2021 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron En Primeur
We loved the 2021 Pichon Baron when we tasted it and instinctively felt it was a superb wine, but couldn't quite put our finger on why. The critics' notes below help out, with a gamut of tasting descriptors, including "athletic", "nimble" and "penetrating"!
William Kelley calls it one of the real successes of the vintage and goes on to say "readers who overlook this wine will live to regret it. (94-96+ points)." With that rather stern warning, we recommend adding some to your cellar!
Bordeaux En Primeur, Landing in spring 2024.
To order, e-mail us at sales@richardkihl.ltd.uk
Producer Profile
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron, Pauillac
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron is a Deuxième Cru Classé estate in the commune of Pauillac. Originally part of a single estate known as Pichon with Pichon-Lalande, Pichon-Baron became a separate estate when, in 1850, in a Lear-like move, Baron Joseph de Pichon Longueville divided the estate between his five children on his death bed. His sons received the Pichon-Baron lands and his daughters received what became Pichon-Lalande.
Pichon Baron continued in the ownership of the Pichon-Longueville family until 1933. The estate was in decline through the 1960s and 70s until it was acquired by AXA insurance, who installed Jean-Michel Cazes to improve quality. Cazes was succeeded by Christian Seely in 2000, ushering in a new phase of far more successful vintages.
The 73 hectare vineyard is split into 4 plots and further subdivided into many small parcels, planted to 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.
| RED | 2021 | Château Pichon Baron | 75cl | £660 per case of 6 | Château Pichon Baron 2021 / / 75cl £660 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot. Cask sample. Distinctive Cabernet nose (highest percentage ever in the blend) with graphite and cassis notes. Very pure and precise. Dense, tight and assertive on the palate, the tannins abundant but just a little wayward. Needs time to settle. Very long finish. Enough substance for ageing. 12.9% Drink 2030 – 2046. 17 points" jancisrobinson.com (JL)------"...opens up nicely in the glass, revealing a straight-down-the-line, floral bouquet of violets intermingled with graphite notes. There is a delicacy about the aromatics that distinguishes it from recent vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, very pure and "athletic.” No extra fat here; instead, perhaps, slender like the Mouton-Rothschild, which is not a bad thing. Nimble might be a better word. Very fine. 93-95 points." Neal Martin, vinous.com, May 2022------"Gorgeous depth through the palate, plenty of character, enjoyable, clear power to the well structured tannins. There is less density than the past three vintages of Pichon Baron, but they focused instead savoury Cabernet-dominant fruits and added complexity by drawing out the fennel, rosemary and pencil lead character that keeps us firmly in Pauillac. Highest level of Cabernet Sauvignon ever (just more than 2018), with 70% new oak for ageing. Harvest through to October 8. 94 points". Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com, April 2022------"A brilliant achievement...opens in the glass with aromas of dark berries, blackcurrants, cigar wrapper, loamy soil, pencil shavings and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it's concentrated and penetrating, with terrific concentration and a beautifully refined, classy profile. A blend of fully 89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Merlot, it represents the wine this great estate could have produced in 1996. One of the real successes of the vintage, readers who overlook this wine will live to regret it. 94-96+ points." William Kelley, Wine Advocate (260), April 2022 ------"The 2021 Pichon-Baron is a dense, packed wine, its mid-weight structure notwithstanding. There is a lot of wine here, but readers have to be patient. Red-toned fruit, blood orange, mint, rose petal and cinnamon add layers of nuance, but more than anything else, the 2021 stands out for its persistence. 95-97 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"Blackcurrant, blueberry, violet and blackberry notes, as well as plenty of spices. Medium to full body with plenty of richness and blackcurrant and ink character. Tar and graphite, too. Precise and structured. Very Pichon Baron in nature here. 88% cabernet sauvignon. 96-97 points." James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, May 2022 |
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