Pichon Baron 2023

A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot, the 2023 Pichon-Longueville Baron is a terrific effort from this estate, unwinding in the glass with aromas of crème de cassis, dark berries, pencil shavings, cigar wrapper, violets and burning embers. Medium to full-bodied, layered and textural, it's deep and concentrated, with sweet structuring tannins and a long, resonant finish. The charm and vibrancy of the vintage lends this considerable appeal, without effacing Pichon Baron's more serious, Cabernet-driven personality.

The 2023 Pichon Baron was picked September 12 until October 4 and matured in 70% new oak. Now, this is a conspicuous level up over the Les Griffons. Perhaps the quality of the Cabernet Sauvignon, comprising 80% of the blend, exaggerates the difference between the two cuvées. It seems to gain intensity with each swirl of the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins that frame the graphite-infused black fruit. It’s very focused, fresh and quite sapid in the mouth, with a subtle strictness that codifies this as Pichon Baron. The 2023 is a quintessential Pauillac that will age gracefully over the next 30 or 40 years. It reminds me a little of the 2019. Classic "P.B."

The 2023 Pichon-Longueville Baron has turned out impressively, revealing aromas of cassis, pencil shavings, violet, spices and smoldering embers, with new oak all but invisible. Medium- to full-bodied, deep and layered, it is beautifully balanced, built around a fleshy core of fruit and a concentrated mid-palate, framed by powdery tannins and concluding with a long, mineral and resonant finish. It achieves a rare synthesis of classical identity and seductive charm. Drink 2029-2053

The freshness and brightness of the blackcurrant and orange-peel fruit give a real al-dente feel. Some stone and spice underneath. Medium-bodied with very fine tannins and a refined finish. A PB with tight, linear tannins. 80% cabernet sauvignon and 20% merlot.