perfume explodes in your face with spice, creamy black and red fruits, cassis and raspberry notes. Multiple layers of decadent ripe fruit drench your palate. There is a lot to like in this wine. 9,529 Views Tasted Jun 17, 2009Coffee, chocolate, licorice, toffee and cassis roars from the glass. Suave, sweet entry that develops into a splendid, corpulent feel filled with deep, soft, polished dark fruit. 6,317 Views Tasted Jun 25, 2007 |
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2003
Les Tourelles de Longueville (Pauillac)
Over the hill and past its prime. Drink up. 5,625 Views Tasted Dec 18, 2013 |
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2002
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
The product of a cooler vintage, there is an austerity to its nature that will please some tasters that appreciate old school styled Bordeaux. It is nice wine that is starting to drink well, but it is not going to offer the fireworks found in the riper years. 6,530 Views Tasted Apr 16, 2016Smoke, cassis, tobacco, green peppercorns, spice and berries are easy to find. The wine ends with blackberry, darkcherry, chocolate and spearmint flavors. This is already showing well at a young age. 11,177 Views Tasted Jun 23, 2010 |
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2001
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
This is really starting to come on strong. The ripe, sweet, juicy cassis and blackberries are right where you need them to be. The tobacco, cigar box, thyme and spice show up exactly when needed. There is good freshness and energy in the wine and the tannins are ripe. With an hour or so in the decanter, this is really a treat to drink today.. 4,363 Views Tasted Apr 16, 2016This kicks off with wonderful levels of pure, ripe, black fruit and truffle. Rich elegant entry , finishing with a melange of black fruit. This will drink well young. 7,586 Views Tasted Jun 17, 2009 |
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2000
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Youthful, but continuing to develop in all the right ways, this is a text-book Pauillac and Pichon Baron. Full-bodied, deep, concentrated, fresh, energetic and structured, the tannins are firm, yet refined, the currants and blackberries are ripe and lifted, the finish fills your palate, with crunchy, chewy, ripe, spicy Cabernet. Drink from 2025-2055. 5,499 Views Tasted Oct 12, 2022This is a top bottle of Pichon that remains stuck in adolescence. Still, it is easy to see the wine is going to shine, once more of the tannins soften and melt away. There is weight concentration, balance, freshness and layers of cassis that do not quit. But much of this beauty is being held in reserve. Give it until 2022 and lets talk about it then. 10,014 Views Tasted Jul 24, 2018This just keeps getting better and better. As the tannins soften, the cedar, tobacco, blackberry, lead pencil and smoky notes continue to build. The wine offers concentration, power and elegance, with a refined, textural finish, that let all the tobacco and cassis shine on through. It's close, but if you have 2-5 years of patience in you, the wine should be even better. 9,026 Views Tasted Dec 22, 2017Popped and poured, I cannot believe how well it's showing. The wine is full bodied, rich and concentrated, with a wealth of ripe, elegant, yet powerful fruits. This is really worth popping a cork on, if you haven't had a bottle in a while. Decanting would have made this even better. But we were thirsty, what can I say? 10,258 Views Tasted Sep 13, 2015Blackberry, cassis, spice, truffle and forest floor aromas led to a boatload of rich, ripe, juicy, spicy, fresh, Cabernet Sauvignon. The intensity of flavor in the powerful finish, ripe, refined tannins and balance were everything you'd want in a Pauillac. While there is no problem in opening a bottle today, patience will be rewarded. Give it another 5 years. This should give pleasure and evolve until at least 2040! 18,105 Views Tasted Jan 12, 2012Cassis, cedar, ripe black fruit, tobacco and spice make up the intense perfume for this Bordeaux. This powerful, intense wine is filled with layers of plush, ripe black fruit. This wine has no hard edges and offers pleasure in every sip. As good as it is, it’s only going to get better. I'm not sure where this wines is trading at today, but it might be the Left Bank wine to own that pairs high quality, great style, ability to age and improve with a reasonable selling price. 13,889 Views Tasted Mar 5, 2010The glass can barely contain the aromatic explosion of Cuban tobacco, spice, earth, truffle and soft jammy berries. This full bodied, powerful, elegant, styled Bordeaux wine floats over your palate in layer after layer. The fruit is very polished, silky and fine. This is the most elegant style of Pichon Baron I have yet tasted. Is it better than the dynamic duo of 89 & 90. Jean Rene says "Yes!" Me, I think it is possible as this seems to more elegant and complex. Plus it shows a little better than 89 & 90 at the same stage. 