Pichon Baron 2020 is the grand vin of Château Pichon Longueville Baron, a Second Growth in southern Pauillac ranked in 1855. The 2020 is a firm, Cabernet-driven wine, aged about 18 months in 70% new oak, with decades of life ahead of it.
About This Wine
The 2020 blends 76% Cabernet Sauvignon with 24% Merlot. Only a little under half the crop made the cut for the grand vin, which then spent about 18 months in French oak, 70% of it new. The warm, dry 2020 season in the Médoc gave dense colour, ripe but firm tannin and bright acidity here. It is best left until the end of this decade before pulling a cork.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Crème de cassis, blackberry and graphite, with cedar, tobacco leaf and a trace of violet.
- Palate: Full and layered, black fruit held by fine, powdery tannin and a cool line of freshness through the middle.
- Finish: Spicy and persistent, with pencil shavings, liquorice and dark fruit.
Serving & Food
Best kept in the cellar until around 2029; it should then drink well into the 2040s. If you open one sooner, decant three hours ahead and serve at 17 to 18°C in large Bordeaux glasses. Roast rack of lamb, braised oxtail or a wedge of aged Comté all work well alongside.
How to Enjoy
Laying down a top Pauillac from a strong vintage, or marking a 2020 birth year or anniversary.
Product Details
Producer: Château Pichon Baron
Appellation: Pauillac, Bordeaux, France
Classification: Deuxième Grand Cru Classé (1855)
Vintage: 2020
Grape Blend: 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot
Ageing: About 18 months in French oak, 70% new
Volume: 750mL
About the Château
The estate dates from 1694, when vines near Latour formed part of Thérèse de Rauzan's dowry on her marriage to Baron Jacques de Pichon Longueville. An inheritance division in 1850 split the property: Baron Raoul's share became Pichon Baron, while the portion left to his three sisters became Pichon Comtesse across the road. Raoul built the turreted château in 1851, and both halves were classed as Second Growths four years later. The Bouteiller family owned it from 1933 until AXA Millésimes bought it in 1987, bringing in Jean-Michel Cazes of Lynch-Bages to run it and rebuilding the cellars from 1988. Christian Seely has led the estate since around 2000. Jean-René Matignon made the wine for more than three decades before Pierre Montégut, long the technical director at Suduiraut, took over in 2022. The grand vin is drawn from the oldest vines on the historic plots next to Latour and Léoville Las Cases.