Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron 2022

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, tintig, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Reife dunkle Waldbeeren, ein Hauch von Edelholz, florale Nuancen, zart nach Erdbeeren, facettenreiches Bukett. Kräftig, reife dunkle Waldbeerfrucht, reife Kirschen, finessenreich strukturiert, präsente, integrierte Tannine, mineralisch, Nugat im Abgang, sehr gute Länge, salziger Touch im Nachhall, angelegt für viele kommende Jahre."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "With a solid depth of color, the wine jumps from the glass with its show display of licorice, black fruits, lead pencil, currants, lavender, cocoa, and spice in the aromatics. The show-stopping palate is rich, intense, long, concentrated, spicy, and most importantly, concentrated and pure. While your palate bathes in the wine, the sensation is all about its freshness, purity and length. The first vintage produced with the efforts of the estates new Technical Director, Pierre Montegut is a resounding success. This is clearly one of the best vintages in the history of Pichon Baron! The wine blends 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot. 14.3% ABV, 3.63 pH. The harvest took place September 8 - October 3. Yields were 34 hectoliters per hectare. 48% of the harvest went into the Grand Vin. Drink from 2028-2065."

VINUM: "Auch hier verblüfft die schiere Rasse und der mineralische Schliff der Tannine, die besondere, fruchtige Länge, die beispielhafte Präzision, die aromatische Komplexität und das daraus resultierende, verblüffende Gleichgewicht."

JEB DUNNUCK: "I loved the Grand Vin 2022 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron, which is based on 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot that will spend 18 months in 70% new oak. It's not the most showy or exuberant 2022, yet it shines for its incredible class and purity, as well as balance. It has a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated profile (no surprise) with its focused, precise, inward style that still brings gorgeous depth and richness. Cassis, graphite, espresso roast, crushed stone and spring flowers are just some of its nuances, and where many 2022s are broad and mouth-filling, this stays tight, compact, and focused, with a wonderful mix of elegance, concentration, and richness. The 2022 is pulled from 48% of the total production, and it's going to warrant 7-8 years of bottle age and have 50+ years of overall longevity."

JAMES SUCKLING: "A very structured and racy PB with blackcurrant, stone and black cherry aromas and flavors. Medium to full body with racy and fine tannins that are precise and focused. Elegance with structure. 81% cabernet sauvignon and 19% merlot."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "An unusually gourmand, sensual wine from this estate, the 2022 Pichon-Longueville Baron bursts with aromas of crème de cassis, sweet dark berries, licorice, lilac and pencil shavings. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and velvety, with excellent concentration and a rather rich, supple profile. A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, it's the result of sub-block by sub-block picking and cooler than usual fermentation temperatures."

DECANTER: "Beautiful fragrance, lots of fresh and ripe black and red bramble fruit - so alive and expressive on the nose with liquorice, wet stones and cedar spicing. Smooth, ample and full in the mouth, but not overly textured or plush, there’s a real refinement to the tannic structure, clearly giving the frame to the wine but detailed and precise with edges of liquorice, slate, dark chocolate, cedar and tobacco. It balances richness, intensity and concentration with sleekness, bright acidity and a real charm to the juicy fruit. Rich and tense, just giving a hint of it’s potential, clearly powerful but totally seductive too. Ageing 18 months in French oak, 70% new, 600% one wine."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: „The 2022 Pichon Baron, 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, is deep garnet-purple in color. It swans out with gregarious notions of blackcurrant jelly, baked black plums, and Morello cherries, giving way to hints of lavender, cedar chest, and cumin seed plus a touch of cinnamon. The medium-bodied palate is tightly wound with bright, bold, black and red berry layers, complemented by firm, grainy tannins and impressive tension, finishing long and savory/spicy. It will need time, but promises to be amazing."

WEINWISSER: "81 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 19 % Merlot, 48 % Grand Vin. Sehr tiefgründiges Bouquet, dunkles Graphit, Wildkirsche, Oliven und Schlehengelee. Am komplexen Gaumen mit seidiger Textur, balancierter Rasse, engmaschigem Tanninkorsett, beruhigender maskuliner Körper. Im konzentrierten, langanhaltenden Finale schwarzbeerige Konturen, tiefschürfende Terroirwürze und feinkörnige Adstringenz mit einem Extraplus an Frische. Bleibt seinem Stil treu, mit mehr Finesse und Eleganz. Ist für Pierre viel besser als 2003, da viel präziser! 2030 – 2060."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Dark fruit with an edge of char and toast. Smooth attack, the tannins plentiful but suave. Lovely texture. Restrained but plenty in reserve. Ageing potential."