9,981 Views Tasted Jun 17, 2009This bottle had it all. Aromatics in spades, great intensity and concentration, a palate that was drenched in rich, ripe fruit and a long, clean, pure finish. Still young, this is a wine to own. It gives 89 & 90 a run for the money. 9,622 Views Tasted May 5, 2009Still dark, with purple tints, you can taste the ripeness and purity in every sip. The wine reminds me of the 90 with its wonderful character. The black fruit and spice filled nose offers toast and tobacco, adding to the wines complexities. Very concentrated with perfectly ripe fruit. The finish seems to go on for close to a minute. Because of the perfect levels of ripeness, this wine can be tasted today, but it requires another decade or longer before offering secondary characteristics. 9,431 Views Tasted Oct 1, 2008 |
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1999
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Medium bodied, but not exactly light, there is a leafy, herbal note on top of the bright red fruits, tobacco and cedar. The wine is fresh in nature, soft in texture and ready to drink, with its red fruit and tobacco leaning. This is not a wine for long term aging. 4,369 Views Tasted Dec 4, 2017 |
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1998
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Still tannic at 17 years of age, but there is a lot to like about the wine. It's deep, concentrated and long, with freshness, flavor and intensity. There is a firmness to the tannins that reminds me a good version of a 1986 Pauillac. 4,670 Views Tasted May 13, 2015 |
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1996
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Decanted about 30 minutes, the wine is full-bodied, concentrated, tannic, masculine and classic. Loaded with tobacco leaf, smoke, wet earth and bright red fruits, the wine shows some bite in the fruit that works perfecty with the freshness. I am sure this will improve, but it is already quite tasty today. 5,788 Views Tasted Jun 26, 2019At 20 years of age, this is really starting to show. The tannins have softened, yet, there is still a slight Medoc firmness to the wine. Cassis, cigar box, cedar chest, tobacco, lead pencil and olive tapenade aromatics create the nose. The finish has the perfect blend of tannins, elegance, freshness and a touch of austerity, coupled with plenty of sweet, juicy sweet fruits to let you know you are firmly in Pauillac . If you have a bottle of this wine that have been waiting for, your wait is over. Pop a cork on it today! 7,084 Views Tasted May 8, 2016This bottle showed better than previous tastings. Lots of tobacco, cassis, earth, olive, cedar and a hint of bell pepper in the nose. Masculine in tenor, but with enough class and elegance in the fruit to make it enjoyable to taste. With an hour of air, the tannins subsided a bit, allowing the wine to expand and gain more elegance in the texture. Based on this bottle, the wine should age quite well and could merit a better score in the years to come. 7,493 Views Tasted Oct 20, 2013From a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot, this fully mature Pauillac offered scents of tobacco leaf, cassis, cedar wood and earthy forest notes. Fully mature, this medium/full bodied, lighter style of Pichon Baron offers soft textures with a cassis filled finish that is that is slightly marred by some green notes. This Pauillac is best enjoyed over the next 5-8 years to preserve the fruit. 13,094 Views Tasted Jul 21, 2011While a good wine, it lacks the power, ripeness and concentration of the top Medocs from 1996. The cassis, blackberry, truffle and tobacco, coupled with a smooth, albiet not very concentrated mouth feel offers nice sensations. The tannins are soft allowing the wine to sdrink well today. 6,156 Views Tasted Oct 1, 2008 |
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1995
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Stern, classic, old school Pauillac, with a text book nose of cedar, cassis, tobacco and green pepper. Austere on the palate, which is as you would expect from most 1995 wines, at 22 years of age, this is not going to change. 2 hours of air helped, but did not cure all its ills. If you long for days for the days of lower ABV, and a strict character, with some green, this is going to make your day. 5,380 Views Tasted Oct 10, 2017The hands of time have been kind to this wine. Medium/full bodied, with a ripe cassis, cedar and cigar box personality, the wine is starting to lose some of its tannic edge, serving up a crunchy blast of ripe, sweet, fresh, energetic fruits in the finish. 5,587 Views Tasted Jul 27, 2015Tobacco, cedar wood, cassis, spice and forest floor aromas greet your nose. The tannins are a little rustic and drying. Crunchy, ripe cassis with some greenness is found in the slightly austere finish. Much better on the nose than the palate. If you're looking for a Pichon Baron with age in the same price range, buy the 1996. 8,925 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2012Blackberry, cassis, truffle, mint and tobacco lead to a medium/full bodied Pauillac that has developed better than expected. Most of the tannins have melted away. The wine ends with a short, cassis and black cherry finish. This is a nice and stylish Pauillac that is showing well today. 11,994 Views Tasted May 19, 2011 |
