Pichon Baron - Château Pichon Longueville - Pauillac 2011

Jamessuckling.com

92 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe3/13/2015

A Pichon Baron with currants and cocoa powder. It’s a little lean but shows lovely full body, bright fruit and polished tannins. Lovely race and finesse. Better in 2018.

Jamessuckling.com

94 / 100

byNick Stockthe1/9/2015

Darker in the glass and some quite bold dark fruit aromas on offer. Really polished palate where seamless fine tannins are cast in suspension through ripe black fruits and cassis. It holds very well through the finish, great depth and drive

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

88 / 100

byIan D'Agatathe8/31/2014

Inky purple.  Smoky aromas of dark berries, coffee and cocoa, with a peppery topnote; strong element of torrefaction.  At once chewy and a bit tart on the palate, offering spicy redcurrant and ripe blackberry flavors along with strong suggestions of mocha and coffee.  The broad finish features slightly chewy tannins.  I'd have liked a bit more definition here, but it's probably just a matter of time.  Cellar this for five years and see where it's headed. (88(+?) points)

Wine Advocate

91 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe5/2/2014

Its bigger, more famous sibling, the 2011 Pichon Longueville Baron exhibits a dense ruby/purple color, an opulent mouthfeel for a 2011, silky tannins and no hard edges. Medium-bodied and well-endowed, it is a major success in this vintage. It should hit its stride in 3-4 years and last for 15+.

Wine Spectator

92 / 100

byJames Molesworththe2/10/2014

Shows a taut feel for now, with lots of cassis and blackberry fruit, lined with iron and bramble notes. Dark and well-toasted yet integrated overall, this should stretch out after moderate cellaring, as there's an ample core of dark, fleshy fruit. Best from 2016 through 2028.

La Revue du Vin de France

17-17,5 / 20

the5/31/2012

Avec ce millésime, le cru confirme qu'il a atteint le sommet de la hiérarchie bordelaise. Le nez est envôutant, avec des notes superbes de fruits très frais. La bouche, parfaitement dessinée par les cabernets bien mûrs, "trace" un vin d'une grande classe. Elancé et ultra précis.

Le Point

17 / 20

byJacques Dupontthe5/17/2012

Fruits confits, belle maturité, sucrosité du fruit au nez, bouche ronde, fraîche, complet, long, tendu, beau milieu de bouche opulent, grande finesse des tanins. Profond, épicé. O= 2018 G= 18 ans

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

91-93 / 100

byIan D'Agatathe5/12/2012

(a blend of 82% cabernet sauvignon and 18% merlot; 80% new oak; a 50% selection for the grand vin; cropped at 30 hectoliters per hectare): Opaque inky-purple. Inky graphite and cedar notes complicate rich, deep cassis aromas on the refined nose. Youthfully chewy and tannic on the palate, with a saline mineral quality complicating the deep black fruit and smoky herb flavors. The long finish features a repeating mineral tang.

Decanter.com

17,5 / 20

the4/30/2012

Ripe Cabernet cassis fruit, very good structure and length, firm Pauillac elegance. Drink 2017-2030. (17.5 points)

Wine Advocate

90-92 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/30/2012

This splendid Pauillac estate’s 2011 exhibits an impressively saturated ruby/purple color as well as notes of spring flowers interwoven with creme de cassis, licorice and background incense and toasty oak. The tannins are firm and the wine is medium-bodied and rich with layers of fruit and extract as well as a long finish. An outstanding example of the vintage, it will need 3-4 years of cellaring and should drink well for 15-20 years.(90-92+ points)

TAST

18-18,5 / 20

by Bettane & Desseauvethe4/30/2012

Forte proportion de cabernet-sauvignon (plus de 80%), peut-être la plus forte de son histoire récente, ce qui renforce encore l'unité de présentation d'un vin complet pour l'année, noblement marqué par le cèdre et capable de rivaliser avec les Premiers. Son tanin puissant, encore un peu rigoureux, mettra du temps à s'harmoniser. Excellent second vin (les Tourelles).

Wein Wisser

/ 20

byRené Gabrielthe4/30/2012

82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot. 30hl/ha. Sattes Purpur-Granat, dicht in der Mitte, lila Schimmer aussen. Pfeffriges Cabernet-Sauvignon-Bouquet, Edelhölzer, Tabak, Trüffel, viel warme Pflaumen, mittlerer Druck. Saftiger Gaumen, gut etabliert, im Innern noch verlangend durch die noch nicht ganz integrierte Extraktion, die Gerbstoffe haben leicht spröde Konturen, und so spürt man bei diesem tollen Steak jetzt auch etwas die Kotelettknochen. Sollte eigentlich ohne Probleme 18/20 erreichen. Momentan ist diese Wertug noch als augerundet zu betrachten. 2020-2048

Wine Advocate

93-95 / 100

byNeal Martinthe4/27/2012

A blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Merlot picked from 12th September until 28th or something (according to a vague Mr. Seely.) It sports a ripe, more extrovert nose than some of its neighbours, with lush blackberry, boysenberry, a touch of cherry liqueur and underneath, typical Pauillac traits of graphite and tobacco. Leaving the glass for five minutes it unwinds nicely and shows great purity. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins on the entry, good grip and weight, a 2011 with real substance and chutzpah. The more I leave this in my glass, the more I like it. Very harmonious with layers of ripe blackberry and a touch of white pepper, the finish forgetting it is 2011 and not 2009. This is an outstanding Pichon Baron for the vintage. Tasted three times with consistent notes. Tasted April 2012

The Wine Cellar Insider

92-93 / 100

byJeff Levethe4/27/2012

Utilizing a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Merlot. The wine reached 13.2% alcohol. The wine will be aged in 80% new oak. The assemblage features one of the highest concentrations of Cabernet Sauvignon found in modern times. Ruby in color, smoke, truffle, earth, cassis, vanilla and tobacco scents are found in the perfume. Medium bodied, ripe and soft, there is a fresh, vibrant feeling in the wine, ending with crisp cassis flavors. 92-93 Pts

Asian Palate

91-93 / 100

byJeannie Cho Lee MWthe4/20/2012

Full, opulent and generous wine made from the older vines of Cabernet and yields of only 30hl/ha. Plush and very seductive with bright cherry and cassis fruit with a hint of cedar. Tannin levels were astonishingly high and Pichon Baron managed it well with less extractive techniques. This vintage is not as concentrated as the previous two but it is well made and balanced with potential for long-term ageing.

Wine Spectator

92-95 / 100

byJames Molesworththe4/10/2012

This has muscle, but is fleshy and almost creamy along the edges, with a very dense core of plum, blackberry and cassis waiting in reserve. A sleek iron edge cruises in on the finish and adds some serious length.—J.M.

Wine Enthusiast

93-95 / 100

byRoger Vossthe4/4/2012

Big tannins, smoky wood notes and prominent fruit mark this wine, along with acidity and freshness. It’s powerful, with the most gentle structure of concentrated dusty tannins and intensely-fresh blackberry-juice flavors. —R.V.

Jamessuckling.com

92-93 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe4/1/2012

Very pretty aromas of currants and blueberries with hints of flowers. Full body with silky tannins and a fruity finish. Refined. Very polished tannins.