Chateau Pichon Baron Grand Cru Classé 2022
Country: France Region: Pauillac, Bordeaux
Varietal: 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot
Vintage: 2022 Colour: Red Style: Dry
Producer: Chateau Pichon Baron
Description:
Of all the wines made in France, those from the Pauillac region are the most acclaimed because, within their clear Bordeaux character, the excellent characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot make these wines outstanding when it comes to improving with age. The secret of their success lies in the soils on the left bank of the Gironde estuary which, composed of gravel and large pebbles, have extraordinary natural drainage. This is where you will find Château Pichon Longueville Baron, usually known as Pichon Baron, a hundred-year-old winery making wines that perfectly describe the essence of the best Bordeaux in the world.
Their excellent Château Pichon Baron wine comes from the oldest vines on the estate. These are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot vines found in a historic terroir classified as 2nd Grand Cru Classé in 1855, when Napoleon III requested a classification system for the best Bordeaux wines to be presented at the Universal Exhibition in Paris that same year. In the winery, the grapes are meticulously selected and destemmed and, after a controlled fermentation and maceration at a constant temperature, the wine is aged in 225-litre French oak barrels for 18 months.
This estate was acquired and rebuilt by the AXA insurance company in 1987 and Château Pichon Baron is still the flagship wine, with power and elegance in equal parts. An authentic, opulent and silky Pauillac that will improve with age for over 40 years.
98/100 Points
William Kelley, Wine Advocate, March 2025
"Aromas of sweet dark berries and cherries mingled with notions of cigar wrapper, pencil shavings and liquorice introduce the 2022 Pichon-Longueville Baron, a full-bodied, layered and multidimensional wine that's deep, dense and lively, with terrific concentration, sweet tannins and a long, penetrating finish. Integrated and serious, this hints at the lavishness inherent to the vintage, while remaining classic and controlled. This blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot was bottled in June."
98/100 Points
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, February 2025
"What a nose with complex aromas of blackberries, blackcurrants, graphite and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, this has layers of tannins and intense richness but is framed and held together by the phenolic structure. Vertical and deep, it goes on for minutes on the palate. Great finish. 81% cabernet sauvignon and 19% merlot. Give this five to six years to come together more."
97/100 Points
Neal Martin, vinous.com, February 2025
"The 2022 Pichon Baron was a knockout in barrel, though what matters is how it shows in bottle. This has retained the precision that I discerned previously: delineated scents of blackberry, bilberry and sea spray, just a light melted tar note percolating through with time. So Pauillac! The palate is medium-bodied with a core of sapid black fruit, white pepper and a patina of pencil lead. Perhaps this is a little tight after bottling as you would expect, yet there is linearity and grace about this Pauillac that is enthralling."
Tasting Notes:
Appearance: deep, brilliant purple.
Nose: complex and refined with ripe black fruit (blackcurrant, black cherry, blackberry), graphite, cedar, blond tobacco, fine spices and delicate floral notes.
Palate: broad, structured and harmoniously balanced. Powerful yet refined tannins integrate seamlessly with dense, velvety material. Saline freshness typical of Pauillac adds precision and poise. Long, persistent and elegant finish.
