Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 2008 - Grand Cru Classé

Bettane & Desseauve

About the domain :

The estate's grand vin is produced just opposite Château Latour, on perfectly drained gravelly soil benefiting from the microclimate of the Gironde banks. Pichon possesses the vigor and power of the greatest Médocs, in a very pure style lovingly overseen by Jean-René Matignon, one of Bordeaux's most experienced technical directors. All recent vintages have been remarkable, with the same classicism of character linked to the dominant Cabernet Sauvignon and the mineral and graphite notes of the terroir. The second wine, tourelles, has made great progress, but the novelty is the appearance of another wine, griffons, in 2012, from young vines on the great terroirs, and very successful.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the domain :

The original vineyard was created in the 17th century by Jacques de Pichon, Baron de Longueville. Divided in two in 1850, part of the vineyard reverted to Raoul de Pichon-Longueville (the other part became Pichon Comtesse), who had the present château built. Inspired by Azay-le-Rideau, the building contrasts with the horizontal lines of the winery built after Axa Millésimes bought the estate in 1987. The insurer undertook major renovations under the direction of Jean-Michel Cazes, then Christian Seely, with Jean-René Matignon in charge of technical management. Since 2001, the selection policy has been intensified: only 40 ha of the 73 ha of this exceptional terroir, made up of fine Garonne gravel and immediately adjacent to 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 domain :

This very fine second growth has produced a series of truly astonishing wines, and has established itself at the top of the Médoc hierarchy. Impossible to miss from the Route des Châteaux, the sumptuous home of "Pichon Baron" has been refurbished from top to bottom in less than two decades, and the team around Christian Seely is doing an exemplary job of bringing Pichon Baron to the top of the Médoc crus. The winemaking facilities and ageing cellar, as well as the vineyard, which has been extensively replanted, have enabled it to achieve historic levels of quality in recent vintages. The second wine is now called Les Griffons de Pichon Baron, Les Tourelles having become a subsidiary brand with its own vineyard.