Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron

Pauillac

 

Classification:

Second-growth in 1855

 

Vineyards (red):

Surface area: 168 acres

Average age of vines: 35 years

Blend: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc

Density of plantation: 9.000 vines per hectare

Average yields (over the last 5 years): 45 hectoliters per hectare

Total average annual productions: 35,000 cases

 

Grand Vin (red):

Brand name: Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron

Appellation: Pauillac

Mean annual production: 24,000 cases

Upbringing: Grapes are picked manually and are totally destemmed. Fermentations last 15-17 days normally (except in 1996, 20 days) and occur in temperature-controlled stailess-steel tanks. Malolactics occur in vats, except for a very small portion of the yield that goes into oak casks. Wines are transferred in December to barrels, 70% of which are new, for 12-15 months (bottling is done in springtime). They are fined and filtered. Racking is done every 3 months from barrel to barrel.

 

Second Wine:

Brand name: Les Tourelles de Longueville

Average annual production: 12,000 cases

 

Evaluation of present classifications: Should be maintained, particularly since 1986

Plateau of maturity: 8-25 years following the vintage.

 

"To AXA's credit, they hired Jean-Michel Cazes of Chateau Lynch-Bages to oversee the vineyard and winemaking. The Cazes touch, which included later picking dates, a stricter selection, the introduction of a second, wine, and the utilization of a higher percentage of new oak casks, has made for a dramatic turnaround in quality. As a consequence, Pichon-Longueville, frequently called Pichon Baron, now merits its prestigious second-growth status."

 

"The vineyard is superbly situated on gravelly soil with a full southerly exposure. Much of the vineyard is adjacent to that of Chateau Latour."

 

Rated "Excellent"

 Robert M. Parker Jr.