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1994
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Austere in style, the best part of the experience with its tobacco, truffle, cedar chest and red berry perfume, there is a noticeable green note and some dryness to the tannins on the finish. Drink up. This is not going to get any better with time. 6,143 Views Tasted Aug 3, 2014 |
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1990
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Fully developed, this is a text-book example of a great Pauillac combining power, concentration, a touch of sternness to the tannins, and layers of ripe, spicy, peppery currants, tobacco leaf, cigar box, forest floor, and crisp, spicy red berries on the palate and in the finish. A short decant is all that is needed here. Drink from 2022-2035. 5,508 Views Tasted Jul 8, 2022Am fortunate to taste the 89 and 90 Pichon Baron back to back at least once a year. It is a fabulous pair to compare because my favorite is always exchanging places. Tonight, the 1989 was a bit richer, with slightly more intensity. Still, the 1990 is full, rich, deep, long, expansive and combines power with lush characteristics. With depth of flavor, soft, ripe tannins and loads of cigar box, tobacco and ripe red fruits, this is a gorgeous wine that is everything a great Pauillac should be. 5,103 Views Tasted Nov 25, 2020At 30, this is at peak maturity. It's the perfect to pop a cork and dig into all that fabulous cigar box, dark cocoa, tobacco leaf and juicy, sweet cassis! Full-bodied, rich, long, deep and intense, there is just the right touch of forest floor, herbs, pepper and smoke that work in concert with layers of ripe, red berries. The wine is long, complex and satisfying. No real need to decant, though 20-30 minutes is fine. Enjoy this now and over the next 2 decades. 5,463 Views Tasted Apr 27, 2020This is a super wine. In fact, I am not sure there is a better example for the money in the market today for a great Pauillac with bottle age. This has everything you need in a mature Left Bank wine. It is rich, powerful, concentrated and multi-layered. But the wine is not showy, it's restrained. The aromatic profile is text-book with its tobacco leaf, smoke, cassis, blackberry, wet earth and herbal notes. The texture is masculine and refined, with a finish that doesn't quit. An hour at most is all this needs in the decanter. 5,631 Views Tasted Jul 31, 2019Very close to full maturity here. Hey, it only took 28 years! But the wait was worth it. The soft, elegant, refined, austerity that belongs to Pauillac is shining brightly here. The wine is fresh, full bodied, effortless to drink and serves up its blend of forest leaf, tobacco, cedar, cassis, smoke and cigar wrapper without being asked. Perhaps another year or two will a bit more nuance, but at close to 30, this is where it needs to be, for prime time drinking. 7,652 Views Tasted Jul 24, 2018This just keeps getting better every time I taste it! Perfectly ripe fruit, elegant, refined and full bodied, with rich, lush textures, length, mouth filling and intense, this is drinking beautifully. 6,318 Views Tasted Sep 25, 2017What a super wine. Combining power, sweet, perfectly ripe fruits, lush, regal tannins and a finish that does not quit, this is drinking great today. 6,308 Views Tasted Jul 15, 2016Rich, full, deep, long and concentrated, the tannins are soft and silky. The palate relishes the layers of sweet cassis and blackberry, complemented by the earthy, tobacco and cigar box notes. This is so good now and there is room for improvement. 6,786 Views Tasted Dec 22, 2014By coincidence, I was lucky enough to taste and compare 1990 Pichon Baron with 1989 Pichon Baron from perfect bottles, two different times over a two week period, with consistent results. The 1990 is rich, luscious, opulent, refined, concentrated, complex and for me, a compelling wine that is drinking perfectly today. The 1989 is firm, tannic, more structured and did not become truly civilized until it was decanted for at least three hours. After 3 hours, the 1989 began to blossom, lose its tannic edge and while it remained classic (in all the right ways. The 1990, with its lush, soft, silky tanniis the best of all possible worlds. You can drink it today, as it really shows its stuff. You can also age for at least another 15-20 years. The 1989, which is not as much fin to drink today could improve for another 30-40 years. This one of the most fun back to back wines to compare these days as it is as much about the wines as it is about the tasters. 