2019 CH PICHON BARON 2ÈME CRU PAUILLAC - 3x300cl

Tasting Notes

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  Goedhuis, June 2020,
  Score: 95-97

  A compote of flavours thanks to layers of cassis, dark berries, lavender and eucalyptus. A full and ebullient wine, characteristically lush, rich and full. The fruit is wonderfully polished and the tannins provide a muscular presence. This makes a statement and isn’t shy in expressing its class and origins. Excellent.

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  Neal Martin, June 2020,
  Score: 96-98

  The 2019 Pichon-Longueville Baron was picked from 18 September to 11 October, fermented between 25-29°C and aged in 80% new oak for a planned 18 months. This year it represents just under half the production from their 73 hectares of vine. It has a very refined bouquet, perhaps a little more understated than the 2018, a more cerebral nose with predominantly black fruit laced with cedar, tobacco and a beguiling estuarine scent that becomes more prominent with time. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit framed by super-fine tannins that lend this a silky smooth, creamy texture. Certainly this is a rich Pichon-Baron, though it retains all the classicism you could ask for. Very fine salinity comes through on the finish with a persistent spice; after tasted that beckons you back for more. This is an outstanding Pauillac. Tasted twice with consistent notes. Drink 2025 - 2060

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  Antonio Galloni, June 2020,
  Score: 96-98

  The 2019 Pichon-Baron is a wine of extraordinary depth and resonance. Inky dark red/purplish berry fruit, pomegranate, chocolate, licorice and spice are all lavishly expressed in a sumptuous Pauillac loaded with character. Time in the glass brings out the wine's depth and vertical explosiveness. There is so much going on here.

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  Wine Advocate, June 2020,
  Score: 97-100

  The 2019 Pichon-Longueville Baron is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot, harvested from the 18th of September to the 11th of October. It is being aged in French oak barrels, 80% new, for 18 months. This grand vin represents 49% of the harvest. Very deep purple-black in color, the nose skyrockets from the glass with vibrant scents of freshly crushed blackberries, black raspberries and blackcurrant pastilles followed by perfumed sparks of fragrant earth, clove oil, lilacs, crushed rocks, molten chocolate and cinnamon toast. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with layer upon layer of black fruit, mineral and exotic spices, framed by beautifully ripe, finely-grained tannins and tons of freshness, finishing with a lingering soft-spoken whisper of floral and earth notions. This is an absolutely beguiling expression that is classic Pauillac and yet it is Pauillac like no other.

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  James Suckling, June 2020,
  Score: 97-98

  Very polished with creamy, lightly chewy tannins and layers of texture. Real cabernet sauvignon here. It’s full-bodied with pretty blackberry and blueberry character. Chocolate, too. Long, intense finish of fine, lightly dusty tannins. Tight and focused. Such finesse and class. 87% cabernet sauvignon and 13% merlot.

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  Decanter, June 2020,
  Score: 97

  Firm tannic grip lands you squarely in Pauillac from the first moment, with pencil lead and charcoal reinforcing the point. This is a serious Pichon Baron, carefully extracted black fruits that barely put a foot wrong, and a firm core of acidity. Takes its time to open in the glass, and will age for decades without breaking a sweat. 80% new oak. 49% of production in this wine. Drinking Window 2029 - 2048

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  Jancis Robinson, June 2020,
  Score: 18+

  Deep purple-black to the rim. Powerful but less obviously muscular this year. Pure, precise and fragrant, the tannins plentiful but really refined. Lovely fruit and texture with a pervading freshness that persists. Length on the finish. Up with the best from this estate (2010, 2016). (JL) Drink 2030 – 2050

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  Wine Cellar Insider, June 2020,
  Score: 98-100

  The 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% alcohol with a pH of 3.74, the Grand Vin represents only 45% of the harvest, which took place between September 18 - October 9.

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Producer

Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

Along with Pichon Lalande, this estate was only one of two Pauillacs to be classified as a secondgrowth in 1855. They have rivalled each other ever since. However, Pichon Baron has remained inthe shadow of its more illustrious neighbour often enabling it to provide good value for money.