Yes, I couldn’t agree more - Larose T has always been one of my bankers!
Julien
What a fabulous write-up. We visited Pichon Baron in 2014 when we were in Bordeaux and it sounds like there have been a lot of updates since then. Thanks for the notes. You need to become a tour guide in Bordeaux!!!
I wonder what they do with the experimental amphora wine?
I’d love to be one of the trusted product testers as it looks like they get a decent quantity! Based on Ferriere and Haut-Bages Liberal visits, I’d wager they are constantly testing various percentages of blends with the oak barrels and/or experimenting with the timing and the effects on specific varietals, etc.
Thanks Howard - it’s a bit late for the career change though!
Good question - I should have asked!
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Reading your list, I’m intrigued that you left off Montrose and Carmes. Is it a matter of you not loving the style of wines there?
I’ve never tried Les Carmes - no particular reason why not, it has just never crossed my path. Montrose is a wine I know I should like but my rare forays have never been that convincing. I do have a few other St.Estèphes, but it isn’t my favourite appellation.
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Thanks, Julian! That was interesting and useful as there are 8-9 chateau on your list I never seen to try (eg du Glana)…
I got a little predictable in my claret collection, but I’m branching out again. I only tried my first Ferriere ever this spring!
First off, it is a reason, not an excuse. Pichon, or any top estates do not use pesticides, herbicides, or chemicals in the soil. Being organic has its virtues and drawbacks. The primary issue is to limit the amount of crop loss in years with high pressure from mildew, or other diseases like in 2023.
To be certified organic, you are limited to 4kg of copper per hectare over a 7-year period, this is down from the previously allowed 6kg per hectare of copper. There is a lot of risk involved in organic/biodynamic farming in Bordeaux, due to its climate that some estates are willing to risk, and others want the occasional freedom to make choices limiting crop loss.
In some years, for example, 2018, the amount of loss was huge, with estates losing 75% of their harvest.
Farming is agriculture. You puts down your money and you takes your chances. They are all aware of the risks, but some are more loss averse than others,
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There is no way that if I owned a chateau I would want to be obligated to people who either don’t understand winemaking in a marginal climate, or are not prepared to allow for adjustments when Nature is particularly bloody minded.
I would follow what Pichon Baron does; stay as organic as possible, and know the few people who would not buy my wines because they are not certified organic, would hardly dent the losses I would have if something nasty did happen.
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Excellent note, thanks for sharing.
Earlier this year there was a Jancis Robinson podcast interview with the MD of AXA’s wine arm, which Pichon Baron is the flagship of. I found it interesting - link here:
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I’m not a fanatical defender of organic practices, although I think they’re a good idea and should be encouraged, but to state that no top estate uses chemical products is simply wrong. Using the link below you will find a map published in June 2022, using official data from 2020 (whenever any wine producer uses a pesticide, it has to be declared to the local authority). If you type in Pauillac, for example, you’ll see that the level of pesticide use is the highest recorded. Same for St.Estèphe. St.Julien is better, Margaux is variable. Of course, you could argue that the figures include all the producers, which is true, but unless some loony in Pauillac is doing all the spraying on his own, some top estates must be doing so too.
Obviously things are changing and I have no doubt that the use of these products is decreasing, especially since so many top châteaux are going organic, but also because of public pressure - not only consumers, but the people who live next to the vineyards. There have been countless studies published over the years about the health hazards for them caused by the spraying of vines in a windy environment.
Of course there is a risk with organic practices - there is a learning curve, producers are finding ways to adapt and to fight the diseases differently, but it’s quite revealing to compare the pesticide levels in the Loire for example with Bordeaux. The climate is pretty well the same. I can only think of one notable red wine producer in the Loire who isn’t organic.
There are no producers listed. So from this info, it’s impossible to make a determination. I’ll stand by my comment that today, no quality producers use chemicals. I’m positive you find them in Cru Bourgeois or unclassified vineyards, but I’d be surprised if today, few, if any use them.
But I’m always willing to learn. Can you name any ?
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Who stated that? I simply said that if others can do it (obviously their neighbors are committed), then it seems to be possible. To have “no plans” is disappointing, that’s all. I get that organic certification is not the perfect solution, I just wish they were more committed to sustainable farming. It’s one of the many reasons, I have so little interest in Bordeaux…
You mean like this?
As the CIVB (Bordeaux Wine Council) announces that 75% of the Bordeaux vineyard is now under sustainable certification (up from 65% in 2019)
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What’s their definition of “sustainable”? Is that reason enough to not strive to improve further?
Read previous my post as to why
I read it and it comes down to “money”.
It’s great that Bordeaux seems to be improving, my point was just that it’s sad that some of the leading estates seem to have little interest to improve further.
Let’s get some definitions please. What Andrew do you consider sustainable, what is Bordeaux not doing as opposed to Burgundy etc etc.
There are several biodynamic vineyards at the very top of the classification, and many, many organic ones. Plenty to choose from at the highest level of sustainability, so I can’t quite understand why sustainability is one of the reasons for not buying Bordeaux.
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Well, to be fair, what is your definition of sustainable? And how do you know the extent to which any winery does, or does not, “have interest in further improving”?
At the end of the day we can all spend our money as we see fit, for whatever reasons we desire, but for purposes of conversation I think it may be helpful to be more precise and forthcoming here.