8,377 Views Tasted Jul 8, 2013A great wine tasting experience telegraphs its intentions from the first sniff of its perfume. The moment the cork popped, we were treated to a wave of cassis. Truffle, tobacco, blackberry, forest floor and spice aromas only added to the experience. Concentrated, rich and refined, the wine combines power and elegance. There is a lot of purity and freshness in the long, supple finish. This is drinking great today. There is no reason to wait before popping a bottle. That being said, if your bottle has been well stored, it should continue to evolve and add levels of complexity for another decade or more. This is the finest vintage of Pichon Baron made between 1961 and 2009. I think the 2010 is probably a better wine, but with a 20 year head start, the 1990 is the wine to have. 11,383 Views Tasted Jan 12, 2013If you're a Bordeaux lover, buy this wine. If you're wondering about what a maturing Bordeaux is like, buy this wine. If you've always wanted to know why people become so entrenched with Bordeaux, buy this wine. By now, you're getting the point, buy this wine. It gets better and better with age. The beautiful nose grabs your attention with is cigar box, forest floor, licorice, cassis, earth, blackberry, spice box and liqueur scents. But the party really gets going when the rich, sensuous, concentrated, silky wine hits your palate. It's smooth, polished, elegant and strong. Clearly, this is First Growth in quality. It's drinking perfectly today and I would not be surprised to find it drinking even better 20 years from now. Did I mention you should buy this wine? 10,175 Views Tasted Oct 10, 2012Cassis, blackberry, tobacco, wet earth and spicy aromatics lead to a full bodied, youthful, concentrated, deep, intense Pauillac. The is power with polish. While the 1990 Pichon Baron is showing great today, it's only getting started. This is probably the best showing I've had for this wine yet. It keeps getting better and better! Well stored examples could easily last and improve for another 2 -3 decades. 11,931 Views Tasted Jun 18, 2012No matter how many times I taste this wine, I am never bored with it. Each tasting offers something new to discover. Interestingly, at this blind tasting, two bottles of 1990 Pichon Baron were opened. The first bottle was defective, the cork crumbled into pieces and the wine seemed cooked. The second bottle was stunning! Intense aromas of tobacco, spice box, leather, Cuban Cigars, creme de cassis, blackberries, earth, truffle and wet earth could not be avoided. Thick, intense, rich and concentrated, everything was in perfect balance and harmony. There was not a hard edge to be found, The finish lasted close to 60 seconds. This stunning Pauillac gets better every time I taste it. There is no reason to think that pattern is not going to continue! 11,216 Views Tasted Oct 24, 2011Splendid aromas of cassis, cedar, black fruits and more were all over the place! On the palate, your senses enjoy an ocean of soft, rich, ripe, concentrated, velvety Bordeaux fruit. Fabulous texture! Everything here is in balance and the wine ends with a very, long, clean finish. After tasting so many wines, this stood out from minute one! Truly, this is one of the stars of the vintage. 6,977 Views Tasted Jun 15, 2010Aromatics of cassis, choclate, tobacco, truffle and spice filled your glass. In the mouth, massive layers of ripe, dark fruit brought a smile to your face. Ripe and round in style, this plush, potent, elegant Bordeaux is the real deal. 6,857 Views Tasted Jun 15, 2009This has a lot in common with the 89. The difference is, the 90 is a little more elegant with a roasted quality. The 89 also appears to have a bit more tannin and structure. Still youthful, this gem of a wine offers an ocean of ripe, spicy, black fruit, licorice, chocolate and more spice. The perfect definition of powerful, elegance. I bought a lot of this wine on release for $35. I should have purchased more. 6,848 Views Tasted Oct 1, 2008This text book Pauillac offers a gorgeous nose of cassis, black fruit, spices and tobacco. Wonderful, expansive palate. Tremendous levels of concentration, depth and complexity. 6,778 Views Tasted Nov 15, 2007Deep, dark, ruby color. Scents of cedar, black cherries, jammy blackberries, truffles, licorice and coffee. Full bodied. Great palate presence. Stylistically, this wine perfectly melds power, opulence and elegance. Molten, spicy cherries and licorice caress your palate. Very long, rich, luxurious finish. 6,784 Views Tasted Feb 1, 2006This gets better each time I taste it. If you love Bordeaux, this is a must have wine. Earthy notes with cassis, truffles, coffee and forest scents fill the glass. The wine is very rich and full bodied. The mouth feel is deep, but not heavy. It's rich, elegant and plush. A mini Latour? In 5 years this will be a monster! 6,934 Views Tasted Feb 20, 2005Black fruits, earth, and black cherries blend in nicely with oak aromas. The wine is full-bodied, but compared to the Guraud, it’s a completely different animal. The texture is very rich and silky. It’s much more opulent and at this stage than the Gruaud, and it offers more pleasure to taste 6,944 Views Tasted Apr 25, 2004 |
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1989
