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

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:

Deep red color, smoky nose with aromas of graphite and blackcurrant, a rich Pauillac with beautiful structure.

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

About wine:

In 2012, Les Tourelles de Longueville reveals a slightly denser, richer, and more complex ruby/purplish color than Les Griffons. Honestly, it doesn't feel like a second wine. This is a beautiful wine with intense notes of crème de cassis, charcoal, and graphite on the nose. Full-bodied, silky, and delicate, this 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 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:

Pre-release tasting. This wine has beautiful depth of aroma, with pronounced tannins and ripe fruit. The second wine of Château Pichon Longueville is full of blackcurrant aromas, the hallmark of this vintage.