Château Pichon Longueville Baron, 2ème Cru Classé, Pauillac, 2024
Reserved and controlled, the 2024 Pichon Baron begins to reveal subtle floral hints alongside fresh strawberries and an earthy, loamy note. Sweet, concentrated blackcurrants form the core, accompanied by aromas of fresh ground coffee, bitter chocolate, wild thyme and rosemary. Delicate rose petals and a touch of tobacco leaf add complexity. The mid-palate is serious and precise, showcasing hedgerow fruit laced with minerals and salts, along with plum skin and graphite. Compact, fine-grained, and powdery tannins provide structure. Lush yet quite understated, it leads to a chalky, long finish that resonates with juicy, fresh strawberries and echoes with suggestions of wood spice, smoke and minerals. An excellent effort composed from 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot.
critic reviews
Deep garnet-purple colored. Fresh crushed blackcurrants, boysenberries, and juicy raspberries notes jump from the glass, followed by hints of iris, tar, and cedar chest. The light to medium-bodied palate delivers approachable, grainy tannins and bright acidity to match the elegant black and red fruit layers, finishing long and minerally.
The 2024 Pichon Baron was aged in 70% new oak. The nose is immediate and well-defined, with mineral-driven black fruit, a touch of pencil box and subtle estuarine scents. It is quintessential Pichon Baron. The palate is fresh and delineated on the entry, endowed with a core of sapid black olive tapenade-infused black fruit. I appreciate the energy that comes through, especially towards the second half, which maintains a sense of symmetry. It will be earlier drinking compared to the 2020 or 2022, but it is a successful Pauillac in the context of the challenging growing season, though it might require a little more time in bottle.
Majors on the fragrant, slim and precise side of Cabernet Sauvignon, waves of cassis bud, rose stems, tobacco leaf and a mouthwatering finish. Don't expect the intensity of 2022 or 2023 at this excellent Pauillac estate, and yet there is impact and slow build through the palate. One of the highest proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon on record, will be ready to drink within five to six years compared to the usual ten to 15. 3.71pH, 70% new oak for ageing, 52% of overall production in the first wine. Harvest 15 September to 10 October, Pierre Montegut technical director, Christian Seely CEO.
The 2024 Pichon-Longueville Baron opens in the glass with aromas of cassis, blackberries, cigar wrappers and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, lively and layered, with a dense core of fruit, tangy acids and powdery tannins, this blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot is a serious young Pauillac that will demand patience.