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
I am fortunate to taste this gem at least once a year, and it consistently delivers an incredible Pauillac experience. Loaded with cedar, lit cigar, tobacco leaf, peppery spice, herbs, currants and blackberry, this wine remains perfectly perched on the precipice of balance and power. Everything about this is just great! 5,296 Views Tasted Oct 18, 2021Superb in every way, this is a stellar example of Pauillac. Full-bodied, powerful, a bit reserved and yet regal, the wine is long, rich, and intense with a gorgeous combination of cedar, cigar wrapper, earth, spice and ripe, juicy currants. Drink this now, or in a decade. 5,669 Views Tasted Nov 25, 2020At 30 years of age, this is a rock star Pauillac! It combines power, refinement, polished tannins, ripe, juicy, bright fruit, tobacco, cedar and cigar box notes that hit you with their full-force. The wine is rich and mouth-filling. The tannins are soft, polished and long, there is freshness and purity of fruit in the finish that hangs with you for close to 50 seconds. This could get a bit better, or not. So if your bottles are in great shape, drink it now and over the next 12-15 years for maximum enjoyment, before it begins its gentle decline. 6,219 Views Tasted Mar 10, 2019This wine just keeps getting better and better. The tannins have really become quite silky. Concentrated, round, long, deep and complex, the wine feels like each berry has been polished with velvet. There is more than enough layers of fruit here to keep any taster busy. The wine continued improving in the glass for hours. This has morphed into a true classic example of a great, fully mature Pauillac that is well worth the money asked today. 6,857 Views Tasted Apr 15, 2017This just keeps getting better, year after year. This could be the best showing yet. Silky, refined, long, complex and concentrated. The wine is packed with its tobacco, cedar, smoke, cassis and spicy characteristics. This is a very complete experience. 6,831 Views Tasted Nov 26, 2016This textbook Pauillac is showing great today. The tobacco, blackberry, earth, cedar and cigar box aromas really pop. Full bodied, concentrated, rich and long, the wine lingers and builds. If you have a bottle, this is a great time to taste it. 7,797 Views Tasted Jul 15, 2016Over the past few years, this has really started to kick into high gear. The wall of fruit and tannin has softened and developed, offering a long wave of rich, deep, concentrated, earthy fruits. At 25 years of age, you can enjoy this now, or wait another decade and it's only going to get better. 8,177 Views Tasted Jul 26, 2014By coincidence, I was lucky enough to taste and compare 1989 Pichon Baron and 1990 Pichon Baron from perfect bottles, two different times over a two week period, with consistent results. While the 1990 is rich, luscious, opulent, refined, concentrated and drinking perfectly today, the 1989 was firm, tannic, more structured and did not become truly civilized until it was decanted for at least three hours. After 3 hours, the wine began to blossom, lose its tannic edge and while it remained classic (in all the right ways) the long, fresh, cassis filled finish seemed to go on and on. The 1990 will age for at least another 15-20 years, but the 1989 could improve for another 30-40 years. 9,004 Views Tasted Jul 8, 2013Powerful, tannic, structured and classic, with a cedar, tobacco, crème de cassis, blackberry, truffle, earth and forest floor perfume, there is a lot going on in this Pichon Baron. However, it could use a few more years to soften and develop. 10,561 Views Tasted May 7, 2012Familiar scents of cedar, cassis, tobacco, cassis, blackberry, earth and cigar box, led me to Pauillac. Big, dense tannic and masculine, the wine has developed a bit of firmness in its personality. It’s in a drink or hold stage. I’d probably give it a few more years, hoping it will soften. 11,166 Views Tasted Mar 27, 2012Now we're talking! And I love what it has to say. The deep ruby color looks great in the glass. Cedar, cassis, tobacco, truffles and spice get your senses going. Deeply concentrated with layer upon layer of rich, ripe Cabernet and blackberry glide over your palate. This wine perfectly combines power with elegance. Still young, as good as it is, it's going to get even better over the next several years 7,246 Views Tasted Oct 1, 20111989 Pichon Baron is filled with ripe plums, cassis, Asian spice, licorice, earth, coffee, truffle and forest floor aromas. This full bodied, intense, concentrated wine is powerful. With round tannins and multiple layers of ripe, juicy cassis, this wine offers a text book Pauillac experience. While not in the lush style of the 90, this is wine Bordeaux lovers should have in their cellars. It's still young and it's only going to get better with age. 95 Pts 11,185 Views Tasted Dec 12, 2010The dark ruby color looks great in the glass. Cedar, cassis, tobacco, truffles, and spice get your senses going. Deeply concentrated and full bodied with layer upon layer of rich, ripe cabernet and blackberry that glides over your palate. This wine perfectly combines power with elegance. 