Les Tourelles de Longueville 2012 - Second Vin du Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

The estate’s flagship wine is produced directly across from 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 the Bordeaux region. All recent vintages are remarkable, sharing the same classic character derived from the dominant Cabernet Sauvignon and the mineral and graphite notes of the terroir. The second wine, Tourelles, has improved significantly, but the real novelty is the introduction of another wine, Griffons, in 2012, made from young vines in prime terroirs, and highly successful.

Decanter

About the wine:

Deep red color, smoky nose with notes of graphite and blackcurrant; a rich Pauillac with excellent structure.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

The original vineyard was established in the 17th century by Jacques de Pichon, Baron de Longueville. Divided in two in 1850, part of the estate went to Raoul de Pichon-Longueville (the other part becoming Pichon Comtesse), who had the current château built there. Inspired by the château at Azay-le-Rideau, the building contrasts with the horizontal lines of the winery built after the estate was purchased in 1987 by Axa Millésimes. The insurer undertook major renovation work there, led by Jean-Michel Cazes, then by Christian Seely, with Jean-René Matignon overseeing technical management. Since 2001, the selection policy has been intensified: only 40 hectares of the 73 that make up this exceptional terroir—composed of fine Garonne gravel and located immediately adjacent to Latour—are now used for the grand vin.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

In 2012, Les Tourelles de Longueville revealed a ruby-purple hue that is slightly deeper, richer, and more complex than Les Griffons. Honestly, this doesn’t feel like a second wine. It is a truly beautiful wine with intense notes on the nose of crème de cassis, charcoal, and graphite. Full-bodied, silky, and delicate, it is a superb second wine—certainly one of the best I’ve tasted from this vintage.

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

About the estate:

This magnificent Second Growth has produced a series of truly stunning wines and has established itself at the very top of the Médoc hierarchy. Impossible to miss from the Château Route, the sumptuous estate of "Pichon Baron" has been completely renovated from top to bottom in less than two decades, and the team led by Christian Seely is doing exemplary work that has propelled Pichon Baron to the pinnacle of Médoc wines. The winemaking facilities and aging cellar, along with the vineyard—which has been extensively replanted—have enabled the estate to achieve a historic level of quality in recent vintages. Note 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 the wine:

Early tasting. This wine offers beautiful depth of aroma, with pronounced tannins and ripe fruit. Château Pichon Longueville’s second wine is filled with aromas of blackcurrant, the hallmark of this vintage.