| Region of Production: | Pauillac AOP |
| Winery Location: | Pauillac |
| Year Established: | 1694 |
| Classification: | second growth, Médoc 1855 |
Vineyard Holdings
73 ha
- 62% Cabernet Sauvignon
- 32% Merlot
- 3% Cabernet Franc
- 2% Petit Verdot
Top Wines Produced & Inaugural Vintages
- Château Pichon-Longueville
- Les Griffons de Pichon-Baron: A true second wine, produced from lots unsuitable for the grand vin. Inaugural vintage 2012.
- Les Tourelles de Longueville: A Merlot-dominated wine produced principally from a 14-ha Merlot parcel called St-Anne, acquired after AXA’s purchase. Inaugural vintage 1986.
Average Total Production
- 400,000 bottles
Summary
Château Pichon-Longueville, commonly known as Pichon-Baron, was founded in 1694 with the matrimonial union of Thérèse de Rauzan and Jacques de Pichon-Longueville. The existing vineyard L’Enclos Rauzan was enlarged, and the estate’s reputation improved through four generations of Pichon-Longueville ownership. In 1850, Joseph de Pichon-Longueville died and the estate split in two: Pichon-Baron and Pichon-Lalande. Joseph’s son Raoul inherited Pichon-Baron, building its château in 1851. The château remained with Raoul’s descendants until 1933. The Bouteiller family took control and presided over an uneven era that came to a close with its sale in 1987 to Jean-Michel Cazes’ AXA Millésimes. With AXA’s financial power behind it, the château has modernized its facilities and maximized its potential as a “Super Second” of Pauillac.
Château Pichon-Baron is adjacent to Château Pichon-Lalande and Château Latour on the southern side of Pauillac.
Style & Vinification Techniques
Unlike Pichon-Lalande, Pichon-Baron keeps the focus on Cabernet, with a typical assemblage for the grand vin incorporating at least 80% of the grape. It is a robust and muscular style; older vintages are typically more rustic, and the pre AXA-vintages are best eyed warily. (Critics lament the estate’s move to machine harvesting in the 1960s-1980s.) Proportions of new oak in the cellar have steadily increased since the late 1980s, and many fans of the estate contend it made its best wines ever in the 2000s.
Producer Website: Château Pichon-Longueville Baron