Chateau Pichon Baron vertical 1989-2010

What can I say about this super second? You can read my intro on my website:
http://www.wine-chronicles.com/blog/chateau-pichon-longueville-baron-vertical/
Basically, the wines have been particularly excellent in recent memory since the 2000 vintage. Jean-Rene Matignon, who flew to Washington for this tasting dinner, has been at the helm since 1987 as technical director, when AXA bought the property, and their investments in the vineyard and the vat room have borne fruit especially in vintages since 2000. And yet, 1989 and 1990 were both marvelous, made from higher yields. No false notes from any of the 13 vintages enjoyed by assembled merchants, sommeliers, wine bloggers and wine lovers who attended this tasting dinner on a cold January Martin Luther King Day in the nation's capital. And a word of praise to the relatively weak 2007 vintage, which was charming and very aromatically pleasing for current enjoyment, even though it too has Pauillac power, as it should, with tannic structure.

• 2000 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut 97 Points

  France, Champagne

  What a way to start a vertical of Chateau Pichon Baron! Marvelous bubbly. Combines citrusy verve with a creamy mid palate. Fine bubbles, clean aromas of brioche, lemon and lime fruit, subtle notes of red apple and stone fruit, the flavors echo in your palate and the texture is smooth with a full bodied feel that caresses all the while impressing you with substance and corpulence leading to a long and tantalizing finish.

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• 2006 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  What an impressive sense of structure and corpulence in this full-bodied wine. The bottle was open in the early afternoon and the aromatics were somewhat muted. Even with time in glass, they stayed a bit closed at dinner. The wine went better with the stuffed bone marrow, as the pronounced richness and flavor of that food matched the substance of the wine. Full body and in need of further aging to be fully appreciated but not as bright as either the 2007 or the 2008, which were served with it in the first flight.

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• 2007 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Charming and very aromatic. When the bottle was opened before the dinner, it smelled immediately appealing, showing red and black fruits and pleasing tertiary, savory, aromas and flavors such as leather, fresh wet earth and beef jus. The tannins are initially softer and the wine is on a faster evolutionary track than either the 2006 or the 2008, which were in the same flight but make no mistake, this has Pauillac power. A slightly short finish compared to the other two – and the other wines we had tried over dinner – but as a wine to enjoy today, on its own – or with a steak/frites.

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• 2008 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  My personal favorite with the stuffed bone marrow, served at Ripple and prepared by the talented chef Marjorie Meek-Bradley. As fellow taster Kevin Shin notes, with more "pure fruit" than the 2006, more brambly, but just as much substance and corpulence, with full body and a smooth finish. Still, the high and ripe tannin (a good match for the high acidity) is not resolved, and the 2008 needs a few more years in your cellar to begin to enter its optimal drinking window.

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• 2001 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Alas one of the three bottles was corked. But with two bottles, we had just enough wine to enjoy. I recall loving the balance and poise of this wine and as with other 2001s, the wines are coming together. Although later overshadowed in the next flight, it was in a gorgeous place tonight and almost overpowered the savory duck prosciutto. A full-bodied wine that exudes cassis and subtle lead pencil but also plum, no doubt from the 27% Merlot in this blend.

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• 2002 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  I have always enjoyed this vintage as reflecting the long Indian Summer that “saved the vintage” and resulted in ripe and smooth Cabernet. Interestingly it has 35% Merlot. It exudes freshness and verve throughout and its tannic structure makes it ready to age further, although it seems that the 2001 will outdistance it. When last enjoyed over a vertical in Berlin, back in 2006, it was brighter.

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• 2004 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  This was my overall favorite of the flight. It exuded the purest fruit, with a joyful brambly aspect. And yet full bodied and even somewhat brooding tannin underneath makes it built for a longer run. Long finish, too. Loved it from bottle in London in March 2014, and love it again in January 2015. http://www.wine-chronicles.com/blog/revisiting_2004_bordeaux/

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• 2000 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 97 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Likely the most pleasing of all the Pichon Barons tasted this evening. In a very sweet spot for current drinking, the wine combines full body and finesse, with a tannic spine that reveals excellent cellaring potential for at least another 20 years. The cedar like aromatics with much cassis and darker fruit pleased the senses, as did more tertiary aspects, subtle and just coming out, on the palate. Matched well with the savory hand cut tagliatelle and short rib ragu. So glad to have six bottles of this.

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• 2003 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Now some participants found this “very 2003” as compared to the 2000, but like others, I just loved this wine’s seductive approach. Wine director Jean-Rene Matignon said that if it had been placed in a blind tasting, it would not be readily detected as a 2003. I did not get any raisin or confit notes, but it was sweeter in terms of the tannin. Very ripe but not glossy in a New World way. Full bodied and long on the finish, if lacking the exciting tension of the 2000.

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• 2005 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 95 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  We opened this bottle first. And in spite of that, it was still closed by the time it was enjoyed at dinner. The aromatics are subtle rather primary but not yet singing. The palate, full bodied and substantial, with fresh red fruit that makes it so well balanced. A brilliant wine in the making, almost certainly in need of at the very least five more years to start to properly appreciate. Potential for higher score, indeed! Glad I have a few bottles.

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• 1989 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 95 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Subtle notes of truffle and cigar box mingle to make this wine utterly seductive and smooth. Participants went back and forth between this and the 1990, but even Pichon Baron wine director Jean Rene Matignon, who prefers the 1989 today, says that the 1990 is on a slower evolutionary track and will last “much longer” than the 1989. At least based on this tasting. The 1989 paired very well with the utterly delicious rack of lamb served with parsnip acorn squash and tasty kale chips.

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• 1990 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 97 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  When I opened this after the 1989 in preparing the bottles for the dinner, the aromatics were far fresher and more vigorous. Jean-Rene Matignon also perceived the same sensation. Perhaps the 1989 went better with the lamb, its truffle and cigar box aspects pairing better, but the 1990 was marvelously ripe and fresh. A beautiful wine that has full body and a long finish.

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• 2009 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 96 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  This wine is like a more youthful 1990, but with lower yields and higher tannins. With pure and ripe red and black fruit aromatics and flavors, almost as if still a barrel sample. Full bodied, with a smooth, yet nuanced texture, and high and very ripe tannin lending excellent structure. The wine is spherical in its balance without being glossy. A gorgeous vintage in the making. Open a bottle in five years. A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot.

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• 2010 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 97 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Opening this wine before the dinner and smelling it, I thought of the comical line from Spinal Tap: “This one goes to 11”. So just when you thought 2009 was amazing, this one was somewhat even a bit more... of everything: higher tannin, higher concentration. But I could even sense new oak toast, this being far more primary than the 2009. More Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend at 79%. It will be fascinating to compare the 2010 with the 2009 over the next 30 years.

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A good time was had by all, with special thanks to the great food and service at Ripple, from executive chef Marjorie Meek-Bradley to general manager Danny Fisher. High praise to the great wines being made by Jean-Rene Matignon and his staff at Chateau Pichon Baron!