7,380 Views Tasted Jun 18, 2009Big, beefy and structured as well as more tannic, this is a very impressive wine. Boat loads of spicy cassis and ripe blackberries greet your nose. The stellar levels of concentration found in this perfectly balanced wine make it a treat for your intellect and senses. This is classic and classy Pauillac that will continue to improve for years. 7,260 Views Tasted Feb 10, 2008Firing on all cylinders. This concentrated wine was chocked full of ripe, rich Cabernet fruit. The long clean, pure finish remained with you. 7,289 Views Tasted Jun 15, 2006This powerful, elegant Bordeaux offeres an intoxicating perfume of cassis, smoke, earth, black raspberries, coffee and spices. This full bodied, richly concentrated wine coated your palate with layers of fabulous, deep, rich, fruit. The wine had it all, attack, beautiful mid-palate and lengthy finish. 7,320 Views Tasted Mar 1, 2006Still young, this larger-scaled wine offers layers of thick, ripe, black fruit, spices and cassis. Powerful and balanced. 7,188 Views Tasted Feb 27, 2006Textbook Paulliac. Boat loads of cassis, earth, dark fruit and tobacco fill your glass. At 17 years old, it’s still very young. Fresh, plush, long and round in style, this is only going to get better. 7,266 Views Tasted Dec 20, 2005 |
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1988
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
I found this lone bottle during a recent cellar clean up. It was a nice surprise as it's fully ready to go. Classic in all the right ways, with its cedar wood, tobacco, smoke, cigar box, wet earth and cassis nose. The wine maintains a firm, rustic charm to its tannins, with notes of green olive and herbs poking through the crisp cassis finish. If you're seeking an old school experience, that is more correct than charming, this could be the wine you're looking for. 5,050 Views Tasted Aug 13, 2015 |
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1986
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Medium/full bodied, with an austere side to its tannic character, the fruit is bright and acidi, leaving with a cassis and cranberry, tobacco dominated character. 4,582 Views Tasted Apr 16, 2016 |
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1985
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Adequate and correct, the cedar wood, tobacco, lead pencil and hints of red, smoky fruit on the nose were much better than the austere, strict, bright red fruit on the palate. Fully mature, the wine requires drinking. 4,229 Views Tasted Nov 12, 2017Better than expected, but clearly, this the depth, concentration and freshness found in subsequent vintages starting with 1989. Medium bodied, firm some tartness and slightly drying in the finish, better on the nose than on the palate, this requires drinking sooner than later. 3,535 Views Tasted May 7, 2015 |
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1982
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Medium bodied, austere and not exactly lean, but there is not a lot of meat on these bones. Yes, you find tobacco, cedar and piquant cassis on the nose. But there is a stern, austere lean to the bright red berries. The wine is starting to dry out. If you have a bottle, you should drink it much sooner than later, before it dries out even further. 3,482 Views Tasted Dec 16, 2017Light ruby in color, with spice, truffle, cassis and tobacco in the perfume, this medium/full bodied wine is full mature and requires consumption over the next 5 years. The wine ended with short cassis and bitter chocolate flavors. 9,212 Views Tasted Jan 24, 20131982 Pichon Baron is one of those wines that is all about the bottle. This bottle was better than most with its tobacco, cedar wood, lead pencil and cassis notes that screamed Pauillac. It was not refined, and there was a touch of austerity in its character, but it offered a lot of charm. Fully mature, further time in the cellar is just pushing your luck. 7,221 Views Tasted Oct 28, 2012From a magnum, the wine showed ruby with bricking colors. Aromas of hot bricks, smoke, cassis, earth and tobacco combined with soft round textures and a medium length cassis, kirsch and plum filled finish. This is fully mature and should be enjoyed sooner than later 9,462 Views Tasted Jun 29, 2010Traditionally styled with an austere personality, this medium weight wine offers a nice cassis nose with hints of tobacco and earthy aromatics. In the mouth, the wine seems to have dried a bit over the past few years. The once robust personality has become a little lean and angular. The wine needs to be drunk up. 7,119 Views Tasted Nov 1, 2009Coffee, tar, cedar and cassis. This is a thick, chewy, fruit filled wine. This is probably mature, but there is no hurry to drink it 4,509 Views Tasted Jan 10, 2008 |
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1979
