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Château Pichon-Longueville Baron
When talking about fine wine, it would be impossible to mention Château Pichon Baron without mentioning its sister, Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. Divided upon Baron Joseph’s death in 1850, the estate, which had been separate, before being joined, separated again. Joseph’s sons gained control of Pichon Baron (2/5th of the estate) while his daughters inherited Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande (3/5th of the estate). Much as Pichon Lalande is a very feminine wine, in complete contrast with Pichon Baron is a decidedly masculine Medoc.
Almost a Latour
Today the wine is closer to a Latour than a Lalande (Latour and Pichon Baron are neighbours). With identical deep gravel and clay terroir, Pichon Baron produces a full-bodied, rich wine that belies its second growth classification. The 73-hectare estate is planted with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Only the 40-hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are used for the first wine, and the blend varies year on year. The 2008, 71% Cabernet, 29% Merlot blend, currently trades in fine wine brokerage firms at €1,335 in bond for a case, while the 2009 (33% Merlot, 67% Cabernet Sauvignon) is valued at €2,178 in bond. 18,000 cases are produced annually.
AXA to the rescue
When French insurance group AXA bought Pichon Baron in the late 1980s, the estate was in borderline disrepair. Director General Christian Seeley set about a massive renovation project, and today one only has to look at the exquisite chateau and more notably its superb cellaring systems to understand that while this may have been expensive, it has also been a great success. Today, renowned oenologist Eric Boissenot (son of winemaker of the decade Jacques) consults, and it could be due to his guidance that the chateau has been increasing in quality year on year. All vintages in the last decade have consistently got over 90/100 points in blind tasting tests. 2017s prices were just shy of €1,394 a case, with an aggregate score of 94. However, fine wine investors might choose to look towards the 2008 or 2015 vintages as investments that might offer better returns.
Notable facts and vintages
  • James Molesworth remarked “The 2018 Château Pichon Baron Pauillac grand vin recalls 2016 for me” awarding a 94/98 barrel score in March 2019. Molesworth gave the “thumper” 2016 vintage a marginally more generous 96/99 barrel score, but investors should note that 2018 is “a very impressive wine in the making” and though slightly younger, a suggested drinking window and release price not dissimilar to 2016 - which experienced double digit increases year on year, according to global prices over at wine-searcher.
  • 2014 Chateau Pichon Baron may be more approachable in its pricing perhaps partly due to being overshadowed by more recent vintages of note, but as Neal Martin has speculated, the 2014 vintage may well prove to be “one of those over-performing Pauillacs, perhaps like the 1990 Pichon Baron, that will delight for years to come”.
  • 2009 and 2010 vintages received Le Guide Hachette du Vin’s “3 Stars” and the 2005 vintage received the “3 Stars Coup de Coeur”.