Château Pichon Baron 2006

$177.00
Out of stock
SKU
4435-2006

• Domaine: Château Pichon Longueville Baron
• Appellation: Pauillac
• Classification: Second Growth, 2ème Grand Cru Classé
• Origin: Left Bank, Bordeaux, France

With its gothic spires and sapphire-blue reflecting pool, Château Pichon Longueville Baron looks like a fairytale castle come to life.  The stunning grounds are easily identifiable, and some of the most photographed in the Médoc.  One would never assume that such an idyllic, picturesque structure would be a producer of the highly powerful and muscular wines that are the stylistic signature of this Pauillac powerhouse of a producer.

The history of this famous Second Growth estate dates back to the Grand Siecle - “Great Century” - of France during the reign of Louis XIV.  The first vineyard plots of this property were close to Château Latour in the left bank appellation of Pauillac. It was the typical fashion of the day for estates to be passed amongst the noble families through marriage or inheritance, and the story of Château Pichon Longueville is no different.  After the marriage of Therese de Rauazan to Baron Jacques Pichon de Longueville in 1697, the estate was created.  Eventually the property was passed to Baron Joseph de Pichon Longueville who managed the property at just 19 years old.  He divided the large estate in two before his death.  He gave Château Pichon Baron to his two sons and what would later be known as the illustrious “Super Second,” Château Pichon Comtesse de Lalande, to his three daughters. Interestingly enough, wine critics believe that Château Pichon Baron has a more masculine style and Château Pichon Comtesse de Lalande has a more feminine one.  The estate was ranked a Second Growth under the famous 1855 Classification.

After a period of neglect in the mid 20th Century, AXA Millésimes, the vineyard investment arm of a global insurance company, purchased the estate and vowed to restore it to its former glory.  The legendary Jean Michel Cazes of Château Lynch Bages took over management of Château Pichon Longueville Baron and turned things around.  The legendary wine critic, Robert Parker, used to bemoan the bottles of grand vin at the estate roasting in the sun during the 1960s and 1970s.  This is not the case under the watchful eye of Jean Michel Cazes.  Now the cellar is located underground, underneath the pool that is the focal point of the frontyard.  The estate’s 73-hectares of vineyards consisting of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc are diligently harvested grape by grape and parcel by parcel.  

Château Pichon de Longueville Baron is home to terroir that is considered a “winegrower’s paradise.”  Over the years, the vignerons at the estate have learned to nurture their precious vines, yielding highly concentrated and ripe fruit.  Production has been cut in half throughout the decades and the winemaking team at Château Pichon de Longueville Baron has no qualms sacrificing quantity to ensure the quality of their wine.  Perhaps it is the close proximity to the terroir of the First Growth powerhouse, Château Latour, that lends these wines the perfect balance of strength and refinement that is so often associated with the gems of Pauillac.  Some of the best vintages are massively extracted, flamboyant wines -- with aromas of cassis, tobacco, and cedar.  Current style is less emphasis on extraction, allowing the fruit to shine through, while presenting nature's true stories of the terroir.  Due to their incredible fortitude, these wines have the ageing potential to last for decades.

Two second wines are produced at Pichon Baron: Les Griffons de Pichon Baron, and Les Tourelles de Longueville.  Les Griffons is closer to the grand vin, with a balanced blend of Cabernet-Sauvignon and Merlot.  Les Tourelles is dominated by Merlot, made to be enjoyed young.

Tasting Notes

"Tasted at Bordeaux Index's annual 10-Year On tasting in London. The 2006 Château Pichon Baron has more red than black fruit on the nose, quite showy with hints of crème de cassis and then later it calms down to reveal classic pencil lead aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with a gentle grip in the mouth. This is quite assertive and grippy, although later vintages have evinced more precision and mineralité on the finish. Still, this is a fine if rather burly Pichon Baron. Tasted January 2016." Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate May 2016 (5/29/2016, Interim Issue) Rating: 91 Drink: 2018-2038


More Information
Stock Status Out of Stock
Appellation Pauillac
Vintage 2006
Brand Chateau Pichon Baron
Shipping Weight 3.000000

 

Pauillac is best known as the appellation that produces 3 of the 5 First Growths estates in Bordeaux. Blessed by an exceptional terroir, Pauillac is located in the northern part of the Médoc peninsula, on the Left Bank along the Gironde estuary, an ideal placement contributing to moderating the climate and providing optimal conditions for wine cultivation. Pauillac is bordered by two other prestigious wine appellations: Saint-Estèphe to the north and Saint-Julien to the south.

Pauillac's terroir, characterized by gravelly soils, is often considered one of the finest for the production of Cabernet Sauvignon, the predominant grape in Pauillac’s blends. The gravel helps with drainage and reflects heat, encouraging ripening and concentration of flavors in Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec grapes. Such exceptional predispositions explain that Pauillac is home to some of Bordeaux's most renowned and iconic wine estates. They include First Growths estates such as Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Mouton Rothschild, and Château Latour. Other famous estates include Château Pichon-Longueville Baron, Château Pichon-Lalande, Château Duhart-Milon, Château Pontet-Canet, Château Batailley, Château Lynch Bages, Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Château Grand-Puy Ducasse, Château Haut-Batailley, Château Lynch-Moussas, Château d'Armailhac, Château Haut-Bages Liberal, Château Pedesclaux, Château Clerc Milon, Château Croizet-Bages.

Pauillac wines are known for their deep color, complex aromas, and rich, full-bodied flavors, including notes of cassis, blackcurrant, cedar, tobacco, and graphite, with a pronounced tannic structure, which require several years or even decades of bottle aging to reveal their full potential. 

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