Pichon Baron - Pauillac 2022

Alexandre Ma

98

par Alexandre Ma le 10/03/2025

If Château Pichon Baron 2020 showcased a “cute, awakening lion,” then in 2022, this endearing lion starts dressing in a uniform, fastening a bowtie, and greeting you with a hint of cologne. It is the first vintage that Pierre takes full charge. In my opinion, it reveals less “Sauvage” and somewhat more Tenderness, making it approachable even in its youth. Château Pichon Baron has adopted a low-temperature extraction technique, resulting in crystal-clear fruitiness and more defined aromatic lines. A gentle swirl of the glass releases the scents of dark plum and salted plum, accompanied by the spicy notes of cloves and star anise. Despite an abundance of small, tannin-rich berries, this wine exhibits a velvety mouthfeel like glutinous rice balls. Additionally, I detected a rare saltiness towards the finish in 2022, which, after bottle aging, reveal unexpected surprises.

Wine Advocate

98

par William Kelley le 07/03/2025

Aromas of sweet dark berries and cherries mingled with notions of cigar wrapper, pencil shavings and licorice introduce the 2022 Pichon-Longueville Baron, a full-bodied, layered and multidimensional wine that's deep, dense and lively, with terrific concentration, sweet tannins and a long, penetrating finish. Integrated and serious, this hints at the lavishness inherent to the vintage, while remaining classic and controlled. This blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot was bottled in June.

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

96

par Jane Anson le 07/03/2025

Beautiful depth through the palate, this is a gorgeous wine, so deft and well handled, excellent quality, bitter cocoa bean, black chocolate, luscious but restrained, layered red roses, powerful, concentrated, with length, and the tightness of En Primeur has loosened and softened just enough to show the beauty of the fruit. 70% new barrels for ageing. A two point upscore.

Decanter.com

98

par Georgina Hindle le 07/03/2025

Wonderfully aromatic and expressive, with dark fruit, floral scents, chocolate, cinnamon and liquorice. Smooth, svelte, bursting with energy. Juicy strawberries and cherries have crunch from fine tannins and mineral edges. Calm and controlled, yet quietly powerful. Fruit and oak emerge over time, layering chalky, powdery, ripe, spiced and fresh textures....

Jeb DUNNUCK

98

par Jeb Dunnuck le 28/02/2025

The 2022 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron is young and unevolved, with a barrel sample-like feel, offering cassis, graphite, liquid violets, and incredible purity. Powerful and structured, it has remarkable depth, rock-solid concentration, and seamless integrated structure and tannins. Based on 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot aged 18 months in 70% new oak, this classically styled, inward Pauillac is one of the most promising wines of the vintage and should evolve for 40+ years.

Yvesbeck.wine

99

par Yves Beck le 25/02/2025

D'entrée, le vin se positionne avec sérénité, avec pertinence et se distingue par sa subtilité ainsi que par sa fraîcheur. Les nuances de graphite, d'eucalyptus et d'agrumes sont complétées par des notes de réglisse puis une touche confite. En bouche, le vin opte pour un style linéaire et cadré avant de céder la place à la plénitude et au charme. Cela s'appelle la puissance maîtrisée plussoyée par une tendance suave, quoique l'on pourrait laisser plus d'espace à la puissance. Evidemment, il ne s'agit pas d'épater la galerie, mais de la convaincre, et dans ce sens la mission est accomplie. Le vin se distingue par son côté énergétique, par ses tannins compacts et par une austérité autant rafraîchissante que structurante. Un vin brillant qui ouvre la voie à des sphères où puissance et fraîcheur sont des compères inséparables. Finale fruitée, rafraîchissante et persistante. Je pense que le vin n'a pas encore totalement terminé sa mise en place, mais son aptitude à créer l'harmonie entre tendresse et vigueur est enthousiasmante ; je vais régulièrement le déguster :-) 2028-2057 99/100

Vinous

97

par Neal Martin le 12/02/2025

The 2022 Pichon Baron was a knockout in barrel, though what matters is how it shows in bottle. This has retained the precision that I discerned previously: delineated scents of blackberry, bilberry and sea spray, just a light melted tar note percolating through with time. So Pauillac! The palate is medium-bodied with a core of sapid black fruit, white pepper and a patina of pencil lead. Perhaps this is a little tight after bottling as you would expect, yet there is linearity and grace about this Pauillac that is enthralling.

Jamessuckling.com

98

par James Suckling le 03/02/2025

What a nose with complex aromas of blackberries, blackcurrants, graphite and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, this has layers of tannins and intense richness but is framed and held together by the phenolic structure. Vertical and deep, it goes on for minutes on the palate. Great finish. 81% cabernet sauvignon and 19% merlot. Give this five to six years to come together more. Best after 2030 and beyond.

