I imagine many of you have done this visit yourselves, since unlike Pichon Comtesse which we visited last year, Pichon Baron is very much open for visits. I had been there myself twenty years ago - at the time, it struck me as fairly soulless and I wanted to see how things had changed since. I got an appointment by mail, using the WB calling card, the advantage being that the private visit was free - much to my daughters’ amusement, we were told that we were “press”!
On arrival, one is struck by the sheer palladian opulence of the place:
This is the new building (to the left of the château on the first photo) housing the offices, general hospitality and tasting rooms plus the shop:
We were greeted very warmly by our hostess, Aude, who began by showing us the vineyard:
She was very honest and candid about the struggles they have had this year with mildew - you can see one result on the right. They were busy spraying for the last time before harvest, in view of some more rain forecasts (they were quite right!). Pichon Baron, unlike Comtesse, has no plans to go organic - and she was just as candid about the likelihood of some of Comtesse’s vines being sprayed by accident - in a windy environment it is obviously impossible to avoid when rows of vines are next to each other. Generally speaking, the vines looked healthy and as long as the weather settles from now until the end of September, the crop should be OK.
Then we went inside to visit the cuvier.
Last year, from what I understood, they have added a mezzanine floor, enabling the team to receive the grapes there, so that everything is done by gravity rather than pumps when filling the vats:
There is a mixture of inox vats and large oak barriques, plus some experimental amphora:
The we crossed into the cavernous cellar:
More amphora - Aude was very keen to point out that the amphora are only an experiment and that so far at least, they have not been convinced enough to include the wine in any final blends.
I think this photo is from the second cellar, under the lake you can see on the first photo. They use a variety of coopers, like most châteaux, and a variety of toasting levels. Each barrel has the cooper’s name and the level of toasting - GC+ means Grande Chauffe +, so the top level of toasting (I imagine):
The cellar has natural light from under the lake - hence the pretty effect here:
It goes without saying that everywhere is air-conditioned.
Before ascending to the tasting room, we went past the vinothèque, which features wines going back to 1896:
The tasting room is similar to most other new ones, offering great views across the vineyard:
We tasted four wines:
Les Tourelles 2017: more Merlot than the other two cuvées, this was fruity and charming, perhaps a little facile.
Les Griffons 2017: the (relatively) recent addition to the line-up, another second wine which is supposed to be closer in profile to the Grand Vin - which it is. Classic Pauillac cigar, cassis and graphite nose, classic Pichon cassis taste, still quite stern but showing good promise - this is better than many Pichons of the past.
Pichon Baron 2017 - more silky and elegant than the Griffons, with creamier fruit and simply at a much higher level. Impressive.
Pichon Baron 2016 - now you’re talking! This knocked the 2017 for six, a perfect blend of elegance and power. It is certainly concentrated, but the fruit is woven into the silky texture and restrained by the subtle tannins. I don’t think I’ve had a better Pichon ever. Glad I have some!
Before leaving, we checked out the shop where we found the ideal present for my next birthday:
All in all, a very impressive visit. The attention to detail and continuing ambition to achieve even greater quality is clear. No stone will be left unturned in their pursuit of excellence.
Only a couple of stone throws from Léoville Barton, the contrast was impossible to miss. If Barton is a family-run business with a château people live in, well-managed but with (slightly) limited means, Pichon Baron is a streamlined corporate set-up, with no expense spared as to the means of production. I certainly felt more at home at the former, but it was impossible not to be impressed by the latter.
In terms of wine tourism, the Pichon Baron visit is much more appealing than Barton - it’s a very professionally run operation which I would say would please anyone apart from young children. The whole itinerary has been cleverly thought-out and by the end, even an old cynic like myself could not fail to have enjoyed it. It’s a whole lot better done than twenty years ago. I did not ask how much normal visits cost, but whatever the cost, this is a good visit to include if you are in the area.
