Chateau Pichon Baron

The full name of this estate is Chateau Longueville au Baron de Pichon-Longueville, there is also a superb second wine called Les Tourelles de Longueville. The grand vin (first wine) was ranked as a Second Growth in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification, along with its sister estate Chateau Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande.

The impressive chateau; which rivals Chateau Palmer for its grandeur, was built in 1851 after the estate was passed on to Raoul de Pichon-Longueville as his share of the family fortune. In the 1930s the estate was sold, and despite keeping its name, it experienced a period of decline owing to a deficit of leadership and investment. In the 1990s, the estate was then purchased by AXA Millesimes (who also own Chateau Suduiraut) who rebuilt the winery and renovated the chateau - the cellars themselves extend beneath the pool in front of the chateau, the cool waters above helping to moderate the temperatures below.

The result of this investment has been a heady rise in quality and the historic estate is now back to its best as Deuxieme Cru Classe in the wonderful world of Pauillac. A string of admirable wines were produced particularly during the latter years of the last decade; the usual blend being 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Pichon Baron, in contrast to Pichon Lalande demonstrates a more masculine and structured style due to the high Cabernet Sauvignon content. With great success in 2000, 2003 and 2005, this estate is expected to continue its production of fine, elegant, world class wines in the forseable future.