2018 Chateau Pichon-Baron - 2eme Cru Classe Pauillac

*Straight from the nose you feel the wave of power with the wine uncurling through the palate, starting with tight notes of cassis then gently softening into sweeter brambled hedgerow fruits alongside a ton of ink and pencil lead. The tannins are present but seductive, and as is often the case this year, they´re concentrated without being remote. It’s less monolithic than the 2010 with some of the seduction of 2009 at this property but with higher levels of extraction. The harvest took place between 24 September and 11 October. Again, we see here a Pauillac with the highest alcohol ever but it carries it extremely well. There was one week less of maceration than normal, so 21 days instead of 28, which will have helped control extractions. 86IPT.* (97/100)

Falstaff Magazin – 95 pts – PM: *Sehr dunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Mit anegenehmer Edelholzwürze unterlegte dunkle Beerenfrucht, reife Kirschen, ein Hauch von Röstkaramell im Hintergrund. Komplex, süße Herzkirschen, zartes Cassis, feine, tragende Tannine, gute Frische und Länge, verfügt über sicheres Entwicklungspotenzial. (2025–2045)* - 02/2021

*The 2018 Pichon-Longueville Baron is made up of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot. The Merlot was harvested September 24-25, and the Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested October 3-10. The wine is to be aged 18 months in barriques, 80% new and 20% one year old, and production represents 50% of the harvest this year. Very deep purple-black colored, it begins a little coy, rolling slowly and languidly out of the glass with notions of baked raspberries, blueberry coulis, crème de cassis and incense plus nuances of lilacs, truffles, damp soil and garrigue with wafts of lavender and wild sage. Full-bodied, voluptuous and oh-so-seductive, the palate reveals layer upon layer of savory, earthy and black fruit preserves, framed by wonderfully ripe, velvety tannins and lovely freshness, finishing very long and perfumed. Beautiful.* (97-99/100)

Vinum Magazin – 18/20pts: *Besonders zurückhaltende, raffinierte, rauchige Aromatik von perfekt dosierter Eiche; voller Ansatz, gemächliche Entwicklung, Klassetannin, grosse Rasse trotz der Fülle, des spürbaren Feuers; Wucht und Tiefe.* - 09/2021

*78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot. 80% neue Barriques & 20% Zweitbefüllung, 18 Monate, 14,1% vol, 3,4g Säure, 50% Grand Vin, 30hl/ha. Produktion 155.000 Flaschen. Dichtes Purpurgranat mit schwarzer Mitte und violettem Rand. Verhaltenes, sehr delikates Bouquet mit Wildkirsche, Schokopralinen, Waldhimbeeren und Holunder. Im zweiten Ansatz duftiges Cassis, rote Pflaumen und Veilchen. Am kräftigen Gaumen mit seidiger Textur und engmaschigem, reifen Tannin gepaart mit stützender Frische. Mit viel blau- und schwarzbeeriger Frucht, dunkler Mineralik und einem genialen Zug im nicht enden wollenden Finale. Hier heisst es, Geduld zu bewahren.* (19/20)

*Warm, dense and fleshy in feel, featuring cassis, plum and cherry compote flavors infused with tobacco and worn cedar details. Seriously long, with a well-buried iron note, though the purity of the fruit is the dominating feature overall. This cuts a pretty broad swath as it moves along. A big wine.—J.M.* (95-98/100)

JancisRobinson.com – 17,5++/20pts – JR: *Tasted blind. Not much nose but the suggestion of a lot lurking underneath. Thick and the polar opposite of Pichon Lalande with its massive tannins and not much flavour. Not so much my style but it will probably come right eventually! There’s mintiness and concentration.* - 01/2022

*Deep and dark young wine that takes you down, deep down to its center palate of blackberries and blueberries, firm and very silky tannins and a vivid finish. Wonderful palate and depth in this with such class and finesse. So many layers of polished, fine tannins. Great wine.* (97-98/100)

Vinous.com – 97 pts – AG: *Suave and sophisticated, the 2018 Pichon Baron is a real head-turner. Silky, polished tannins wrap around a core of inky dark red/purplish berry fruit. More than anything else, the 2018 impresses for its exceptional balance. All the elements are so impeccably balanced. That will make the 2018 easy to drink relatively early, although my preference would be to leave it in the cellar for the better part of the next decade. Rose petal, spice, blood orange and mint add brightness and perfume on the long, finely-knit finish.* - 03/2021