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Considering the age and the vintage, not so bad if you seeking an anniversary or birthday wine. Old-school in style, with more secondary notes of tobacco leaf, cedar chest, forest floor, peppery herbs and bright, crisp, crunchy red currants. Rustic, but charming, there is no reason for further aging. 6,310 Views Tasted Apr 10, 2022 |
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1978
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Past maturity, the fruit here is slipping away. Now you find an herb, green pepper leaf, mint, tobacco, cedar, cigar box, cranberry, and sharp red berry character. Medium-bodied, bright and closing in on overly tart, this requires drinking sooner than later. 4,513 Views Tasted Feb 2, 2020 |
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1977
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Served double blind, I was sure it was an over the hill Pauillac. I was surprised to discover it was from one of the worst vintages of the decade. Still, some pleasure could be found in the light red fruits and cassis, with its tobacco notes on top. While very light, it was not a bad wine. 3,663 Views Tasted Dec 14, 2015 |
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1976
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Green, rustic and with more tartness than sweet in the fruit, the medium-bodied wine is clearly drying out and needs to be consumed sooner than later before the last remnants of the red currants and cranberry fade any further. 2,856 Views Tasted Apr 8, 2022 |
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1967
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
A success in a difficult vintage, the wine was more about its secondary aromatics, than the fading, palate. If you have a bottle, pop a cork before more of the fruit is replaced by acidity. 2,812 Views Tasted Apr 15, 2017 |
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1966
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Rough and ready, the wine, which has faded from its glory is still offering pleasure. Strict in style, yet not without oldschool, cedar chest, tobacco, cigar, herb and forest floor scents and chewy tannins, it's a fun look at a full mature wine from the old days. 5,063 Views Tasted Apr 15, 2017 |
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1962
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Dried rose petals, cedar chest, tobacco leaf, cigar box, spice, forest leaves, and, bright red currants pop as soon as the wine hits the glass. Medium-bodied, with peppery strawberries, kirsch, cedar, tobacco, and peppery, leafy herbs are all over the fresh, crisp, refined, elegant palate. I was surprised by how good this wine was, as I seldom get the chance to taste 1962 Bordeaux. What a treat! Drink from 2022-2027. 2,708 Views Tasted Oct 26, 2022 |
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1961
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
It has been 6 years since I last tasted this wine, and it hasn't skipped a beat, or lost any of its charm. The bottle has great provenance. I bought it from the original purchaser and it shows. Full bodied, concentrated and deep, the perfume, with all its tobacco, smoke, cigar wrapper, cedar, coffee bean, forest floor, smoke and cassis grabs you and keeps you. The fruit carries through to the finish with bright, red berry, spicy, tobacco-infused note that sticks with you for close to 50 seconds. At close to 60 years of age, this is just sublime! 4,111 Views Tasted May 31, 2018Tobacco, truffle, cassis, earth, smoke, cedar, lead pencil, forest floor and spice aromas produced a complex perfume. Fully mature, the wine ended with a rich, full bodied, sturdy sensation of spice, earth and cassis. It's always a treat to taste wines that have hit the half century mark. At 50 years of age, when a well stored bottle can deliver the goods, that says a lot about the wine. Large formats of this wine should be even better! 4,675 Views Tasted Jan 2, 2012Brick hued and very aromatic with huge doses of cassis and earth notes. This powerful, fully mature Pauillac kept improving in the glass for almost 2 hours before peaking and gently sliding downhill 3,340 Views Tasted Nov 12, 2006 |
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1959
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
What a treat! This stunner pops with a blend of tobacco, cigar wrapper, ash, cassis, cold steel, iron, smoke, cedar and wet forest floor notes. Supple textured with sweet, ripe, soft, red fruits, herbs and spice in the finish. The quality remained consistent for about 2 hours. It might have lasted longer, but we polished off the bottle by that point. The sunny quality of the growing season really shines through here. 5,067 Views Tasted Jun 5, 2018Light in color and equally light in wine as well. What little pleasure was left seemed in a hurry to leave the table as the wine quickly died in glass. The austere, lean and charmless wine is not something I would look for in the market today. According to the Chateau, this was not a great period of Pichon Baron and this bottle did not disprove that notion. 6,691 Views Tasted Dec 1, 2008 |
