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|Our Grand Vin Château Pichon Baron 2nd Cru Classé in 1855 comes from the very oldest vines grown on the historic plots of the estate.This authentic Pauillac offers an amazing sensory experience with its black fruit flavours and spicy hints. Château Pichon Baron shows great elegance, intensity and exceptional length on the palate.It is a wine that improves year after year and can age for over 40 years in the cellar.

Tasting note

Château Pichon Baron 2018 reveals a dark garnet colour. The precise and delicate nose offers notes of fresh fruit, black berries and spices. The attack is mellow, generous, rounded and juicy, developing powerful, well-blended tannins. The body is structured with silky, racy tannins. The flavour is carried by the structure, which preserves the mid-palate. The finish is tasty, full, fleshy, and harmonious.

The richness is perfectly integrated and the style is highly characteristic, built to last through the decades, while retaining elegance and distinction.

Jean-René Matignon - Technical Director - July 2020

Vintage conditions

2018 was characterised by moderate winter temperatures with no extremes. There was regular rainfall from early December to the end of March. The total rainfall was significant, exceeding 500 mm, that is to say approximately 180 mm above average. Spring was mild, followed by a very hot, dry summer. Bud break, which started in early April, was consistent. However, more heavy rainfall and optimum temperatures favoured the development of cryptogamic diseases, leading to very significant crop losses in places. Flowering started at the end of May and continued smoothly. Great care was taken to protect the health of the vines up until the end of July. Then a phase of water stress, unfavourable to grape growth, gradually increased leading up to the harvest. Average and maximum temperatures were very high between bunch closure and the end of veraison, lower than in 2003 but slightly higher than in 2005. Veraison began in the early sectors in the last week of July and mid-veraison in early August.

Moderate temperatures resulted in very good ripening conditions. 2018 was comparable to 2005, with earlier development than in 2015. This early tendency for sunny weather continued until the end of the harvest. High temperatures and water stress were optimum for the anthocyanic richness of the skins and early ripening of the tannins. At the same time, the potential alcohol content increased rapidly, total acidity and malic acid levels were low and pH high.

The old Merlot vines were harvested betwen 24th and 25th September and the Cabernet-Sauvignon vines from 3rd to 10th October.

Blend

78% Cabernet-Sauvignon, 22% Merlot

Ageing

80% in new barrels, 20% from barrels of one vintage for 18 months