Vinous

98

par Antonio Galloni le 28/01/2025

The 2022 Pichon Baron is one of the most elegant, polished wines I have ever tasted here. Silky and refined, the 2022 is super-impressive right out of the gate. The aromatics alone are mesmerizing. Blood orange, herbs and floral notes lend notable delineation to a core of Cabernet Sauvignon fruit. As I did _en primeur_, I find the wine's balance nothing short of exquisite. There's more freshness and vibrancy here than in the past, along with a noticeably lower oak imprint and more sensual tannins that lend notable sophistication throughout. The Grand Vin spent 16 months in French oak barrels, 70% new, and then two months in wood vats prior to bottling.

Wine Spectator

97

par James Molesworth le 22/01/2025

This is a towering red that offers a remarkable combination of freshness and weight. The well-endowed core of cassis, plum and black cherry puree shows polish and brightness, and a sleek iron note keeps this grounded. That background is laced with rose petal, iris and apple wood, while a subtle savory twinge percolates throughout in a way that only a classic Bordeaux can accomplish. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2026 through 2050. 12,797 cases made.

Wine Maniacs

99-100

par Lin Liu le 30/05/2023

Decanter.com

97

par Georgina Hindle le 25/05/2023

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.

Alexandre Ma

96-98

par Alexandre Ma le 17/05/2023

If Château Pichon Baron 2020 showcased a "cute, awakening lion," then in 2022, this endearing lion starts dressing in a uniform, fastening a bowtie, and greeting you with a hint of cologne. It is the first vintage that Pierre takes full charge. In my opinion, it reveals less "Sauvage" and somewhat more Tenderness, making it approachable even in its youth. Château Pichon Baron has adopted a low-temperature extraction technique, resulting in crystal-clear fruitiness and more defined aromatic lines. A gentle swirl of the glass releases the scents of dark plum and salted plum, accompanied by the spicy notes of cloves and star anise. Despite an abundance of small, tannin-rich berries, this wine exhibits a velvety mouthfeel like glutinous rice balls. Additionally, I detected a rare saltiness towards the finish in 2022, which may, after bottle aging, reveal unexpected surprises.

Vinous

96-98

par Neal Martin le 17/05/2023

The 2022 Pichon Baron was picked 8 September to 3 October and matured in 70% new oak. It has wonderful precision on the nose, with intense blackberry and bilberry fruit, crushed stone and graphite. The oak is seamlessly integrated. The palate is tensile right from the start. Taut and linear, fresh, quite saline with a nuanced touch of black pepper toward the finish. Real pedigree and sophistication here, this is a magnificent Pichon-Baron that achieves a new level of precision thanks to the more piecemeal Sauternes-inspired harvest in tandem with their new winery.

The Vintage Journal

96-97

par Andrew Caillard MW le 17/05/2023

deep crimson. Classic pure blackcurrant, dark cherry aromas with vanilla, hint aniseed notes. Beatifully balanced and richly flavoured wine with casiss, dark cherry fruits, some dark chocolate notes, superb fine grainy/ hint cedar tannins and well balanced juicy freshness. Finishes al dente/ bitter sweet. A brillant vintage for this estate. (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot 60-70% new oak)

matthewjukes.com

19

par Matthew Jukes le 15/05/2023

The Wine Independent

95-97

par Lisa Perrotti-Brown le 15/05/2023

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.

Yvesbeck.wine

97-99

par Yves Beck le 10/05/2023

Pichon Baron se révèle lentement, gracieusement, sereinement. Il ne cherche pas l'éclat, ce qu'il ne fait jamais, de toute manière. Il affiche des nuances florales côte à côte avec de filigranes et subtiles notes fruitées. Le vin se révèle de manière plus concrète en bouche, mais de manière progressive en adoptant une attitude timide à l'attaque. Il gagne en puissance le long du palais pour finalement créer le lien entre vigueur et vivacité. La puissance est évidente, mais pas de manière virtuose, elle s'affiche au fil des minutes et est encadrée par une légère sucrosité et, surtout, par une agréable vivacité. La finesse du grain de tannin souligne la grandeur du vin, tout comme la fraîcheur qui marque la finale. Il ne s'agit pas d'un nouveau Pichon Baron ; il offre juste une approche axée sur la subtilité. Le temps lui donnera raison. C'est un très grand vin.

Bettane & Desseauve

97-98

par Bettane & Desseauve le 10/05/2023

Grand vin développant des notes de violette qu’on admirait avant-guerre dans ce cru et qui lui donnent un cachet spécial. Réussite exceptionnelle.

Jeb DUNNUCK

96-98

par Jeb Dunnuck le 10/05/2023

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.

Vinous

96-98

par Antonio Galloni le 09/05/2023

The 2022 Pichon Baron is marvelous. It continues a series of vintages that have been absolutely compelling. Bright red-toned fruit, spice, rose petal and blood orange lend considerable brightness throughout. More than anything else, the 2022 impresses with its precision and magnificent balance. Drinking window : 2032-2052

The Wine Cellar Insider

97-99

par Jeff Leve le 05/05/2023

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.

Wine Advocate

95-97

par William Kelley le 02/05/2023

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.

Jamessuckling.com

96-97

par James Suckling le 19/04/2023

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.