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1957
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Medium/full bodied, with a bright, acidic, sweet and tart red fruit profile, the wine is medium bodied, with a peppery, cranberry and citrus leaning finish. You have to appreciate wine with a lot of freshness here, but I sort of liked it. 3,304 Views Tasted Jun 5, 2018 |
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1953
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
This knockout was gorgeous with all of its cigar wrapper, red currants, herbs, smoke, spice, truffle, rocks, and stones. Refined, elegant, and with just enough, bright red berries in the finish to keep it interesting, with luck, the 89 and 90 could be this good, or better at the same age. Drink from 2023-2030. 2,060 Views Tasted Sep 1, 2023Like walking into a tobacco store in the forest, the wine felt, smelt and tasted great, if you dig all that earthy, old school character as much as I do. Not a wine to age, but to savor and remember how things were 2 generations ago. 4,105 Views Tasted Apr 15, 2017 |
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1952
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Dramatically better than the previous bottle, perhaps this was helped by the fact that the bottle was intact with the original cork. Regardless, the wine offered a display of olives, red berries, cigar box, ashes, tobacco, and a blend of strawberry and currants on the nose and palate. A bit rustic, chewy and vibrant, the finish, with its spicy accented red fruits and leafy notes was just great. Drink from 2022-2028. 1,857 Views Tasted Sep 24, 2022Fading, but still with more than enough to keep you interested with all its tobacco, cigar box, cedar, wet earth, forest and light cherries. Slightly rustic, but not stern, just a real fine example of old school Pauillac. 3,016 Views Tasted Apr 15, 2017Like walking into a smoke filled bar, where everyone is happily puffing away on cigars and cigarettes. Next add truffle, stone, cigar ash, cedar wood, cedar wood and sweet cherries. Sporting the silky, older, patina of age, that delivers a green pepper and cassis finish. OK, I admit, there is a bit more romance than quality with this wine, but it really delivers a lot of vintage character and charm. For full disclosure, this bottle was from the chateau where it has not moved since it was bottled. Other bottles might not show as well. 4,324 Views Tasted May 8, 2014 |
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1950
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
This was outstanding. The smoky, tobacco, cedarwood, wet forest, herb, old leaf and cherry nose kept you busy. The palate was just as good, serving up layers of sweet, earthy red berries with a distinctive salty tone in the finish. 3,083 Views Tasted Oct 16, 2018 |
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1943
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
I almost never see war years wines, especially from a magnum. So this was an extraordinary rarity. The blue, green tints in the misshaped bottled was gorgeous, and a bit better than the wine. This tasted like bottled history with a rusticity to the texture and strong green, peppery, herbal, cedar, and tobacco wrapper notes with the last remaining vestiges of bright red currants and cranberry. But at the end of the day, it was the sharing of the wine with friends that made this such a great experience. 3,266 Views Tasted Apr 10, 2022 |
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1937
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
It was an unbelievable thrill to taste this bottle as it approached its 80th birthday! From a bottle stored at the chateau its entire life, the wine started out great, with a nose of cigar box, tobacco, earth, spice, forest floor, smoke and hints of berries. Tea and light ruby in color, with a medium body, the first 10 minutes were filled with sweet red berries and cassis. However, the wine soon began to fade in the glass. Regardless of the score, this was an honor to taste that created a 100 Pt memory, and isn't that what all the best bottles are really for? 4,767 Views Tasted Jul 8, 2013 |
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1919
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Pale, rosehip tea in color, the wine has taken on sherry characteristics on top of the light, bright red fruits. It's a drinkable part of history. 1,465 Views Tasted Aug 22, 2019 |
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1900
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Smells of tobacco, truffles, barnyard, tea, cedar, cassis and an array of ground spices meet your nose. This was amazingly young and fresh for 109 years old! The mouth starts with an aged patina of blackberry and cassis. The wine took over an hour before gently fading away. I wonder what vintages like 1989, 1990, 2000 or 2005 will be like at 100 years of age? I imagine they will probably be even better. 5,505 Views Tasted Dec 7, 2009 |
