Château Pichon Baron Pauillac 2020 - 2nd Grand Cru Classé

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

The estate's grand vin is produced just opposite Château Latour, on perfectly drained gravel soils that benefit from the microclimate of the Gironde riverbanks. Pichon possesses the vigor and power of the greatest Médoc wines, in a very pure style lovingly overseen by Jean-René Matignon, one of the most experienced technical directors in Bordeaux. All recent vintages are remarkable, with the same classic character linked to the dominant Cabernet Sauvignon and the mineral and graphite notes of the terroir. The second wine, Tourelles, has improved considerably, but the real novelty is the appearance of another wine, Griffons, in 2012, made from young vines from the great terroirs, and very successful.

Decanter

About wine:

Soft and delicately aromatic, yet rich, full of coffee, mocha, dark chocolate, caramel, and medicinal herbs—mint and anise—with a combination of red, blue, and black berries. The palate is beautifully dense and full-bodied, very tannic but broad with an airy effect that prevents it from being heavy, with a vibrant juiciness and great length. The tannins make the first impression with a velvety texture and chalky minerality, but they are clean and the fruit has a crystalline purity that gives an overall impression of elegance and directness. Generous, elegant, and refined, but it has not yet reached its peak. 2029–2058

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

The original vineyard was established in the 17th century by Jacques de Pichon, Baron of Longueville. Divided in two in 1850, part of the estate went to Raoul de Pichon-Longueville (the other part becoming Pichon Comtesse), who built the current château. Inspired by Azay-le-Rideau, the building contrasts with the horizontal lines of the cellar built after Axa Millésimes bought the estate in 1987. The insurance company undertook major renovation work, led by Jean-Michel Cazes, then Christian Seely, with Jean-René Matignon as technical director. Since 2001, the selection policy has been intensified: only 40 hectares of the 73 hectares of this exceptional terroir, made up of beautiful Garonne gravel and located in the immediate vicinity of Latour, are now used for the grand vin.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

This beautiful second growth has produced a series of truly stunning wines and ranks at the top of the Médoc hierarchy. Impossible to miss from the château road, the sumptuous residence of "Pichon Baron" has been completely refurbished in less than two decades, and Christian Seely's team is doing an exemplary job of bringing Pichon Baron to the top of the Médoc crus. The winemaking facilities and aging cellar, as well as the vineyard, which has been largely replanted, have enabled it to achieve a historic level of quality in recent vintages. It should be noted that the second wine is now called Les Griffons de Pichon Baron, as Les Tourelles has become a separate brand with its own independent vineyard.

Wine Enthusiast

About wine:

With a color intensity that matches the intensity of the taste and sensation, this wine coats your palate with its multiple layers of rich, dark, deep, black and dark red fruits, combined with smoke, tobacco, Cuban cigars, spices, dark chocolate and burning oak embers. This incredible wine is perfectly balanced between power and intensity, with an almost infinite, flawless, regal, and refined finish. This is clearly one of the greatest vintages of Pichon Baron of all time. Drink between 2028 and 2065.

Vinous

About wine:

Pichon Baron 2020 is just as magnificent as it was when first released. A wine of vertical intensity and explosive power, the 2020 offers an exotic blend of red and black fruits, espresso, licorice, menthol, gravel, and dried herbs. This powerful and dynamic Pauillac needs time to blossom. It combines the fruity intensity of a hot year with the driving energy of a cool year. The 2020 is a magnificent Pichon Baron. 2028–2050

James Suckling

About wine:

Fabulous aromas of blackcurrant, blueberry, crushed stone, graphite, and pencil lead. Some violets and other flowers too. A full-bodied wine with incredibly enveloping tannins, whose texture is reminiscent of the finest velvet. The structure is superb, with great tension and concentration. Flawless. This wine could be the new 1990, or even better. Try after 2028.

Yves Beck

About wine:

The 2020 Pichon Baron was aged in 70% new barrels and 30% one-wine barrels for 18 months. Production represents 48% of the 73 hectares of vineyards. A personality has a mission to meet expectations. Admittedly, this is a double-edged sword, especially when you are a wine product and climatic and human factors are only predictable to a limited extent. Pichon Baron presents itself with its usual serenity. The woodiness is there, but only as an accompaniment, while classic nuances of graphite and black berries quickly take over. The precision on display is breathtaking, almost disconcerting, as we find the markers that have made this wine one of the greatest in Bordeaux! Perhaps even in the universe and beyond, but we must remain on earth, and since it is also there, we might as well stay there. A dazzling wine in its execution, its relevance and, ultimately, its persistence, ideally complemented by a refreshing and structuring acidity. A great wine for aging! 2027-2055