Château Pichon Longueville Baron, 2ème Cru Classé, Pauillac, 2022
Christian Seely described Pichon Longueville as "seemingly paradoxical" given its huge level of power and freshness; the vintage has given them "something they weren't expecting". It was "important to have a subtle hand to manage vinifications". Cool macerations and fermentations kept focus, elegance and freshness in the fruit. It is clearly a very impressive and perfumed Pichon, less monolithic than usual with lots of leafy cassis, sweet hedgerow fruits, iris and graphite. The palate is sleek and powerful with layers of polished, velvety fruit. Composed and tightly wound, this is an expressive, large-scale Pichon Baron. A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot.
critic reviews
The 2022 Pichon Baron has a bright and fresh bouquet, much more floral in style than its peers, with violet-infused black and blueberry fruit. Fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied, with what feels like a "natural/low SO2" element on the entry. Just a bit sweet 'n sour, though undeniably quite polished and long on the finish. Not quite as good a bottle as last year, but still a great wine. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting in London.
The grand vin from Pierre Montegut and team is 81% Cabernet Sauvignon complemented by 19% Merlot. A rich, open and expressive nose, in a brighter and fresher style than many have produced in this vintage, with elements of toast, rather fresh and lightly caramelised fruit, powdered chalk and crushed gravel, with touches of crushed iris, verbena and red pepper. The palate shows the same character, with finely grained tannins, peppered fruits, dried blackcurrants and blackberries, with a little flourish of grip and a bed of tightly knit very fine and powdery tannins which lend it a sense of energy in the finish. An impressive cuvée, one which has plenty of energy and grip, and it comes in at the top of my ranged primeurs score. Tasted twice. The alcohol on the label is 14%.
Beautiful depth through the palate, this is a gorgeous wine, so deft and well handled, excellent quality, bitter cocoa bean, black chocolate, luscious but restrained, layered red roses, powerful, concentrated, with length, and the tightness of En Primeur has loosened and softened just enough to show the beauty of the fruit. 70% new barrels for ageing. A two point upscore.
An unusually gourmand, sensual wine from this estate, the 2022 Pichon-Longueville Baron bursts with aromas of creme de cassis, sweet dark berries, licorice, lilac and pencil shavings. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and velvety, with excellent concentration and a rather rich, supple profile. A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, it's the result of sub-block by sub-block picking and cooler than usual fermentation temperatures.