• Colour

  Red

• Vintage

  2007

• Producer

  Les Tourelles de Lon

• Country

  FRANCE

• Region

  BORDEAUX

• Sub Region

  PAUILLAC

• Product code

  A07TOULB12U

• Availability

  13 cases

Producer Information

If one is in search of a true fairytale chateau in Bordeaux, I would recommend that one travels to Chateau Pichon-Baron (the full title of which is Chateau Longueville au Baron de Pichon-Longueville - we will stick with Pichon-Baron) - the witchery of the keen, conical roofs sitting atop their circular towers lend the building an almost magical feel.

AXA bought the property in 1987, and with huge capability for investment, restored Chateau Pichon-Baron to its former glory. The chateau wasn't just renovated, it was completely rebuilt, using a design by architects Patrick Dillon and Jean de Gastines, after the pair won a competition for the best design. The new buildings face each other across the fish pool in front of the chateau, and yet they are hardly noticeable as they are sunk into the ground. The cellars themselves extend beneath the pool in front of the chateau, the cool waters above helping to moderate the temperatures below. The chateau itself was also renovated. The result of this investment has been a heady rise in quality, with a string of admirable wines produced particularly during the latter years. A newly equipped chateau completed in 1991, a new bottling line and new practices in the cellars were the cornerstone of the improvements. With continued commitment we should see more great wines from Pichon-Baron over the coming years.

The vineyards at Pichon-Baron cover 73 hectares of typical gravel, and are planted with 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc.

The grand vin is Chateau Longueville au Baron de Pichon-Longueville, Pichon-Baron to you and me, and the second wine is Les Tourelles de Longueville, introduced with the 1986 vintage, and created to be drunk earlier than the Grand Vin.

Les Tourelles might be regarded a groundbreaking wine by some; in early 2007 (2004 vintage) it was revealed that a proportion of the second wine (that destined for restaurants, not retail), would be bottled under a screwcap closure, rather than the traditional cork. For a deuxième cru, even if it is only the second wine, this is a bold and admirable move indeed!

Les Tourelles is based around a 14ha plot called Saint-Anne with Merlot and Cabernet Franc, supported by Cabernet Sauvignon from elsewhere on the estate.

The vineyard is perfectly drained and the vine-training undergoes the principles of environmentally-friendly production across the board, Terra Vitis ® certified. Grassing keeps yields lower and favours underground life. Thinning out of the leaves and green harvests if necessary lead to a sharper grapes quality. Then berries selection takes place.